PRINCIPLES OF

HUMAN
GROWTH
AND
DEVELOPMENT

BY: Montierro, Jenny M.

 Life Stages

-Infancy
-Early childhood
-Late childhood
-Adolescence
-Early adulthood
-Middle adulthood
-Late adulthood
• All children pass
through predictable
stages of growth and
development as they
mature.
• Each child’s progress is unique.
• A child cannot be
forced to achieve a
milestone faster than
that child’s own
timetable will allow.
Maturing involves growth
in ability to perform
skills, to think, to relate
to people, to trust, to
have confidence in
oneself.

• Development refers to
increase in skill or ability
to function.
• Psychosocial development refers to
personality development.
• Moral development refers to
knowing right from wrong.
• Cognitive development refers to
the ability to learn and understand
from experience, acquire and
retain knowledge, respond to new
situations and solve problems.
Principles of Growth and Development to Remember:
1. It’s a continuous process from the day we
are conceived until death
2. It proceeds in an orderly sequence
3. It happens at different rates.
4. It is cephalocaudal
5. It proceeds proximodistal
6. It continues from gross to fine motor skills
 Prenatal
Development
The normal gestation period for humans is 38 weeks.
Several names are given to developing humans:

• Zygote.....conception to 2 weeks
• Embryo….2-8 weeks
• Fetus……..8-38 weeks
• Neonate..birth-2 years
1st Trimester: central
nervous system develops
2nd Trimester: muscle and
bone, fingers and toes,
reflexes develop
3rd Trimester: lots of brain growth, sight, hearing, most organs
are well developed (lungs don’t fully develop until the 9th mth.
 Neonatal Developmental Steps
1. Sit…6 Months
2. Creep…8 Months
3. Crawl…10 Months
4. Stand…12 Months
5. Walk…13-14 Months
 Preschool Development
(Ages 2-6)

The child is moving from gross motor skills to fine motor

skills. (They learn to throw a ball before learning to use
scissors.)
Children in this age group need much physical activity.
 Middle Childhood Development
Ages 6-12

• The major growth and change during this time period is in the
cognitive domain.
• Physical growth is slow but steady.
 Adolescent Development
Ages 10 or 11-18

• Raging Hormones
• Oil glands and sweat glands increase in production
causing pimples
Factors That Influence the Growth and
Development of a Child
 Heredity Nutrition
Environment Family Influence
Sex Geographical Influences
Exercise and Health Socio-Economic Status
Hormones Learning and Reinforcement
THANK
YOU!