1. Physical Growth and Development Starter:
‘A baby is a bundle of reflexes’
What is a reflex?
Can you name any reflexes?

2. Development Through the Life Stages:
Learning Objectives:
Identify and describe the key concepts in physical growth and development.
Key Words:
Reflexes
Allometric Growth
Maturation
Gross Motor Skills
Fine Motor Skills
Cephalo-caudal
Proximo-distal

3. Infant Reflexes:
Babies are born with a basic number of physical reflexes.
The baby does not have to think about these things for them to happen, they happen automatically.
A stimulus is what causes the reflex to happen.
A response is a reaction to a stimulus.
Watch the video and identify the reflexes, their stimulus and response.
What is the purpose of these reflexes?

4. Grasping: (Palmar Grasp)

5. Rooting:

6. Sucking:

8. Diving:

9. Placing:

10. Stepping:

11. Physical Growth 0 to 3 years Average Measurements:
Calculate the
weight and
height increases
between each
age.
What do these
figures tell you
about physical
growth?
Age
Weight
Length
Head
Circumference
Newborn
3.5kgs
50cms
35cms
12 months
10.5kgs
77cms
47cms
2 years
12.5kgs
87cms
49cms
3 years
14.5kgs
96cms
51cms

12. Allometric Growth:

13. Physical Development at Different Stages:
0-3 months
3-6 months
6-12 months
12-24 months
Can you see any patterns here?

14. Patterns of Growth: Cephalo-caudal: Head-down
Proximo-distal: Middle-outwards

15. Arnold Gesell - 1880-1961 - ‘Maturation’ Theory
Development genetically determined by “maturation patterns” which occur in a predictable sequence.
Twin girls study.
Motor skills training given,
more for one twin than the other.
No difference in age when skills
were acquired.
Suggests that development happens in a pre-programmed way.
Gesell devised the ‘milestones of development’ still used today.
Coined the terms: Cephalo-caudal and proximodistal.
Gesell’s classic study involved twin girls, both given training for motor skills but one given training for longer than the other. There was no measurable difference in the age at which either child acquired the skills, suggesting that development had happened in a genetically programmed way, irrespective of the training given. A child learns to whether or not an adult teaches him/her, suggesting physical development at least is largely pre-programmed.
By studying thousands of children over many years, Gesell came up with “milestones of development” - stages by which normal children can accomplish different tasks. These are still used today.

16. Questions? Homework: Conception and Pregnancy Puberty Menopause
Lifestages Essay
Hand-In Date: 5th December