ECE/PSY171 Chapter 8 Physical Development in Early Childhood Images of Children s Development: The Story of Teresa Amabile and Her Art

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1 Images of Children s Development: The Story of Teresa Amabile and Her Art HOW DOES A YOUNG CHILD S BODY GROW AND CHANGE? Height and Weight 1.On average, children grow 2-1/2 inches and gain 5 to 7 pounds per year. During the preschool years, the body slims and their trunks lengthen. Children become increasingly aware of their bodies. 2.Some evidence indicates that socioeconomic status can influence height and weight, and that congenital factors, emotional difficulties, and the rearing process in early childhood can affect growth. 3.Growth hormone deficiency is the absence or deficiency of growth hormone produced by the pituitary gland; without treatment, most children with this deficiency will not reach a height of five feet. 4.Boys gain muscle; girls gain fatty tissue The Brain The growth of the brain slows in childhood, and by age 6, is 95% of adult size. The head and brain grow more rapidly than any other part of the body. Neuronal Changes Early childhood is a time of great neuronal activity. The brain increases the number of nerve endings and receptors during childhood. Some of the brain s increase in size is due to the increase in myelination, in which nerve cells are insulated with fat cells, which increases the speed of transmission of information. Myelination is important in the development of a number of children s abilities. Myelination in the areas of the brain related to hand-eye coordination is not complete until about 4 years of age. Structural Changes Children s brains undergo dramatic anatomical changes between the ages of 3 and 15. From 3 to 6 years of age, the most rapid growth takes place in the frontal lobe, areas involved in planning and organizing new actions, and in maintaining attention to tasks. From age 6 through puberty, the most growth takes place in the temporal and parietal lobes, especially areas that play major roles in language and spatial relations. The Brain and Cognitive Development Maturation of the brain in terms of cell loss, synaptic growth, and myelination, combined with opportunities to experience a widening world, contribute to substantial increases in cognitive abilities. The prefrontal cortex and the neurotransmitter dopamine may be key components of information transmission. HOW DO YOUNG CHILDREN S MOTOR SKILLS DEVELOP? Gross and Fine Motor Skills Gross Motor Skills Preschooler: highest activity level of any age in the life span Need daily exercise; good programs with creativity and free movement Exercise increases physical and visual awareness Age 3: Enjoys simple movements such as hopping, jumping, and running

2 2 Age 4: Becomes more adventurous and climbs Age 5: Runs hard, is adventurous, tries hair-raising stunts in climbing Fine Motor Skills Children s fine motor coordination improves substantially and becomes more precise between the ages of 3 and 5. Children become more dexterous in the use of the thumb and forefinger. Age 3: Still emerging from infant ability to place and handle things Age 4: Coordination improved and more precise Age 5: Hand, arm, and body move together under better eye command The Denver Developmental Screening Test is a simple, fast method of diagnosing developmental delay in motor skills in children from birth through 6 years of age. Used to diagnose developmental delay in children from birth to 6 years of age Includes gross and fine motor skills, language, and personal-social ability Young Children s Artistic Drawings Many young children show an interest in drawing, and the unintended irregularities of their drawings suggest spontaneity, freedom, and directness. Art can be an important vehicle for expressing creativity and conveying feelings and ideas for young children. Developmental Changes and Stages By age 2, children scribble, which does have a pattern. Rhoda Kellogg s drawing stages outline the process. Scribbles represent the earliest form of drawings, and Kellogg has identified twenty basic scribbles present in children s artwork and every form of graphic art. 1. The placement stage, characteristic of 2- to 3-year-olds drawings, are drawn on a page in placement patterns. 2. In the shape stage, characteristic of 3-year-olds, children draw diagrams in different shapes. 3. By 3 to 4 years of age, children mix two basic shapes in a more complex design in the design stage. 4. In the pictorial stage, typical of 4- to 5-year-olds, children s drawings consist of objects that can be recognized. Child Art in Context Claire Golomb has studied and conducted research on children s art for a number of decades. Golomb especially criticizes views of young children s art that describe it as primitive and a reflection of conceptual immaturity. In Golomb s view some researchers view children s art as inventive problem solving. In addition to age, developmental changes depend on talent, motivation, familial support, and cultural values. Child art flourishes in sociocultural contexts where tools are made available and where this activity is valued. Handedness Origin and Development of Handedness Genetic inheritance likely is a strong influence on hand preference. Right-handedness is dominant in all cultures (90% versus 10%) and it appears before the impact of culture. Researchers have found

3 3 that hand preference may even emerge in the fetal period or womb. Many preschoolers use both hands; preference develops later. Handedness, the Brain, and Language About 95% of right-handers process speech in the brain s left hemisphere, but many left-handers show more variation in use of both or just right. Handedness and Other Abilities Left-handers are more likely to have reading problems, yet have excellent visuospatial skills. Left-handers more common among 1. Mathematicians 2. Musicians 3. Architects 4. Artists 20% of top-scoring SAT group were left handed WHAT ARE SOME IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN S HEALTH? Sleep and Sleep Problems Experts recommend that young children get 11 to 13 hours of a sleep each night (National Sleep Foundation, 2009). Most young children sleep through the night and have one daytime nap. Transitional Objects Many young children repeatedly use transitional objects, typically soft and cuddly, as bedtime companions. These objects may serve to aid children in the transition from a dependent to more independent person. Sleep Problems One recent estimate indicates that more than 40 percent of children experience a sleep problem at some point in their development. There is some evidence that sleep problems correlate with behavior problems. 1. Nightmares are frightening dreams that awaken the sleeper, often toward morning; if children have nightmares persistently, it may indicate high levels of stress. 2. Night terrors are characterized by a sudden arousal from sleep with an intense fear, loud screams, and perspiration; in most instances, children have no or little memory of what happened during the night terror, and they are not usually considered a serious problem. 3. Somnambulism, or sleep walking, occurs in the deepest stage of sleep; 15% of children sleepwalk at least once, and most usually grow out of it. Sleep talking also occurs while children are soundly asleep. Nutrition Energy Needs Calorie needs increase with age, and needs vary by age, sex and size. Feeding and eating habits are important aspects of development during early childhood, and the average preschooler needs up to 1,800 calories per day. Diet, Eating Behavior and Parental Feeding Styles--studies have found that most children s diets are in need of improvement. Many parents do not recognize that their children are overweight. Unfortunately, diets worsen as children age. Fat and Sugar Consumption Many parents include or allow too much fat in children s diets. Early exposure to fast food, which is often high in protein and fat, may ingrain unhealthy eating habits. The American Heart Association recommends that the daily limit for calories from fat should be approximately 35%. Another concern is high sugar consumption the average American child

4 4 consumes about 2 pounds of sugar per week; sugar consumption is associated with health problems such as dental cavities and obesity. Fussy Eaters, Sweets, and Snacks Fussy eaters are looking for independence and should be encouraged with guidelines. A main concern in giving young children sweets and snacks is that they withdraw their appetite for more nutritious foods; most preschool children need to eat more often than adults, so nutritious snacks throughout the day are recommended. Overweight Young Children The percentage of young children who are overweight or at risk for being in the United States has increased dramatically in recent decades and the percentage is likely to grow unless changes occur in children s lifestyles. Being overweight has been linked with lower self-esteem in children as young as five. Emphasis on activities, rather than meals, is helpful for young children. Malnutrition in Young Children from Low-Income Families Poor nutrition is a special concern in the lives of young children from low-income families; many of these children do not get essential amounts of iron, vitamins, or protein. Young children from low-income families are most likely to develop iron deficiency anemia, which can result in chronic fatigue. Malnutrition may also be linked to cognitive deficits and aggressive or hyperactive behavior. The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program attempts to assist poor families with nutrition. Health, Safety, and Illness In the past 50 years, vaccination against infectious diseases have vastly improved children s health. In recent decades, there has been increased focus on prevention of childhood injuries. Preventing Childhood Injuries Young children s activity levels, curiosity, and lack of awareness of danger often puts them in situations in which they are at risk for injuries. In the United States, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in young children, followed by cancer and cardiovascular disease. Laws calling for restraints in cars, better-designed playgrounds, and reduction of access to firearms all contribute to prevention of childhood injuries Contexts and Young Children s Health. Influences on children s safety include the acquisition and practice of individual skills and safety behaviors, family and home influences, school and peer influences, and the community s actions. Poverty and Ethnicity Low income is linked with poor health in young children; many health problems begin before birth, when mothers do not receive adequate health care. Children living in poverty are more likely to live in crowded housing, be inadequately supervised, be exposed to environmental toxins such as lead poisoning, and have inadequate medical insurance. Lack of English proficiency is also a problem. Safety at Home and Child Care Many factors encountered in the home (e.g., smoking, lack of or neglectful adult supervision) can negatively affect development. Caregivers need to communicate clearly and in simple terms to help children identify feelings of wellness and illness and to learn how to cope with medical treatment. Environmental Tobacco Smoke Estimates indicate that approximately 22 percent of children and adolescents in the United States are exposed to

5 5 tobacco smoke in the home. Children exposed to tobacco smoke in the home are more likely to develop wheezing symptoms and asthma than children from nonsmoking homes, and tobacco smoke also affects the amount of vitamin C in children and adolescents. Exposure to Lead approximately 3 million children under 6 years of age are estimated to be at risk for lead poisoning, which might harm their development. Children in poverty are at greater risk for lead poisoning than children living in higher socioeconomic conditions. Lead can get into a child s bloodstream through contaminated food and water or from lead chips in children s mouths. Lead poisoning has been associated with lower intelligence, lower achievement, ADHD, elevated blood pressure, and poor memory and problem solving skills. The CDC recommends that children be screened for lead contamination in their blood. The State of Illness and Health in the World s Children A leading cause of childhood death in impoverished countries is diarrhea produced by dehydration. Acute respiratory infections have also killed many children under the age of 5 Most of these deaths are preventable. UNICEF: Under-5 mortality rate causes Nutritional health and health knowledge of mothers Level of immunization Dehydration Availability of maternal and child health services Income and food availability Availability of clean water and safe sanitation Overall safety of the child s environment Increase in HIV/AIDS