Physical Development in Early Childhood Chapter 7
Growth Patterns • Height and weight increase rapidly but less rapidly than in infancy • Cephalocaudal trend changes to be more adult-like proportions • As middle childhood is reached, rate of growth slows until adolescence
Nutrition • Caloric Intake: • Child (2-3 years old): • 1000 cal sedentary 1400 cal active • Female (4-8 years old): • 1200 cal sedentary 1800 cal active • Male (4-8 years old): • 1400 cal sedentary 2000 cal active • Source: USDA, 2005
Nutrition • Protein: • Amino acids • Supports new growth • Carbohydrates: • Provides energy for muscle activity • Generation of heat • Support brain functioning
Nutrition • Fat: • Temperature control • High levels linked to heart disease • Body produces cholesterol • Minerals and Vitamins • Required for bone growth • Deficits linked to physical and mental problems
Nutrition • Malnutrition • Lower than necessary caloric intake (undernourished) • Inappropriate nutritional categories (malnourished)
Nutrition • Impact of Malnutrition During Early Chhd • Malnutrition in infancy • Increased emotional responses to stress • Lowered thresholds of arousal • Nutritional supplementary programs most effective in early childhood • Recipients of supplements were: • More active, • More talkative, • Less time crying
Nutrition • Specific Deficiencies • Iodine—retardation of cognitive capacity and physical growth (particularly during pregnancy—Kyrgyz Case) • Iron—lower levels of performance on infant psychological tests; lower IQ scores among young children (e.g. prenatal anemia among Kyrgyz women)
Brain Growth & Development • Changes in the early childhood brain: • Increased rate of mylenation • Increased production of glial cells • Synaptic pruning • Increase in mass of brain • Increase in circumference of the skull
Experience and Brain Development • Experience—expectant development: • Readiness to learn based on genetics • Species-specific readiness • Fixed action patterns • Action potential • Sensitive periods primed for stimulation • The special case of language
Experience and Brain Development • Experience—dependent development: • Neural pathways dependent on unique experience • Basis of individual differences • Basis of unique skills • Pruning allows new pathways to mature • Fragile X syndrome—negates pruning • How much is enough stimulation? (Scarr)
Brain Lobes and Development • Occipital—visual cortex develops early (e.g. face recognition) • Temporal—language learning; continues to develop across early childhood
Brain Lobes and Development • Parietal—movement, orientation, recognition, perception of stimuli (coordination—eye hand) • Frontal—reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem solving (develops into young adulthood)Hippocampus—memories; immaturity related to infantile amnesia
Motor Development • Locomotor skills • Gait becomes smoother • Stair climbing—both feet brought to the same step before moving upward or downward • Eye-hand and eye-foot coordination improves • Running and jumping become easier • Balance improves • Based on maturation, experience, and encouragment
Motor Development • Fine motor skills: • Require greater precision and control • 2-3 year olds begin stacking blocks, molding clay, scribbling, etc • 3-4 year olds more accurately perform tasks such as writing letters with an adult-like grip, cutting with blunt scissors, open screw-top containers (cause for caution) etc.
Physical Activity & Exercise • USDA: • at least 60 minutes each day of vigorous exercise for all with an additional 60 minutes of free activity • Vigorous exercise • Increases pulmonary functioning • Supports bone growth and strength • Play with peers increases opportunity for social, language, and cognitive development • Can support family cohesion (biking, hiking, swimming) • Reduce sedentary time (e.g. computer, t.v.)
Developmental Delays & Disorders • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act & Americans with Disabilities Act • Adaptive physical education • Independent living training • Adaptive facilities • Leaning Post Ranch experience
Safety and Early Childhood • Car Seats—age and size appropriate correctly installed • Poison control—cabinet locks, removal, healthier alternatives to toxic substances • Illness/Disease—inoculations, food safety, childhood diseases • Pool and Water safety—locked gates, alarms, supervision • Firearm safety—locked in safe, ammunition stored separately, not in the home
Child Maltreatment • Physical Abuse: • Striking a child causing some level of physical harm (brusing, etc.) • Can be unintentional arising from punishment that escalated • Can be intentional
Child Maltreatment • Neglect: • failure to provide for basic needs (social, emotional, educational, physical) • Includes abandonment, leaving the child alone and unsupervised
Child Maltreatment • Sexual: • Fondling a child’s genitals or breasts • Oral, anal, vaginal intercourse • Other sex acts • Exposing child to pornography or other sexual acts • Involving child in pornography production
Child Maltreatment • Psychological: • Degrading • Threatening • Isolating • Typically, the categories overlap with multiple types of abuse • Reporting Requirements: any professional or volunteer with reason to believe abuse is taking place must report it.
Child Maltreatment • Most likely to inflict abuse: Mother • Most likely to be abused: Infants (> 1yr) • Young boys most likely to be physically abused • Young adolescent girls most likely to be physically abused • Girls most likely to experience sexual abuse
Outcomes of Abuse • Physical: • Lowered reactivity to stressors (non-reactive salivarial cortisol) • Hippocampus may be smaller • Psychological: • Move from trust to mistrust (ala Erikson) • Use of violence to deal with conflict • Lack of sympathetic response to others’ distress • Little evidence that a abused kids grow up to be abusive parents
Outcomes of Neglect • Lower achievement in academics than abused children • Poor social development with withdrawal • Poor emotional control
Factors Impacting Outcomes of Abuse • The child's age and developmental status when the abuse or neglect occurred • The type of abuse (physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, etc.) • The frequency, duration, and severity of abuse • The relationship between the victim and his or her abuser (English et al., 2005; Chalk, Gibbons & Scarupa, 2002)
