1. Chapter 9
School Age

2. School Age
Period is known as school age, middle years, or late childhood
Characteristics
Starts with formal education and ends with puberty
Growth slow and steady
Children move from family toward peers
Children are less self-centered, more goal directed
Loss of deciduous teeth, permanent teeth appear
Sexual tranquility replaces curiosity

3. Physical Characteristics
Height and weight
Bone and muscle development
Sensory development
Dentition

4. Physical Characteristics (continued)
Development of gastrointestinal and nervous system
Development of the immune system

5. Vital Signs
Temperature
Pulse
Respirations
Blood pressure

6. Developmental Milestones
Motor development
Increased muscle mass and strength
Improved gross and fine motor skills
Increased endurance and coordination

7. Sexual Development Still sexually curious Learn about own sexuality
Freud’s period of normal homosexuality

8. Psychosocial Development
Erikson’s stage of industry
Seen as producers
School work important
Need for positive reinforcement
Need immediate gratification from work
Peer relationships very important
Family relationships important, but secondary to friendships
Privacy important

9. Discipline Discipline is important—teaches boundaries and limits
Need praise and reward
Need to take responsibility for possessions and have small jobs at home

10. Special Psychosocial Concerns
Television violence
Video/computer usage
Unsupervised time after school

11. Cognitive Development
Piaget: concrete operational stage
Causation
Concept of conservation
Seriation
Increased attention span
Able to follow rules
Concepts of time, space, and dimension

12. Cognitive Development (continued)
Concerns regarding bullying
School an important aspect of this stage

13. Moral Development
Move from Kohlberg’s preconventional stage to conventional stage—begin to make moral decisions
Reciprocity
Ethical decision-making
Internalize a moral code

14. Communication More effective communication
Improved vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure
Use slang, swear words, and secret language

15. Nutrition Follow the food pyramid
Caloric intake based on body size, activity, and metabolism
Culture and family influence likes and dislikes
Need diets low in saturated fats
Breakfast an important meal
Food fads common

16. Nutrition (continued)
Concern: obesity
Physical effects
Psychological impact
Strategies to manage obesity

17. Sleep and Rest Sleep routines well established
Need 10–12 hours of sleep
Some could benefit from short nap
Nightmares and interrupted sleep

18. Play Focus of play is based on reality and concrete thinking
Cooperative style using compromise
Team play and competitive sports begin
Crafts and quiet activities still of interest

19. Safety Motor vehicle accidents still a concern
Common accidents are related to
Biking
Skating
Swimming/diving
Internet dangers
School violence

20. Health Promotion Considered a healthy period of development
Need good hygiene and daily care
Routine physical exams
Eye exam
Hearing test
Scoliosis screening
Routine immunizations

21. Special Health Concerns
Substance abuse
Alcohol
Tobacco
Drugs

22. Chapter Challenge
List three developmental milestones for the school-age child
Describe the cognitive level of functioning at this age
Explain how moral development occurs at this stage