Children Physical Development in Middle and Late Childhood 11

Children

Physical Development in Middle and Late Childhood

11

Skeletal and Muscular Systems

• During the elementary school years, children – Grow 2 to 3 inches a year until age 11– Gain about 5 to 7 pounds a year– Double strength capabilities– Proportional changes

The Brain

• Increased myelination– Faster, effective processing of information

• Middle/late childhood– Brain volume stabilization– Prefrontal circuitry and pathways increase– Significant changes in structures and regions

• Attention, reasoning, cognitive control

– Increased cortical thickness

• Synaptic pruning occurs

What Changes Take Place in Body Growth, Brain, and Motor Development?

Overweight Children

• Overweight– Increasing health problem in the U.S.– BMI used to measure children– Worldwide: more children overweight– Recently in U.S.: obesity leveling off– Risk factor; the earlier the child is overweight,

the more risk of obesity in adolescence

What Are Central Issues in Children’s Health?

Overweight Children

• Factors linked to overweight childhood– Genetics, heredity– Environmental factors

• Availability of food and types• Eating patterns and habits• Cultural influences• Parental supervision, attitudes• Television watching, low activity behaviors


Overweight Children

• Consequences of overweight childhood– Risk of medical problems

• Pulmonary/airway obstruction, sleep apnea• Bone, hip problems• Diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol• Cardiovascular risk higher in low SES

– Risk of psychological problems• Lower self-esteem, tired, less attractive• Peer relations; rejection and withdrawal


Overweight Children

• Treatment:– Combination of

• Diet, weight loss programs

• Exercise, calorie-burning activities

• Behavior modification, lifestyle changes

– Daily diary provides feedback, reinforcement– Intervention programs vary– Schools, parents are very important for change

• Activity levels are not hereditary


Diseases

• Four childhood diseases most harmful

• Cancer:– Child cancers attack all areas of body– By age 19: 1 in 330 children in U.S. get cancer– Little known about causes, possible genetics

• Diabetes:– Type I and Type II – Highest risk: obesity and Type II– Ethnic groups at higher risk of diabetes


Diseases

• Asthma:– Incidence has steadily increased over years

• Affected by increased air pollution• Most common childhood chronic disease• Primary reason for missing school, ER visits

– Exact causes unknown; blames allergic reactions to environmental substances

– Treated with inhalers, medications– Child may outgrow by late adolescence


Accidents and Injuries

• Injuries:– Middle/late childhood: leading cause of death– Most common: motor vehicle accidents– Serious injuries caused by sports equipment– Most accidents occur near home or school

• Prevention strategies best– Safety equipment, minimize risky behaviors,

proper adult supervision


Exercise and Sports

• Sports:– Involvement of children increasing every year– Positive consequences

• Healthy exercise, opportunities to learn, raises self-esteem, good peer relationships

– Negative consequences• Pressure to win/achieve, physical injuries,

academic work falters, too competitive, unrealistic expectations for athletic success


Exercise and Sports

• Exercise– Children not exercising enough

• Less P.E. programs/involvement in school• TV watching promotes sedentary lifestyles

– High-intensity resistance exercise • Decreases body fat, lessens overweight risks• Increases muscle strength• Linked to important cognitive activity

– Opportunities, parental encouragement a must


Parents’ Guide for Children

Pros

– Exercise– Opportunities to learn

how to compete– Self-esteem– Setting for developing

peer relations and friendships

Cons

– Pressure to achieve, high stress created

– Physical injuries– Distraction from

academic work– Exploitation – Wrong values taught;

win-at-all-costs

Nutrition

• Middle/late childhood:– Average child’s body weight doubles– Food consumption increases with age

• Age 1-3: needs 1,300 calories per day• Age 4-6: needs 1,700 calories per day• Age 7-10: needs 2,400 calories per day (needs

vary with size, activity level)

– Healthy, balanced meals, and eating patterns are most important


Motor Development

• Middle/late childhood:– Smoother movement, better coordination– Mastered skills become source of pleasure– Boys usually better in gross motor skills– Activity helps refine developing skills– Hands used more as ‘tools,’ steadier by age 7

• Age 8-10: more independent with hands• Fine motor skills in writing develop• Age 10-12: manipulative skills like adults

What Changes Take Place in Body Growth, Brain, and Motor Development?

Who Are Children with Disabilities?

• About 10% of U.S. children receive special education or related services– Learning disability (includes ADHD)

– Speech and sensory disorders

– Physical disorders

– Emotional and behavioral disorders

What Are the Prevalent Disabilities in Children?

Learning Disabilities

• Learning disability includes:– A minimum IQ level

– A significant difficulty in a school-related area

– Exclusion of other conditions

• Boys classified 3 times more than girls

• Diagnosis difficult


Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

• Children consistently show one or more of the following characteristics: – Inattention– Hyperactivity– Impulsivity


Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder


•

• Many possible causes; heredity may play role

• Undergoes extensive evaluations

– Usually treated with stimulant drugs

– Controversial

Educational Issues

• Public Law 94-142 (Education for All Handicapped Children Act)

– Requires that all children with disabilities be given free, appropriate public education

– Renamed Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990


Educational Issues

• IDEA amendments in 1997

– Use of instructional technology

– Use of assistive technology

– Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

– Least restrictive environment (LRE)

– Mainstreaming renamed inclusion


Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

• Written statement that spells out program tailored to child with disability

– Related to child’s learning capacity

– Designed to meet child’s individual needs

– Designed to provide educational benefits


Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

• Child with disability must be educated in setting as similar as possible to one in which children without a disability are educated

– Inclusion: educating special-needs child full-time in the regular classroom


Documents

Children Physical Development in Middle and Late Childhood 11