You are on page 1of 10

CHILD GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

Understand the stages of a child's growth and development.


An important aspect of parenting is understanding the changes your child will encounter during growth and
development. As children advance through a sequence of growth stages they may face several challenges and relatively
common problems.
Although no children are exactly alike, there are universally accepted theories of human development and growth
patterns most share. Children not only vary in physical appearance, they also express differences socially and mentally,
as well as through personality and behavior. How children interact with others and respond to their environment also
changes throughout the developmental stages. Generally these changes occur in an orderly manner; however, the rate
of progression varies among children.
Gaining an understanding for the series of development helps prepare parents to provide the proper care and attention
their child needs.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT STAGES


Children’s growth and development can be divided into four distinct stages including:

 Infant Development (Newborn and Baby) – Immediately following birth, a newborn will lose approximately 5%
to 10% of their birth weight. By the age of 4 to 6 months, a newborn’s weight should double from birth and will
slow during the second half of their first year of their life.
 Toddler Development (Preschool Years) – Between ages 1 and 5, toddlers will gain approximately five pounds
each year.
 Childhood Development (Middle School Years) – Although your child’s growth will remain steady, once he or
she begins puberty they will experience a significant growth spurt, approximately around age 9.
 Adolescent Development (Teenage Years) – A child’s growth will typically peak by mid to late teens when their
skeletal system has fully formed.
A child’s nutritional needs will also alter corresponding to changes in growth. As an infant, there is a greater need for
caloric intake than that of a preschooler or middle school child. Nutritional needs will increase again as child reaches
adolescence.
Proper nutrition is not only important for a child’s health and growth patterns, but also for their mental development.
Children may lack energy or feel tired if they do not receive a sufficient diet throughout the day.

Child Growth Chart


Age Physical / Language / Thinking / Social /
Motor Skills Communication Cognitive Emotional
Birth to Makes jerky arm Infants pay close Most infants can see Begins to suck fingers
3 movements attention to sounds and within 13 inches Watch and Observe
Months Holds hands in tight language clearly Hands
fists Responds to speech by Starts to focus & Responds positively to
Brings hand within looking at the person follow moving objects touch
range of eyes and speaking and people Starts to recognize body
mouth Reacts to changes in Can see all colors parts, examples, arms &
Head falls back when tone, pitch, volume and Distinguishes tastes legs
unsupported intonation involving, sweet, sour, Learns to feel comfort
Raises & moves head Communicates with bitter and salty with a familiar adult
side to side when lying movements including Preference for high Will respond to touch
on their stomach crying, jabbering and contrast items Begins to smile and
Begins reflexes laughing Responds with facial express pleasure to
including, sucking, Attempts to mimic expressions to strong social interaction
grasping & holding sounds odors
their tongue to the roof
of their mouth
3 to 6 Becomes stronger and Loves to have Begins to recognize Will begin to initiate
Months more alert conversations through faces social interaction
Begins movements exchanging sounds, Can differentiate Plays peek-a-boo
utilizing large muscle facial expressions and people by the way they Starts to recognize their
groups including bodily gestures look, sound or feel name
rolling over and Recognizes familiar Reacts to and mimics Can laugh out loud
pushing the body voices of mom, dad and facial expressions Smiles more freely
forward caregiver Starts to respond to
Starts to reach for Listens to conversations familiar sounds
objects Repeats some sounds Starts to anticipate
Grasps objects and involving vowels and routine events
puts them in their consonants including changing,
mouth feeding and bathing
Makes discoveries of
object’s qualities
including the noises
they make when
moving them
6 to 9 Babies becomes more Vocals increase At an early age, babies Begins to show
Months mobile Begins repetitive try to learn how things preferences for familiar
Starts reaching and jabbering work people
pulling up on furniture Can associate gestures Begin to stare longer at Expresses more
Begins motions to with small words and suspended objects emotions
crawl two word phrases like Can distinguish Will respond to voices &
Grasps and pull objects “hey” and “bye-bye” between nonliving and gestures
towards themselves Starts to use vocal & living objects Will display
Transfers items non-vocal Uses size of objects to discontentment at the
between hands communication to decipher how close or loss of a toy
express interest far away they are
9 to 12 Babies will begin to sit Children begin trying to Responds to simple Imitates simple actions
Months and stand without talk questions & directions Become responsive to
support Babies can recognize with gestures, sounds their name
Starts walking with the names of familiar and some words Will begin to feed
assistance individuals and objects Expresses pleasure themselves finger foods
Can roll a ball and Displays understanding when looking at Starts to hold cup with
throw objects by responding with picture books both hands and
Will pick up and drop body language and Explores how things assistance
toys facial expressions work Expresses apprehension
Begins picking up Can say a few simple Experiments with when separated from
objects using thumb words physical objects, mom or dad
and one finger Understands and turning items over and Waves “Bye-bye”
responds to “No-no” by fitting them into larger
stopping containers
1 to 2 Self-initiated Starts to repeat & Spends a great deal of Will begin to recognize
Years movements become understand many words time observing and themselves in pictures
easier & simple phrases imitating adult’s and the mirror
Begins to walk alone Follows series of simple actions and language Obeys few commands
Will try to walk directions Understands words & Begins to play by
backwards Can communicate a few instructions by themselves & mimic
Picks up objects while words clearly responding correctly adult behaviors during
standing Can say single words to Begins matching like play
Can seat self in explain an event or objects Shows pleasure in new
children’s chairs request for an object Starts recognizing accomplishments
Pushes and pulls At 18 months children characters in books & Expresses negative
objects begin learning about 9 movies with help feelings
Can walk up & down words a day Can distinguish Starts to help with small
stairs with assistance between “you” & tasks
Moves in response to “me”
music/singing
Begins to scribble
using fisted hand
2 to 3 Become more Starts to join words to Begins to group Starts to identify gender
Years comfortable with form short sentences objects by category differences
motions, increased Begins to use modifiers Identifies themselves Indicates the need to
speed and coordination (adverbs and adjectives) in the mirror or “potty”
Begins movements Begins to point to pictures Assists with dressing
such as, running, familiar objects as they Chooses picture books and undressing
jumping with both are named Starts to identify themselves
feet, walking on tip Names objects based on objects by sound or Is assertive about their
toes and kicking their descriptions picture preferences
Can stand on one foot Responds to simple Enjoys role-play and Uses “I” “me” and own
with support questions including imitating adult actions, name
Turns pages of books “where?” and “what?” for example playing Illustrates fear of things
Holds drawing utensils Enjoys listening to house Becomes defensive of
with thumb and finger, stories and reading Can stack items in possessions
not fist books order of their size Participates in activities
Children are able to Starts to recall and Relates what they are such as singing, clapping
maneuver small explain events that doing to what others and dancing
objects with more occurred that day are doing
control
3 to 4 Children have Language becomes Begins sorting objects Begins to follow
Years improved movements more complex based on physical directions
& balance including, Able to communicate attributes, including Can wash hands & blow
walking in a line, more understandably matching colors and nose when reminded
running around Uses more correct shapes. Begins to share toys &
objects, balancing on grammar such as plurals Organizes materials take turns
one foot and steering and tenses without help Uses term “we”
push toys Understands & Can identify parts of a Initiates or joins other
Begins to ride tricycle recognizes size whole children in playing
Starts to throw and comparisons involving Starts to learn how to Starts to create own
catch a ball big and small write their own name games
Can build towers with Understands time Can tell you their full Plays pretend (example,
blocks concepts and narrates name & age acting as animals,
Begins drawing shapes past occurrences Can attend to an parents or objects)
Can use slide without Can sing songs and activity for an
help repeat nursery rhymes extended amount of
time
4 to 5 Children are more Tries to retell stories, Can mimic and make Shows understanding of
Years confident with large sometimes confusing a sounds of letters good & bad behavior
movements including few facts Begins to make Begins to compare
walking backwards, Combines thoughts to rhymes with words themselves with others
skipping, jumping form sentences Can point to and name Acknowledges others
forward, hopping on · More curious, starts colors feelings
one foot, and walking asking “when?” “how?” Comprehends order Develops friendships
up & down stairs and “why?” questions and processes Begins imaginative play
alternating feet Can follow a series of Learns to write name Curious of opposite sex
Begins turning flips unlike commands Describes pictures & other children’s
and learning Understands sequencing Can draw a person bodies
somersaults of events and with details Becomes Competitive
Can use children’s comparatives using “er” Counts to five
scissors and cut in a & “est” Is able to articulate
continuous line Begins using words like their street address and
Copies more complex “can,” “might,” “will,” town
shapes “should,” and “shall.”
Children can start
writing a few letters

20 Ways to Boost Your Baby's Brain Power


These easy, everyday moves can help your baby—and later your toddler—further develop language,
attention and reasoning skills.

At birth, your baby's brain contains 100 billion neurons (as many as there are stars in the Milky Way)!
During his first years, he will grow trillions of brain-cell connections, called neural synapses.

The rule for brain wiring is "use it or lose it." Synapses that are not "wired together" through
stimulation are pruned and lost during a child's school years. Although an infant's brain does have
some neurological hard wiring (such as the ability to learn any language), it is more pliable and more
vulnerable than an adult's brain. And, amazingly, a toddler's brain has twice as many neural
connections as an adult's.

When you provide loving, language-enriched experiences for your baby, you are giving his brain's
neural connections and pathways more chances to become wired together. In turn, he will acquire
rich language, reasoning, and planning skills.

1. Give your baby a physically healthy start before he is born. Stay healthy while
you are pregnant, and be aware that certain drugs can be destructive to your
baby's brain in utero. Many children who were drug-abused in the womb struggle
with severe learning problems and suddenly act with unprovoked aggressive
behaviors. Studies have also revealed that cigarette smoking during pregnancy
causes lower fourth-grade reading scores.

2. Have meaningful conversations. Respond to infant coos with delighted


vocalizations. Slowly draw out your syllables in a high-pitched voice as you
exclaim, "Pretty baby!" This talk is called "parentese." The areas in the brain for
understanding speech and producing language need your rich input.

3. Play games that involve the hands (patty-cake, peekaboo, this little piggy).
Babies respond well to learning simple sequential games.
4. Be attentive. When your baby points, be sure to follow with your gaze and remark
on items or events of interest to her. This "joint attention" confirms for your baby
how important her interests and observations are to you.

5. Foster an early passion for books. Choose books with large and colorful
pictures, and share your baby's delight in pointing and making noises — say, the
animal sounds to go along with farm pictures. Modulate the tone of your voice;
simplify or elaborate on story lines; encourage toddlers to talk about books. We
recommend these books for sounds and wordplay. Remember that building your
baby's receptive language (understanding spoken words) is more important than
developing his expressive language (speaking) in infancy.

6. Use diaper time to build your baby's emotional feelings of having a "lovable
body." Stroke your baby's tummy and hair. Studies have shown that babies who
are not often touched have brains that are smaller than normal for their age. Also,
when diapering your baby, you are at the ideal 12 to 18 inches from her eyes to
attract attention to your speech.

7. Choose developmentally appropriate toys that allow babies to explore and


interact. Toys such as a windup jack-in-the-box or stackable blocks help your baby
learn cause-and-effect relationships and "if-then" reasoning. If a baby stacks a big
block on a smaller one, the top block falls off. If he successfully stacks a small
block on a bigger one, he "wires in" the information.

8. Respond promptly when your baby cries. Soothe, nurture, cuddle, and
reassure him so that you build positive brain circuitry in the limbic area of the brain,
which relates to emotions. Your calm holding and cuddling, and your day-to-day
intimate engagement with your baby, signal emotional security to the brain.

9. Build trust by being attentive and focused. Babies who are securely attached to
you emotionally will be able to invest more life energy in the pleasures of
exploration, learning, and discovery.

10. Use body massage to decrease your infant's stress and enhance her feelings of
well-being and emotional security. Loving touches promote growth in young
babies. Research has shown that premature babies who are massaged three
times daily are ready to leave the hospital days earlier than babies who do not
receive massages.

11. Enlist help from your toddler at clean-up times — a good way to practice
categorization. Toddlers learn that stuffed animals have one place to go for "night-
night" time; cars, trucks, and other vehicles also have their special storage place.
Children need to learn about sorting into categories and seriation (placing things in
order; for example, from littlest to biggest) as part of their cognitive advancement
in preschool.

12. Set up a safe environment for your crawling baby or toddler. Spatial learning is
important, and your mobile child will begin to understand parameters such as
under, over, near, and far. He will be able to establish mental maps of his
environment and a comfortable relationship with the world in which he lives.
13. Sing songs such as "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Ring-Around-the-Rosy." The body
motions and finger play will help your baby integrate sounds with large and small
motor actions. Songs also enhance your child's learning of rhythms, rhymes, and
language patterns.

14. Match your tempo to your child's temperament. Some children adjust easily to
strange situations, some are bold and impulsive, and some are quite shy. Go with
the flow as you try to increase a shy child's courage and comfort level. Help a
highly active child safely use his wonderful energy while learning impulse control.
Your acceptance will give him the comfort he needs to experiment and learn freely.

15. Make meals and rest times positive. Say the names of foods out loud as your
baby eats. Express pleasure as she learns to feed herself, no matter how messy
the initial attempts may be. This will wire in good associations with mealtime and
eating. Battles and nagging about food can lead to negative emotional brain
patterns.

16. Provide clear responses to your baby's actions. A young, developing brain
learns to make sense of the world if you respond to your child's behavior in
predictable, reassuring, and appropriate ways. Be consistent.

17. Use positive discipline. Create clear consequences without frightening or


causing shame to your child. If your toddler acts inappropriately, such as by hitting
another child, get down to his eye level, use a low, serious tone of voice, and
clearly restate the rule. Keep rules simple, consistent, and reasonable for your
child's age. Expecting a toddling baby not to touch a glass vase on a coffee table
is not reasonable. Expecting a toddler to keep sand in the sandbox and not throw it
is reasonable.

18. Model empathic feelings for others. Use "teachable moments" when someone
seems sad or upset to help your toddler learn about feelings, caring, sharing, and
kindness. The more brain connections you create for empathic responses and
gentle courtesies, the more these brain circuits will be wired in. This helps not only
with language and cognitive learning, but with positive emotional skills, too!

19. Arrange supervised play with messy materials, such as water, sand, and even
mud. This will teach your toddler about the physics and properties of mixtures and
textures, liquids and solids. During bath time, the brain wires in knowledge about
water, slippery soap, and terry towel textures. Sensory experiences are grist for
the learning brain.

20. Express joy and interest in your baby. Let your body language, your shining
eyes, your attentiveness to babbling and baby activities, and your gentle caresses
and smiles validate the deeply lovable nature of your little one.
Nervous system diseases

Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease affects the brain functions, memory and behaviour. Find out about symptoms, how it’s diagnosed,
and how to help delay its onset.

Bell's palsy
Bell’s palsy is a sudden weakness or paralysis of facial muscles, usually on one side of the face. Learn how to boost the
chances of a full recovery.

Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy damages the nervous system and muscular control, affecting movement and coordination. Know the risk
factors in pregnancy and birth.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a long-term condition that affects 1 in 50 Australians. Learn more about the causes, how it is diagnosed and
the types of seizures.

Motor neurone disease (MND)


Motor neurone disease is a condition that causes weakness in the muscles, leading eventually to paralysis. Learn about
the symptoms and diagnosis.

Multiple sclerosis MS
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system. Learn about the types of MS and how
the symptoms can be managed.
Neurofibromatosis
Tumours - usually benign - form with this quite common, manageable condition. Know more about living with
neurofibromatosis and where to get support.

Parkinson’s disease
Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include tremor or shaking. Find out more about Parkinson's and about what can be
done to treat these symptoms.
Sciatica
Sciatica is a condition that causes pain in the back and legs. Understand how the pain develops and know some of the
causes of sciatica.

Shingles
Shingles is a painful rash caused by the chickenpox virus. Find out how to recognise the symptoms and what treatments
are available.

You might also like