journal
SUMMARY PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT in EARLY CHILDHOOD
Two to Six Years of Age BODY GROWTH
Changes in Body Size and Proportions – On the average, 2 to 3 inches in height and about 5
pounds in weight are added each year. – The child gradually becomes thinner; girls retain
somewhat more body fat, whereas boys are slightly more muscular.
– During Early childhood posture and balance improve, resulting in gains in motor coordination.
– Individual differences in body size are even more apparent during early childhood than in infancy and toddlerhood.
– To determine if a child’s atypical stature is a sign of a growth or health problem, the child’s heritage must be considered.
Skeletal Growth
– Between ages 2 and 6 growth centers in which cartilage hardens into bone, emerge in various parts of the skeleton.
- X-rays permit doctors to estimate children’s skeletal age, the best available measure of progress toward physical maturity. We don’t routinely subject children to x-rays just to check on growth (unless needed).
– By the end of the preschool years, children start to lose their primary teeth.
– Childhood tooth decay remains high, especially among low-SES youngsters in the United States. Education is
important to prevent primary tooth decay that can damage permanent teeth.
Asynchronies in Physical Growth • Physical growth is an asynchronous process: different body systems have their own unique, carefully timed patterns of maturation. • The term general growth curve describes a curve that represents overall changes in body size, rapid growth during infancy, slower gains in early and middle childhood, and rapid growth once more during adolescence. During early childhood their bodies become more streamlined
– flat tummies and longer legs and arms. They tend to reduce the amount of baby fat present during toddlerhood.
FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH AND HEALTH Heredity and Hormones
– Children’s physical size and rate of growthare related to that of their parents. It is important for parents to share information about family members regarding physical growth and development. Pediatricians use the information to track normal growth for children.
– The pituitary gland is a gland located near the base of the brain that releases hormones affecting physical growth. The two hormones important to track in children are:
Growth hormone (GH) affects the development of almost all body tissues, except the central nervous system and the
genitals. Short children with GH deficiency can be treated with injections of GH. • Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) stimulates the thyroid gland to release thyroxine, which is necessary for normal development of the nerve cells of the brain and body growth. Sleep Habits and Problems • Sleep contributes to body growth, since GH is released during sleeping hours. •For preschoolers total sleep declines from 12 to 13 hours at ages 2 and to 10 to 11 hours at ages 4 to 6. • Bedtime rituals, such as using the toilet, listening to a story, and kissing before turning off the light, help Western preschoolers adjust to being left by themselves in a darkened room. Not all children sleep in alone in a room. Some families share sleeping space and may create different sleep rituals. Sleep • Almost all children begin to have a few nightmares between ages 3 to 6. As they continue to experience the world around them, dreams can sometimes seem a little scary to the preschooler. Some children may have problems getting back to sleep because they fear another dream. • About 20 to 25 percent of preschoolers experience difficulty falling and staying asleep. Persistent sleep problems may be a sign of illness. Family stress can also prompt childhood sleep disturbances. Nutrition
- food intake reduced and social mealtime climate important
- Preschoolers’ appetites decrease because growth has slowed.
• In addition, they may become picky eaters. This may be adaptive as young children are still learning which items are safe to eat and which are not. •Because caloric intake is reduced, preschoolers need a high-quality diet parents and caregivers can provide •There is no room for junk foods. •The social environment and emotional climate at mealtimes have a powerful impact on children’s eating habits. Take dinner time seriously as it may be the only time the preschooler will concentrate on food for 5 minutes. Nutrition
– Introducing New Foods • Repeated exposure to a new food as this will
increases children’s acceptance. • Insufficient amounts of iron, calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin A are the most common diet deficiencies of the preschool years. •By age 7, low-SES children in the United States are, on the average, about 1 inch shorter than their middle- class counterparts. Nutritious foods need to be available to all children. Food programs such as WIC can help parents with advice and food support.
Infectious Disease and Malnutrition In well-nourished children, ordinary childhood illnesses have no effect on physical growth.
– Disease is a major cause of malnutrition, and, through it, it is malnutrition that affects physical growth.
– Most growth retardation and deaths due to diarrhea from illnesses in developing countries can be prevented with oral rehydration therapy (ORT). ORT provides sick children with a glucose, salt, and water solution that replaces lost body fluids. It helps to rebuild a balance in the body.
Immunization – Overall 24 percent of American preschoolers lack
essential immunizations, a rate that rises to 40 percent for poverty stricken children.
– In contrast, fewer than 10 percent of preschoolers lack immunizations in Denmark and Norway and less than 7 percent in Canada, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
– In 1994, all medically uninsured American children were guaranteed free immunizations, a program that has led to steady improvement in early childhood immunization rates.
– Misconceptions about vaccinations also contribute to inadequate immunization rates. Some parents and caregivers are afraid of the side effects and opt out of immunizations for their children.
Research in Europe and the United States indicates that childhood illness rises with child-care attendance. Childhood Injuries
- Auto accidents, drownings, and burns are the most common injuries during early childhood in the US. We
are a very mobile society and we take our children everywhere. This increases the chances of childhood injuries due to accidents. Other countries encourage young children to stay close to home with family members and parents and caregivers conduct their business with children safe at home with a family member or a babysitter.
- In the US motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death among children over 1 year of age.
Childhood Injuries Factors Related to Childhood Injuries
– Because of their higher activity level and greater willingness to take risks during play, boys are more likely to be injury victims than girls.