Human Growth and Development

Growth is an increase in some part of an individual that can be measured

E.g. height/weight 

What are the four priciples of growth?

• No two individuals grow at the same rate (not even twins)
• Growth between boys/girls are different 
• Different parts of the body vary in growth
• Negative experiences such as a traumatic event can delay growth

Identify ways we can record/measure growth:

Measuring height and recording it by using a growth chart.

Development is the progressive aquisition of various skills and abilties such as head support, speaking, learning, expressing feelings and relating with other people.

What are the four areas of development?

• Physical e.g. reading/writing 
• Intellectual e.g. language development 
• Emotional e.g. learning to control feelings 
• Social e.g. making friends/sharing 

What are developmental milestones?

The stages in neuromuscular, mental or social maturation of an infant or young child, genrally marked by the attainment of a capacity or skill. 

Life Stages are different phases of life that all individual's pass through in a normal lifetime. 

Define the term "Lifespan": 

The length of time for which a person or animal lives or something functions.

The six life stages a person will go through:

• Birth/Infancy
• Early childhood
• Adolescence 
• Early adulthood
• Middle adulthood
• Late adulthood

Life Stage: Birth/Infancy (0-2yrs)

P - Soft and flexible bones, learns to stand/sit/crawl, recognises parents and siblings etc.

I - Copies facial expressions, recognises their names and certain words stand out.

E - Learns how to express emotions e.g. excitement 

S - Feeding, sleeping, elimination and posturing.

Life Stage: Early Childhood (3-8yrs)

P - Improved agility, speed, balance and coordination

I - Better understanding/memory and learning to read/write/count etc.

E - Self-confidence, aware of surroundings and ability to analyse failures.

S - Understanding fairness and how to share with others.

Life Stage: Adolescence (9-18yrs)

P - Growth spurt, body shape changes for both boys and girls e.g. puberty/hormones

I - Rapid mental development, improved memory/speed, ability to make own decisions etc.

E - Mood swings, appearance, relationships

S - Social skills, friendship groups, hobbies

Life Stage: Early Adulthood (19-45yrs)

P - Leave home, get a job, maturity and pregnancy

I - Independence, better knowledge and understanding, and practical aspects of life 

E - Control of hot flushes, emotions etc. 

S - New relationships/family and learning to drive

Life Stages: Middle Adulthood (46-65yrs)

P - Female menopause and aging process

I - Experience, judgements/opinions etc.

E - Mood swings, irritable etc.

S - Go out with friends and meals etc.

Life Stages: Later Adulthood (65+yrs)

P - Health may deteriorate, retiremnet and muscle weakness etc.

I - Memory may deteriorate, and changes may occur e.g. health problems such as dementia

E- Calmer, low mood/lonliness

S- Spend more time relaxing or at home

Milestones: The stages at that every individual is expected to develop at through particular stages of their life.

Skills/Abilities: Gross and Fine motor skills, thinking/language skills and social roles/expections.

Gross Motor Skills: Using large muscles (arms and legs).

Fine Motor Skills: Precise use of muscles (hands and fingers).

Social and Emotional Development: Development of a child's identity and self-image/relationships and feelings/living in society.

Intellectual Development: Learning the skills of understanding, memory and concentration.

Communications and Speech Development: Learning to communicate with family, friends and others e.g. expressive communication, body language.

Key Areas in Milestones/Development: Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Social.

Birth/Infancy (0-2yrs)

Physical Changes: Individual develops Gross/Fine Motor Skills

·        the development of gross motor skills

·        the development of fine motor skills

milestone set for the development of the infant – sitting up, standing, cruising, walking

Early Childhood (3-8yrs)

Physical Changes: The individual develops further Fine/Gross Motor Skills:

• Riding a tricycle, running forwards and backwards, walking on a line, hopping on one foot, hopes, skips and jumps confidently.
• Turns pages of a book, buttons and unbuttons clothing, writes own name, joins up writing.

Adolescence (9-18yrs)

Physical Changes: The changes surrounding puberty:

Early Adulthood (19-45yrs)

Pregnancy and Lactation in a Female LIfespan:

• During this stage pregnancy may occur
• During this women experience many physical and emotional changes 
• During pregnancy, hormones released can cause mood changes
• The increase in Progesterone maintains pregnancy.
• Oestrogen reponsible for sickness.
• Hormones affect the shape and appearance of breasts in readiness for lactation (andareolas darken) sensitivity increases in breasts.

Menopause: The ending of female fertility, including the cessation of menstruation and reduction in the production of female sex organs.

Key term: (Dexterity - Skills in performing taks).

Early Adulthood (19-45yrs)

•Women in their forties:  the ovaries produce less oestrogen. •Ovaries don’t produce eggs every month.

•This stage is generally given the name perimenopause transition this lasts until the menopause.

•When the ovaries stop producing eggs. An average is 4-5 years for this transition (However it can be months or years).

•The stage of Perimenopause ends when a woman has not had a monthly period for 12 months.

•During this period women can experience emotional and physical symptoms

Around 40-45 years old women reach the end of their reproductive years.

The reduction of oestrogen causes physical and emotional symptoms including;

•Hot flushes and Night sweats   •Mood swings   •Loss of libido   •Vaginal dryness   •Fatigue   •Irregular or very heavy periods

Later Adulthood (65+yrs)

Physical Changes: Effects of ageing 

•Less elasticity in skin •Decline in strength •Loss of muscle

•Loss of stamina •Less mobility in gross motor skills and fine motor skills

•Reduction in vision and hearing •Thinning of hair on the head and pubic areas

•Decline in the performance of organs •High susceptibility to disease

•Higher susceptibility to infection •Increased risk of injuries caused by falls