FACTORS AFFECTING DEVELOPMENT:

MATERNAL NUTRITION, CHILD NUTRITION, EARLY SENSORY STIMULATION

Human development is affected by both genetic and environmental influences. It is affected by the
following factors:

1. MATERNAL NUTRITION
-one important factor affecting development is maternal nutrition. Mother supplies all the
nutrients to the inborn fetus through the food intake so that she should take care of her diet for
her sake and that of the fetus. It is important that she gets a continuous supply of fresh
vegetables, fruits, minerals, and vitamins needed.
2. CHILD NUTRITION
- Adequate nutrition contributes to a continuous brain growth, rapid skeletal, and muscular
development. It is not the amount of food that children eat but what they eat contributes to
healthy living. A healthy diet includes adequate supply of fruits and vegetables, whole grains,
food rich in protein and calcium like meat and dairy products. Colorful foods such as
oranges, apples, tomatoes, and green vegetables are not only appealing but also highly
nutritious.
3. EARLY SENSORY STIMULATION
- Children under 6 years of age tend to be farsighted, because their eyes have not matured
and are shaped differently from those of adults. After that age, the eyes not only are more
mature but can focus better. Minority of children’s vision does not develop properly. About
ten percent of 6-year-old children have defective near vision, and 7 percent have defective
distant vision, the latter number jumps to 17 percent by 11 years of age.
Sensory deprivation exists in terms of the reception of sounds from the environment. Same
with visual handicaps, children may also suffer from auditory problem.

FACTORS THAT AFFECT GROWTH

1. GENETIC HISTORY.
According to Lynne Levitsky, M.D., chief of the pediatric endocrine unit of Massachusetts General
in Boston, the child’s genetic history influences on a larger extent his growth. As a matter of fact,
it is the number one in the list. By just looking at the parents’ height, the rate of growth of the
child can be predicted.
2. NUTRITION.
“Without good diet, kids won’t grow normally”, says Jo Anne Hattner, a pediatric specialist at the
American Dietic Association. Sometimes parents miss an assuring and wholesome calorie for the
child, thus, derailing his chances for a healthy diet. He must have in his diet nutritious food but
less juice or soda which can interfere with the child’s appetite for food rich in needed nutrients.
3. MEDICAL CONDITION
Children born with or develop serious medical conditions can have stunted growth if not treated.
Some these are gastrointestinal disorders such as celiac disease; food allergies; thyroid
problems; hormone deficiency, heart, kidney, or liver ailments; and certain chromosomal
 abnormalities. It is important that medication is monitored closely. There are stimulants like
Ritalin prescribed for ADHD which have been found to have adverse effects on growth.
4. EXERCISE.
Physical activity promotes growth hormones by strengthening bones and muscles. However,
caution should be observed in doing high-impact sports like running and gymnastics because,
they too, can impede growth if done excessively. Moreover, they can cause trauma to developing
bones.
5. SLEEP.
About 70 to 80 percent of growth hormone is secreted during sleep, says Paul Saenger, M.D. a
pediatric endocrinologist at children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center, Bew York.
6. EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING.
Children must be nurtured with love, patience, and understanding. They need a supportive
environment. When child experience anxieties brought by emotional neglect and too much
tension growth is also stunted. The condition called “psychosocial growth failure” by doctors= is
extremely rare, but its consequences are as real a malnutrition.

1. Discuss the factors affecting development. Give example/s of a situation on how each factor
affecting development.

FACTORS DISCUSSION WITH EXAMPLE/S

GENETICS Children inherit much from their parents genetically aside from
physical appearance, like eye and hair color, skin tone, nose
shape, as well as height and body build. They also inherit
things like aptitude. These innate properties can include
everything from shyness and stubbornness to kindness and
perseverance or even a specific talent (or lack 0f) for certain
things. Some kids may have more outgoing or tenacious
personalities than their same-age peers, which can also affect
how quickly or slowly they hit their developmental milestones.

While all kids are special and have amazing potential, some
children are also more naturally gifted or excel more than
others at certain things. Whether it be at sports or academics,
some kids pick things up much faster or more easily than
others.
HEALTH AND NUTRITION Some health attributes are passed through the genes, some
viruses, disease, and disabilities can be developed because of
external factors including (but not limited to) our environment.
Good health can include access to quality healthcare,
vaccinations, medicines, a toxin-free environment, clean water
and air, and of course, diet.
GENDER No two kids are alike, the nature vs nature debate is interesting
when considering gender differences. Obviously, girls and boys
develop differently from one another- both physically and
 emotionally, but by how much and why are up for debate.
While it is certainly noticeable once puberty hits, different
developmental timetables can be seen, although possibly more
subtlety, from a young age. Most parents will at least to the
fact that their sons are very different from their daughters, not
just developmentally but also in the way they play, act, act,
react, behave, and think.
ENVIRONMENT A child’s physical and social environment also plays a big role in
factors that influence child development.

Access to suitable housing, healthcare, education and

recreation facilities, clean air and water can influence a child
directly through their own health well-being and opportunities
afforded to them, as well as indirectly by affecting their
caregivers’ emotional and physical well-being.