Physical Development
A Changing Body and Brain
• Add 2-3 inches• 5 pounds• Average 5 yr. old N.
American boy is 43 inches tall & weighs 42 pounds
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Skeletal Growth
• Epiphyses-growth centers in which cartilage has hardened into bone
• Between ages 2-6 approximately 45• Skeletal age• Baby teeth
– Genetic– Malnutrition/ Obesity– Diseased– Tobacco
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Brain Development
• 70%-90%• High energy need• Preschooler skills• Frontal-lobe, Left vs. Right hemisphere• Dominant cerebral hemisphere
– Handedness: 90% vs. 10%– Reasons
Brain Development
• Cerebellum• Reticular formation• Hippocampus• Corpus Callosum
Cerebellum
• Located at the rear and base of the brain• Aids in balance and control of body
movement– Fibers– Thinking– Damaged
Reticular Formation
• A structure in the brain stem that maintains alertness and consciousness– Synapses– Generated neurons
Hippocampus
• An inner brain structure• Vital to memory and images of space
– Dramatic gains in memory and spatial understanding
Corpus Callosum
• A large bundle of fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres
• Smooth coordination of movements– The more complex the tasks, the more
essential communication is between the hemispheres
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Influences on Physical Health and Growth
• Heredity and Hormones• Emotional Well-Being• Nutrition• Infectious Disease
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Heredity and Hormones
• Genes• Pituitary Gland
– Growth Hormone (GH)– Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
Emotional Well-Being
• Cohen & Herbert, Kemeney• Psychosocial dwarfism
– Is it permanent?
Nutrition
• Preschooler’s appetites• Smaller amounts• Adults & peers• Bribes• High Quality Food
– Iron– Calcium– Vitamin A & Vitamin C– ½ to 1 inch shorter
Infectious Disease
• And Malnutrition– Industrialized vs. Developing
• Vicious Spiral– Diarrhea– Humanitarian Help
Immunization
• 23%-26%– vs. 10% Denmark and Norway– vs. 7% Canada, Great Britain, and the
Netherlands
• Media• Outbreaks
Childhood Injuries
• Unintentional injuries– 35%, 50%– Drowning, burns
• What’s the leading cause of death among children older than 1yrs?
• Accidents or preventable occurrences– Temperamental and personality characteristics– Developing countries– Other factors
Preventing Childhood Injuries
• Many causes= Variety of Approaches– Laws– Modify physical environments– Parent interventions
Motor Development
• Gross-Motor Development
• Fine-Motor Development
Gross-Motor Development
• Bodies become more streamlined– Their center of gravity shifts downward
• Normal progression– Age 2 thru the end of preschool years
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Fine-Motor Development
• Self-Help Skills– Gradual progression– Shoe tying (age 6)
• Drawing– Realization– Progression sequence: Scribbles, 1st representational
forms, More realistic drawing– Cultural variations
• Early Printing– Between 4 and 6
Individual Differences
• Tall vs. Short• Boys vs. Girls-Social or Genetic• Overall social climate
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Information Processing• Mental Strategies• Attention
– Inhibition– Vygotsky’s– Planning
• Memory– Recognition vs. Recall– Familiar events vs. One-time events
• Theory of Mind/Metacognition• Childhood Literacy & Mathematics
• Mathematical Reasoning22
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Language Development
• Vocabulary• Grammar• Conversation & Support
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Vocabulary
• Fast-mapping• Types of Words• How?
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Grammar
Basic
Over-regularization
Complex
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Conversation & Support
• Pragmatics• Interaction• Recasts & Expansions
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