Growth , DEVELOPMENT and

MATURATION

DR:SAHAR ANWAR RIZK

Growth and development
The term growth and development or both
refer to dynamic process . They often used
changeably ,these terms have different
denotations.
Growth :is physical change and increase
in size and it can be measure.
Indicators of growth include height ,
weight, bone size size and dentition.
DEVELOPMENT
IS an increase in the complexity of
function and skill progression.
It is a capacity and skill of person to
function
DEVELOPMENT: is a behavior e.g: the
person develop their ability to walk ,
talk, to run .ext .
 Growth and development: are independent ,
interrelated processes e.g an infant muscles, bones
and nervous system must grow to a certain point
before, the infant sit up or walk.

Growth: generally takes place during the first 20 years

of life, development continue after that.
Maturation
Is the sequence of physical changes
that are related to genetic influences.
Maturation: is independent on the
environment but its timing can be
influenced by environmental factors.
The rate of person growth and
development is highly individualized,
however the sequence is predictable.
Factors influencing the growth
and development
The factors that influencing the growth and
development are both genetic and environmental.
Genetic factors determine such characteristics such
as sex, physical, status and race.
Environmental factors affect an individual growth and
development, some of these are: family, religion,
climate, culture, school, community and nutrition.
Poorly nourished child is more likely to have infection
than a well fed child and may not attain his or her
potential heigth.
Types of growth and
development
Physical and physiological
Social Motor
Mental Spiritual
Psychological& Intelectual
Emotional
Principle of growth and
development
Growth is continuous process that
determine by many factors.
All humans follow the same pattern of
growth and development .
The sequence of each stage is
predictable, although the time of onset,
the length of stage and the effect of
each stage vary with person.
 Learning can either help or hinder the
maturation process, depending on what is
learned.
Each developmental stage has its own
characteristics.
Growth and development occur in a
cephalocaudal i.e starting at the head and
moving to the trunk, the leg and feet.
Growth and development become
increasingly different.
 Certain stage of growth and
development are more critical than
others.
Growth and development occur in
proximal to the distal direction i.e from
the center of the body outward.