Chapter 11

Physical Development in Middle and Late

Childhood

Key Questions

How do qualitative changes in growth and development support physical, cognitive, and social skills during middle childhood?

What can we do to promote health and prevent disease in middle childhood?

How can caregivers and communities keep children safe during middle childhood?

How can disruptions in health affect children’s learning and behavior?

Biology of Health: Physical Growth and Development

Growth and Size Between 6 and 11, height increases 2–3 inches

per year. Weight gain is 5–6 pounds per year. By 11 years of age, the average child is slightly

under 5 ft. in height and weighs less than 80 lbs. Girls begin to grow more rapidly than boys and

are taller and heavier by 12 years of age.

Biology of Health: Physical Growth and Development

Genetic Constancy in Physical Growth Children are genetically programmed to grow

along a path that keeps their expected growth proportionate to length and weight at full-term birth.Mid-growth spurt: The growth rate increase

between the ages of 5 and 8

Brain Growth and Organization in Middle Childhood

The brain is 90–95% its adult weight.

Synaptogenesis begins to slow.

Myelination continues.

Areas involved in cognition continue to evolve

Processing is faster.

Memory and retrieval improve.

Gender differences

Development of gray matter Frontal lobe: peaks at 9 ½ for girls, and 10 ½ for boys Parietal lobe: peaks at 7 ½ for girls and 9 for boys Temporal lobe: peaks at age 10 for girls and 11 for boys The rate of change throughout childhood is higher in

boys, with their brains being 8–10% larger than those of girls.

Motor Development

Physical Activities During Middle Childhood Between 7 and 9, children continue to master

jumping, kicking, and throwing. Motor skills become more coordinated; speed

and accuracy are improving They are more involved in organized sports. The have greater self-discipline.

Foundations of Health: Health Promotion

Immunizations Most states require immunization against

diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella varicella (chicken pox), and hepatitis B for entry to school.

New vaccines are recommended for meningococcus, hepatitis A, and the human papillomavirus.

Foundations of Health: Health Promotion

Meningococcus: bacterial meningitis and acute infection of the brain and spinal fluid that spreads through casual contact with other persons

Hepatitis A: a bacterial infection spread through feces

Human papillomavirus: a virus, spread through sexual activity, that causes genital warts, which can cause cervical cancer in women later in life

Foundations of Health: Health Promotion

Nutrition

Malnutrition: Obesity and Overweight

The number of overweight children has tripled in the last three decades.

Among 6- to 11-year-olds, 35.5% are overweight or obese. Overweight: BMI above 85th percentile Obesity: BMI above the 95th percentile

Obesity and Overweight

Why Has Obesity Increased?

A combination of genetics, behavior, and social and economic factors contribute to obesity.

Children tend to be less physically active.

Children eat more snack foods and fast foods.

Parents tend to buy what their children will eat.

Genetic and Physical Causes of Obesity

LeptinDecreases food intake and

increases energy expenditure

Some people (and mice) don’t produce enough leptin

InsulinGrains and other carbs

make insulin levels rise and the slowly fall off

Simple sugars make insulin levels spike and fall off rapidly

Reducing and Preventing Childhood Obesity

Ensure all foods and beverages meet or exceed the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Increase access to high-quality, affordable foods.

Increase intensity and duration of physical activity during school and out-of-school programs.

Reduce exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods.

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Percentage of U.S. Children in Daily Physical Education Programs from 1969 to 1999

Family Mealtime

Family meals contribute to positive child outcomes such as healthier diet, improved language development, fewer eating disorders, better sleep, and lower rates of obesity.

Tips for positive family mealtime Keep it simple; include salads and vegetables. Get the family involved. Leave stressful discussions out. Allow no electronics.

Physical Activity

Builds strong bones and muscles

Contributes to motor coordination, heart and lung function

Contributes to overall good physical and mental health

Contributes to better academics

Physical Activity

Safety from Unintentional Injuries

42% of deaths in children ages 6 to 12 are caused by accidents Motor vehicle Drowning Fire Suffocation ATVs, bicycles, snowmobiles

Sports-Related Injuries

Children ages 5 to 14 account for two-thirds of all sports-related injuries.

Contact sports involve the highest rates of injury, but individual sports involve more severe injuries.

62% of injuries occur during practice.

Brain injury is the leading cause of death.

Keeping Children Safe During Sports

Disabilities

Educational Issues

Public Law 94-142 (Education for All Handicapped Children Act)› Requires that all children with disabilities

be given free, appropriate public education

Renamed Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990

2004: aligned with No Child Left Behind

Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

Written statement that spells out program tailored to child with disabilityRelated to child’s learning

capacity

Designed to meet child’s individual needs

Designed to provide educational benefits

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Child with disability must be educated in setting as similar as possible to one in which children without a disability are educated

Inclusion: educating special-needs child full-time in the regular classroom

Who Are Children with Disabilities?

About 10% of U.S. children receive special education or related services•Learning disability (includes ADHD)•Speech and sensory disorders •Physical disorders •Emotional and behavioral disorders

Learning disabilities 2,817,148 or 50.8%

Speech and language impairments 1,074,548 or 19.4% Mental retardation

611,076 or 11%

Emotional disturbance 463,262 or 8.4%

Multiple disabilities 107,763 or 1.9%

Hearing impairments 70,883 or 1.3%

Orthopedic impairments 69,495 or 1.3%

Other health impairments 220,831 or 4%

Visual impairments 26,132 or 0.5%

Autism 53,576 or 1%

Developmental delay 0.2% Traumatic brain injury 0.2% Deaf-blindness > 0.1%

Autism Spectrum Disorders

TypesAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)Autistic disorder Asperger’s syndrome

Problems withPersonal interactionsVerbal and nonverbal communication Repetitive behaviors May show atypical sensory responses

Speech Disorders

Articulation disorders: problems pronouncing sounds correctly

Voice disorders: hoarse, harsh, too loud, too high or too low pitched speech

Fluency disorders: commonly called “stuttering”