GROWTH AND

DEVELOPMENT OF
PRESCHOOLER

MRS. WINCY MARY WILSON

ASST. PROFESSOR
PUSHPAGIRI COLLEGE OF NURSING
THIRUVALLA
DEFINITION
 Growth: Refers to an increase in physical
size of the whole or any of its part & can be
measured in inches or centimetres & in
pounds & kilograms. It causes or quantitative
change in the child’s body.
 Development:- Refers to a progressive
increase in skill & capacity to function. It
causes a quantitative change in the child’s
functioning
PRESCHOOLER
 The toddler will now change to preschooler
 Preschooler is different from toddler

 The child between the age group of 3-5 are

called as preschooler
Physical growth &
development
 Biological growth
 Weight & height
 Body proportion
 Dentition
 Integumentary system
 Cardiovascular system
 Blood values
 Respiratory system
Cont….
 Gastro intestinal system
 Immune system
 Nervous system
 Motor development
 Sensory development
Biological development:
 The rate of physical growth slows during the
preschool year
 The average weight is14.6 kg at 3 yrs,16.7 kg
at 4 yrs,18.7 kg at 5 yrs
 The average weight gains per year
approximately2.3 kg.
 Growth in height remains steady at a yearly
increase of 6.75cm to 7.5 cm and generally occurs
in elongation of the legs rather than of trunk.
 The average height is 95 cm at 3 yrs,103 cm at 4
yrs,110cm at 5 yrs
 The preschooler is slender, but graceful,and
posturally erect
 Most organ system are adjusted to moderate stress
BODY PROPORTIONS
 The typical preschooler looks more like an
adult than does the toddler because of
skeletal maturation
 The head and neck continue to decrease in
proportion to the size of the body
 The lower extremities grow faster than the
head, trunk, and arms.
 The child looks taller and thinner
DENTITION
 Changes in dentition are few during the
preschool years.
 Preschoolers should visit a dentist regularly
every 3 to 6 months
 Dental caries are most common during the
preschool period
Gross motor development -3years
 Walks in a straight line
 Walks backwards
 Walks on tip toes
 Kicks a ball
 Runs without looking at feet
Gross motor development -4
years
 Rides tricycle
 Jumps off bottom steps
 Tries to dance but has inadequate balance
 Able to stand on one foot for few seconds
 Goes up stairs using alternate foot
 Able to throw ball overheads
 Catches ball
 Walks down stairs using alternate footing
Gross motor development -5 years

 Walks on a balance beam

 Balances on one foot
 Skips alternate feet
 Imitate dance steps
 Hops on preferred feet
 Pedals a tricycle and can turns corner
 Jumps from a height
Fine motor development -3
years
 Builds a tower with blocks (9 -10 blocks)
 Copies a circle
 Shows preference for one hand
 Uses blunt scissors
 Helps in small household task
 Put beads on string
 Can help with simple household task
Fine motor development -4
years
 Place small pellets in narrow necked bottles
 Can copy a
 Circle
 Square
 Cross
 Diamond
 Triangle
 Able to use scissors
 Draw simple face
Fine motor development -
5years
 Build tower
 Copies a circle and square
 Copies a triangle, straight line
 Draws a simple face
 Draws a three part men
 Finger painting
SELF HELP SKILLS -3 YEARS

DRESSING SKILLS
 Puts on shirt/frock without assistance

 Can undress self

TOILETING AND GROOMING SKILLS

 Can pull pant/panties up and down

 Can go to toilet alone

 Brushes teeth with assistance

SELF HELP SKILLS -4 YEARS
EATING SKILL
 Ability to use a spoon

DRESSING SKILLS
 Buttons, side buttons, small buttons

 Puts on socks and shoes with help

 Tie shoe laces

 Buttons and unbuttons dress
TOILETING AND GROOMING SKILLS
 Washes and dries hands without supervision

 Bathes – self / with assistance

SELF HELP SKILLS -5 YEARS

EATING SKILLS
 Can eat without assistance

DRESSING SKILLS
 Puts on shirt and pant

 Can undress self

 Can operate side buttons and small buttons

 Puts on socks and can manage zips

 Ability to lace shoes

Cont..............
 TOILETING AND GROOMING
 Can pull pants and panties up
 Can go, to toilet alone
 Brushes teeth with assistance
 Washes and dries hands
 Bathes self
 Combs hair self
 Blows nose on request
LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

 Uses complete sentences of 3-4 words

 Talks regardless of whether anyone is paying
attention
 Constantly asks questions
 Known simple songs
 Names colors
 4 to 5 yrs use longer sentences , questions are
repeated by them till get the answer.
 End of 5 yrs use the speech correctly.
 Define simple things by describe their use,
shape or general category of classification
NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT

Formula
 Expected weight=age in years X 2 +8

Degree of malnutrition=
actual weight / expected weight X 100
Psycho social development
Initiative Vs guilty
• Ego centric in thought & behavior
• Alternates between reality & Imagination
• Able to share but expresses idea of ‘mine’
• Less Dependent on parents.
• Fears & dark
• May have dream & night mares
• Know own Sex
Psycho sexual development

 Phallic stage During the phallic stage, the primary

focus of the libido is on the genitals.
 Children also discover the differences between males
and females
 Boys begin to view their fathers as a rival for the
mother’s affections
 The Oedipus complex describes these feelings of
wanting to possess the mother and the desire to
replace the father.
 However, the child also fears that he will be
punished by the father for these feelings, a fear
Freud termed castration anxiety.
 The term Electra complex has been used to
described a similar set of feelings experienced by
young girls.
Cognitive development:
 This theory does not include a period specifically for
children who are 3 to 5 yrs old
 Preoperational phase from 2 to 7 yrs divided into 2
stages preconceptual phase(2-4yrs)

Intuitive phase(4 – 7yrs)

 Child shift from total egocentric thought to social
awareness, ability to consider other view point
 Speech is a evident for egocentric communication
 Preschooler assumes everyone thinks as they do
and a brief explanation this makes the entire
thought understood by others.
 Magical thinking
 Causality resembles logical thought(understand of
others only half),time is incompletely understood
Spiritual development
Stage 1 – "Intuitive-Projective" faith (ages of three to seven),
 Child start imitating other behavior
 Children start showing religious gestures of adults with out
understanding the meaning
 parental attitude towards moral codes are conveyed to
children

Moral development
 Premolar or Pre conventional morality: Stage
2 (4-7years)
 Children in the stage of naïve instrumental orientation
 Actions are directed towards satisfying their own
needs and less frequently the needs of others
Language development:
 His verbal acuity greatly improves as well, the
average number of words spoken and understood
are about 300-2500 words.
 3 to 4 yrs - form sentences about three to four
words include the most essential words to convey a
meaning(telegraphic speech)
Play:

 Preschooler enjoy associative play – group play in

similar or identical activities but without rigid
organization or rules
 Probably imitative, imaginative, dramatic play
 Your child will also learn how to get along with others.

o
Behavioural problems in pre-
schooler
 Head banging
 Thump sucking
 Nail biting
 Mastubation
 Speech disorders
Needs of preschooler
 Emotional & social needs
 Love & security
Discipline leading to self control
 Bed time problem-sleep
 Selfishness
 Hurting others
 Destructiveness
 Accidents Prevention
 During preschooler the children begin to
explore outside the home and into the
neighborhood. The most severe injuries are
associated with heat related accidents and falls
from a height.. There is a higher percentage of
burns , drowning and as well as poisoning and
ingestion accidents.
 causes

 Distractions and inadequate supervision are often the

cause of accidents.

 Poor housing and overcrowded conditions lead to

increased numbers of accidents.

 Some accidents are caused by lack of familiarity with

surroundings.
 Measures to prevent accidents

 Providing safe child care

 Parents need to know about a safe environment

for their children from early period

 Parents must have an understand about the

children’s developmental changes and capabilities
at different ages

 Parents must know about the potential dangerous

of accidents related to the Childs age and various
situation
 Providing safe environment
 According to level of children’s development ,age,
and capabilities,children’s are attracted towards
certain hazardous environment, which may lead to
accidental injuries . The steps should be taken to
prevent such injuries by providing safe
environment at home , school, and in community
Health promotion &
anticipatory guidance
1. Nutrition
 Calories: 1300-1700kcal

 Protein: 30gm

 Milk: 16 oz

 Water: 90-100ml/kg

 Fluoride should be given daily

 Five meals a day

3. Health Supervision
 Regular visits to the physician [6months
once] are essential [visual & auditory
perception]
 Appropriate immunization against diseases is
required.
 Dental check up by 3 yrs, 3 to 6 months
check- up to prevent dental caries.
04/19/24