Stimulating the cognitive development of young children

• Use concrete props and visual aids to illustrate lessons and help children understand what is being presented.

• Make instructions relatively short, using actions as well as words, to lessen likelihood that the students will get confused.

• Discuss sharing from the child’s own experience.• Give children a great deal of physical practice with

the facts and skills that will serve as building blocks for later development.

• Encourage manipulation of physical objects that can change in shape while retaining a constant mass.

• Provide many opportunities to experience the world in order to build a foundation for concept learning and language.

Physical Development and Health in Early Childhood

Bodily Growth and Change

– In early childhood (3 to 6 years), children slim down and shoot up

– Muscular and skeletal growth makes children stronger

– Growth changes promote development of a wide range of motor skills

– --Oral health

Nutrition and obesity prevention

– Overweight increase is greatest among children in low-income families

– Preschoolers need fewer calories in proportion to their weight, but eating patterns become more environmentally influenced as they age

Diet quality, by child age group

Children overweight, by ethnicity

– What children eat is as important as how much they eat

– Prevention of overweight is critical, as long-term treatment success for obesity is limited

– Overweight children tend to be overweight adults

Copyright ©2006 American Academy of Pediatrics

Nader, P. R. et al. Pediatrics 2006;118:e594-e601

FIGURE 1 Predicted probabilities of age-12 BMI ≥85% as a function of 24-, 36-, 54-month or 7-, 9-, or 11-year BMIs

* from a review of the literature by P. Brown and P. Nelson, University of Delaware, Winter, 2006

Key parenting messages related to obesity prevention*

1. Be the best “healthy habits” role model you can be.

2. Move more. Sit less.

3. Use routines and limits to help children feel safe, secure.

4. Help children learn to like foods that are healthy for them.

5. Support self regulation.

6. Make it easy to make healthy choices. Avoid restriction.

Motor Development

• Motor Skills– Gross motor skills

involve the large muscles

– Fine motor skills--manipulative eye-hand and small-muscle coordination in skills

Artistic Development

• Children's early pictures show energy and freedom; later, they show care and accuracy

Handedness

• Preference for using a particular hand– Usually evident by 3

years of age– Is handedness

genetic or learned? – Left-handed

incidence is culturally influenced

Health and Safety

• Minor Illnesses• Accidental Injuries

– Many motor vehicle injuries are preventable

– Ingestion of toxic substances

Causes of death, young children

Health and Safety

• Bioecological influences on health– Temperament and injury-prone– Caregiver characteristics and

risks– Exposure to others who are ill– Exposure to smoking– SES and poverty– Exposure to lead– Homelessness