To make sure that a child is developing normally and achieves optimal health, it's necessary to understand what "normal" child development is and what affects child health. Once these things are understood, parents, guardians or physicians can determine whether or not children need assistance in their physical changes or whether they need treatments or lifestyle changes to be healthy.
Early Childhood
In infancy and very early childhood, the main physical development involves the gross motor skills. Gross motor skills are the physical skills that take large muscle groups, such as rolling over, lifting the head or taking a step. The caloric needs during this time period are extremely high, even though stomach size is small, so babies and toddlers need to eat frequent, tiny meals throughout the day and may wake up during the night to feed. Fine develop once the gross motor skills are mastered (in general). Fine include tasks such as grasping an object with just the thumb and forefinger. Typically, the child's body time is chubby in appearance, and the limbs tend to stay close to the torso. Balance is awkward because the muscles are still developing.
Mid-Childhood
In mid-childhood, gross and fine motor skills continue to develop. The child usually is able to walk, and older children can perform tasks such as running, leaping or skipping. Coordination is better, so the children can participate in games such as four square or baseball. The main physical change that is noticeable by sight alone is the elongation of the child's body, which loses much of its fat. Caloric intake still is high to accommodate growth, and children still will need snacks throughout the day between meals.
Late Childhood
In late childhood, hormonal changes cause drastic differences in the child's body. The reproductive organs reach maturity, so the voice deepens, facial and pubic hair develop and, in girls, breast development and menstruation occurs. Both girls and boys gain height during this time, but girls tend to sprout up earlier than boys. Girls also tend to gain weight in the hips.
Growth Patterns
Throughout childhood, there are main patterns of growth. Motor skills always develop from gross to fine, so babies are able to walk before they can hold a pencil. Secondly, they always develop from head to toe, which is why children crawl before they are able to stand. Third, development occurs from the inside outside, corresponding to the gross and fine development. Lastly, development occurs in spurts. Most children go through periods of time when they gain several inches in height, for example, and then periods where no height is gained.
Development and Health
Physical development is closely tied to the health of a child. If a child does not receive adequate rest, nutrition or environmental care, then growth can be hindered, because the body needs these things in order to go through the physical processes of development. Conversely, good nutrition can speed development. It's important to make sure the child receives routine vaccines and checkups in addition to good diet for physical development to be as normal as possible.
Tags: motor skills, , during this, during this time, gross fine, this time