Principles of Growth and Development

Principles- a fundamental, primary or general law or truth from which others are derived.

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

Growth- Refers to an increase in some quantity over time. The quantity can be; Physical
(e.g., growth in height)
Development- Development is systemic and orderly change, organisms experience as
they live and either gain or lose abilities.

The General Pattern of Growth and Development

1. Physical structure or Physique
- Involves changes in terms of height, weight, body proportions and general physical
appearance
2. Internal Organs
- It involves changes in the functions of glands, nervous, system, circulatory, digestive,
muscular, reproductive, and etc.

Principles of Growth and Development

1. Continuity
- Growth and Development is a continuous process from conception to death
- In the early years of life, development consists of changes that lead the child to
maturity not only of body size and functioning, but also of behavior.
- Even after maturity has been attained, development does not end. Changes continue
which lead to the period of life known as senescence or old age
- These changes continue until death ends the life cycle

2. Sequentiality
- Follows a pattern of development, pattern in general is the same for all individuals
- Social and behavioral scientists increasingly have come to see development as a
relationship between organism and environment in a transaction or collaboration
- Individuals work with and affect their environment, and in turn the environment
works with and affects them.
Ex. Infants stand before they walk; draw circles before they make squares.

3. Generality to Specificity
- Development proceeds from general to specific. In all areas of development, general
activities always precedes specific activity.
- Example: Fetus moves its whole body but incapable of making specific responses;
infants wave their arms randomly. They can make such a specific responses as
reaching out for an object near them.
 4. Differentiality
- The tempo of development is not even. Individuals differ in the rate of growth and
development.
- Boys and girls have different development rates. Each part of the body has its own
particular rate of growth. Development does not occur at an even pace.
- There are periods of great intensity and equilibrium and there are periods of
imbalance
- Development achieves a plateau and this may occur at any level or between levels

5. Development proceeds from the head downward

- Describes the direction of growth and development
- Head region starts growth at first
- Child gains control of the head first, then the arms and legs
- Infants develop control of the head and face movements at first two months. In next
few months they are able to lift themselves up by using their arms. Next gain control
over leg and able to crawl, stand, walk, run, jump, climb, day by day.

6. Development proceeds from the center of the body outward

- The directional sequence of development during both prenatal and postnatal stages
may either be (i) from head to foot or (ii) from the central axis to the extremities of
the body
- The spinal cord develops before outer parts of the body
- The child’s arms develops before the hands, the hands and feet develops before the
fingers and toes.
- Fingers and toe muscles are the last to develop in physical development

Figure 1. The directional sequence of development stages may either be (A) from head to foot, or
(B) from the central axis to the extremities of the body
7. Development depends on maturation and learning
- Maturation refers to the sequential characteristic of biological growth and
development
- The biological changes occur in sequential order and give children new abilities
- Changes in the brain and nervous system account largely for maturation. This help
children to improve in thinking and motor skills
- Children must mature to a certain point before they can progress to new skills

8. Development proceeds from the simple to more complex

- Children use their cognitive and language skills to reason and solve
- They are first able to hold the big things by using both arms, in the next part are able
to hold things in a single hand, then only able to pick small objects like peas, cereals
etc.

9. Growth is a personal matter

- Each child grows in his own personal manner. He/she should be permitted to grow at
his/her own rate

10. Growth comes from within

- One or surrounding environment can encourage or can hinder the energy of a child,
but the drive force that pushes a child to grow is carried inside him
- Parent or teacher job is to clear the track, guide the child with loving acceptance and
then relax and enjoy

11. Growth has certain characteristics common at particular stages

12. Growth is gradual and orderly but uneven