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Chapter 11 Physical Development in Middle Childhood

How the body grows for children in middle childhood: Children at this age also add 2 to 3 inches in height and 5 pounds each year. Girls are slightly shorter and lighter than boys at ages 6 to 8; but by age 9 this trend is reversed. Girls have more body fat and boys more muscle. After 8, girls accumulate fat at a faster rate. The lower portion of the body is growing faster and school- age children appear long-legged. Bones lengthen and broaden, and ligaments not yet firmly attached to bones granting unusual flexibility of movement. From 6 to 12, primary teeth are replaced with permanent. Common Health Problems Nutrition - Good nutrition plus rapid development of the body’s immune system = disease protection. Poverty is a predictor of ill health. It is important for children between the ages of 6 to 11 to eat a variety of nutritious foods. Prolonged malnutrition retards physical growth and intelligence and also poor motor coordination, inattention and distractibility, slow physical growth. Vision, Hearing and other concerns - The most common vision problems in middle childhood is nearsightedness due

to the increase in board work and reading and stressing the eyes (Berk, 2016). During middle childhood, the Eustachian tube becomes longer, narrower, and more slanted; as a result, ear infections occur less frequently. Child experiencing ear infections will usually out grow them during this period of development. Obesity Is a greater than 20 percent increase over average body weight, based on the child’s age, sex, and physical build. 25 percent of American children suffer from obesity leading to a life long struggle with weight and adding to health problems. Obese children are at risk for health problems. Childhood obesity is considered a family eating behavior and not just an issue for the child. School lunches and snacks have been changed to healthier options for children. What are some of the causes of obesity in children?

- Overweight parents - Identical twins more likely than fraternal twins - Low-SES more likely to be overweight - Parents use food as a reward and to relieve anxiety. - More cued to external stimuli - Less active - TV time correlated withobesity

What are some of the psychological Consequences of obesity in children?

- Less accepted by peers - Low self-esteem, depressed, and more behavior problems

Child obesity is difficult to treat as it is a family disorder. An effective intervention is a family based intervention and a focus on changing behaviors. Bedwetting - Nocturnal Enuresis Nocturnal enuresis is bedwetting that occurs during the night. In most cases, it is caused by a failure of muscular responses that inhibit urination (Berk, 2016). The most effective treatment is a urine alarm which wakes the child at sign of dampness and a volume control which can be adjust to wake the child. The urine alarm also conditions the child to respond to the first signs of dampness and permits the child to wake up and then go to the bathroom. Illnesses Important to know that there is a higher rate of illness in first 2 years of elementary school due to the immune system is still developing. Asthma is still a problem for children. It is a condition of the bronchial tubes in which the tubes become highly sensitive. Asthma is the most frequent cause of absence and hospitalization for children in middle childhood. Interesting to note that asthma increased by 40% over the last decade. What is at greater risk?

• Boys • African Americans • Those with low birth weight • Those with parents who smoke • Poor

Unintentional Injuries - Unintentional injuries increase over middle childhood into adolescence. There is a higher rate of injury for boys due to their willingness to take risks. The types of unintentional injuries are mostly a result of auto and bicycle collisions. Berk, L. E., (2016). Infants, Children, and Adolescents. Boston, MA: Pearson. EIGHTH EDITI