CHILD GROWTH

AND
DEVELOPMENT
Growth refers to the increase in mass and size
of a body or organs through cell multiplication
or differentiation.
This is most obviously seen in weight and
height.
Growth is structural, quantitative\
measurable ,Growth stops when the
organization reaches the stage of maturity.
Measurements of height in centimeters or
weight in kilograms indicate how much growth
has taken place in a child.
Development; is the sequential process by
which infants and children gain various skills
and functions. It refers to physiological,
psychosocial and cognitive changes lead to
new activities and behavior patterns.

Development is functional, qualitative, and it

is a life long process.
Study child growth and development is an
essential part of the nursing process as well as
its important issue for pediatric nurse to :
• understand how child change physically over
time from conception through adolescence.
• examine cognitive change, or how child ability
to think and remember changes over the first
18- 20 years of life.
• know how child's emotions, psychological
state, and social relationships change
throughout childhood and adolescence.
 From a biological perspective, the
terms “growth” and “development”
cannot be used interchangeably:
Most people use the terms
„growth‟ and „development‟
interchangeably and accept them
as synonymous. But in reality or
facts ,the meanings of these two
terms are different.
Stages of Human Growth and Development
1.Embryo ( Gestational period ) : It takes 40
weeks to complete. The growth in this phase is very
fast. All requirements are obtained by embryo via
placenta.
Embryonic stage; conception – 8 weeks
Embryo is defined as the developing pregnancy
from the time of fertilization until the end of the
eighth week of gestation.
Fetal\fetus 8 – 40 weeks
a developing human from usually two months after
conception to birth
Infancy period : (Neonatal, infant)
Infancy: birth to age 1 year; a period of
rapid growth in which the head ,especially
the brain grows faster than other tissues
Birth -28 days (Neonate)
EARLY CHILDHOOD PERIOD
Toddler 1 to 3 years Motor ability
coordination, sensory skills developing;
basic feelings, emotions, a sense of self,
and being independent become important.
EARLY CHILDHOOD PERIOD
Preschooler 3 to 6 years Continued
physiological, psychological, and cognitive
growth; better able to care for themselves,
interested in playing with other children;
beginning to develop a concept of who they
are.
Early childhood period which include
(Toddler-preschool):{toddler stage 1-3
years, preschool stage 3-6 years} is a
period of slow growth in which the
trunk grows fastest
MIDDLE CHILDHOOD PERIOD
 School age 6 to 12 years, Interested in
achievement; ability to read, write, and
complete academic work advances, period
of slow growth in which the limbs grow
fastest
Late childhood period
Adolescent 12 to 19 years, or later
Transition period between childhood and
adulthood; physiological maturation
occurs, period of rapid growth.
ADULTHOOD PERIOD:

Adult stage (Adulthood period):

• Early adult; 20 – 25 years
• Middle; 25 -40 years
• Late; 40 – 60 years

Elderly period: Elderly; 60 years up.

4 MAJOR ASPECTS OF HUMAN
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Aspect 1. Physical Development

Physical growth and development describe
the physical as well as psychomotor( is the
relationship between cognitive functions
and physical movement) changes in an
individual. The physical development is
very rapid during infancy/ stage.
Aspect 2. Mental Development:
Mental development includes such abilities
as attending, perceiving, observing,
remembering, imagining, thinking, solving
problems and growth of intelligence as well
as of language. These abilities grow and
mature with age or in different stage.
Aspect 3. Emotional Development:
The term emotion is derived from Latin
term ’emovere’ which means to stir\move
spoon or other implement around in order
to mix it thoroughly , to agitate to move.
We feel agitated or excited when we
experience anger, fear, joy, grief, disgust,
etc.
An emotional state consists of feelings, and
physiological reactions.
Aspect 4. Social Development:
At birth, the child is neither social nor unsocial.
When the child grows up, he develops some
social behavior which makes him an acceptable
social being.
Social development is closely associated with
mental, physical and emotional aspects of
development.
An individual’s social and emotional behavior is
so closely interlinked that feelings of jealousy,
shyness, affection and sympathy which are
primarily regarded as emotional responses can
also be treated as social forms of behavior.
Principles of Human Growth
and Development:
1-development is sequential; maturation
follows a predictable and universal time
table. e.g.; children learn to crawl\go on
hands and knee , sitting , standing, walk,
run and jumping consequently .and
babbles before he talks.
2-development is directional; patterns of
development and their progression
A. From head to toe(cephalocaudally):
development proceeds from head
downward ,area closest to the brain or head
develop first followed by the trunk then leg and
feet. For e.g., head control precedes the ability
to sitting then crawling then walking.
B. From trunk to tips of the extremities
(proximodistally): development proceeds from
the inside to outside, controlled movement s
closest to body's center (trunk, arm s) develop
before controlled movements distant to the body
(finger). for e.g., the neonate can move his arms
and legs easily but cant pick up objects with his
fingers
C. Development proceeds from general to
specific. In all areas of development, general
activity always precedes specific activity. simple
tasks are mastered before advancing to those
that are more complex, for e.g.: progressing
from crawling to walking to jumping
3-development is unique for each child;
every child has unique time table for
physical, psychosocial, cognitive and moral
development.

4-development is interrelated;
physiological, psychological, cognitive and
moral development is affected by one
another .e.g.; central nervous system
maturation is necessary for cognitive
development.
5-development becomes increasingly
differentiated; this means that
responses become more specific and skillful
as the child grows.
Young infants respond to stimuli in a
generalized way involving the entire body,
whereas older children respond to specific
stimuli in a more refined and specialized way.
e.g.; infant react with entire body to pain by
crying, while child able to localized pain and
identify its resource.
6-development becomes increasingly
integrated and complex; as new skills are
gained, more complex tasks are learned .e.g.;
learning to drink from a cup requires eye-hand
coordination, then grasping, and then hand-
mouth coordination

7-new skills predominate; children are

learning gradually not learning all things or
skills at the same time, they do not learn to
walk, talk and feed them selves at the same
time.
8. Development is Continuous:
The process of growth and development
continues from the conception till the
individual reaches maturity. Development
of both physical and mental traits
continues gradually until these traits reach
their maximum growth. It goes on
continuously throughout life. Even after
maturity has been attained, development
does not end.
 ASSESSING AND MEASURING GROWTH
AND DEVELOPMENT
Chronological Age (years or months since birth
date)

Mental Age (level of cognitive function, this

determination is based on at least two type of
intelligence test administered over 6 months,
with the child in optimal health)
Bone Age: radiographic studies of the
tarsal and carpals indicate the degree of
ossification, this measure is used for the
child whose shorter or taller than
chronological age suggests
Adjusted or corrected age: chronological
age minus the number of weeks born
prematurely.
Developmental assessment: determine whether
the child has achieved certain expected goals
during developmental stage?
• Denver developmental screening test which
measures gross motor function, fine motors
function, language and personal-social
development for a child up to age 6 .
• Age and stages questionnaire {ASO for
children 0-5\ communication, gross motor,
fine motor ,personal or social skills .
FACTORS INFLUENCING CHILD
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

• Family :(Family structure, Family

functions , family Lifestyle (eating,
exercise, use of tobacco, alcohol, drug),
Special family situations (when the
family structure changes), Divorced
family….
• Genetics
• Society: Socioeconomic statues,
Poverty, Homelessness , Media,….
• Culture
• Immigration
• Spiritual and Religious influences
• Violence: school violence, violence
in home,
• Community centers
• Peer groups
• Health status and life style : Disease,
Nutrition, Life style choices
• Environmental exposure

Dr. Bahar Nasradeen Majeed