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FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Knowledge of growth and development is important to the nurse for the following reasons:
1. To know the expected growth of a child at a given age and certain kinds of behaviors.
2. The nurse uses this knowledge to observe and assess each child in terms of standards or
specific levels of development.
3. To plan for the nursing management and to help in formulating the plan of total care of the
child
4. To better understand the reason for particular condition & illness those occur in various
age groups.
5. To teach parent how to observe and to use their knowledge so that they may help their
children achieve optimal growth & development.
Factors affecting growth and development are:
1- Sex of the person
A. After birth the male infants are longer and heavier than female infants. Boys maintain this
superiority until about 11 Years of age.
B. Girls Mature earlier than boys, and are taller than the average. During the pre-pubertal
stage of growth and development, boys are again taller than girls.
C. Bone development is more advanced in girls than in boys. Also demonstrated by the
earlier eruption of permanent teeth in girls.
2- The Harmful prenatal factors are:-
A. The fetus may suffer from nutritional deficiencies when the mother’s diet is
insufficient regardless of her socio-economic standards.
B. Mechanical problems may be present leading to malposition in utero.
C. The mother may suffer from metabolic endocrine disturbances, such as diabetes
mellitus which affects the fetus.
D. The fetus may also be affected by the treatment of radiation for cancer if the mother
is undergoing.
E. The mother may suffer from any infectious diseases during gestation 1st, 2nd and 3rd
trimesters adversely influence the fetus.
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F. Erythroblastosis fetalis due to Rh incapability of the blood types of the mother and
the fetus may have a serious influence upon the developing child.
G. Faulty placental implantation may lead to nutritional impairment and anoxia.
H. Smoking or the use of certain drugs such alcohol and phenytoin by the mother may
result in prematurity or deformity of the child.
I. good mother prenatal care, ensuring a better prenatal environment for the fetus
3- CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT:
A. The effects of a particular culture on a child begin before birth. The nutrients the
mother is expected to eat during pregnancy are culturally determined.
B. Delivery of the baby is culturally determined.
C. After child is born, the child is cared for according to the culturally authorized pattern
of child education.
D. The behavior expected of the child at each stage of growth & development is culturally
defined.
4- SOCIO ECONOMIC STATUS OF THE FAMILY:
A. The environment of the lower socio economic groups may be less favorable than that of
the middle & upper groups.
B. Parents economic conditions.
C. Public health & health education programs .
5- NUTRITION:
A. Food supply elements such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals & vitamins.
B. During periods of rapid growth such as prenatal period, infancy, puberty & adolescence
need high amount of proteins & calories are needed
C. Lack of adequate rest.
D. A physical illness & chronic illnesses that causes an increase in nutritional needs.
E. An emotional illness that causes decreased food intake or inadequate absorption.
6- Genes or the heredity of a man and a woman: determines that of their children.
Hereditary or congenital conditions may contribute to growth impairment or to an
increase in height.
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7- RACE: Distinguishing characteristics called racial humans. As too height, too short, tall do
examples exist among all the races.
8- CLIMATE & SEASON: Climatic variations influence the infant’s health.
9- EXERCISES:
A. Exercise, increases the circulation, promotes physiologic activity & stimulates muscular
development.
B. Fresh air & moderate sun shine favor health & growth.
C. Prolonged exposure to sunlight may cause tissue damage of the skin & even more
consequences if the child is unprotected from the rays of the sun
10- POSITION IN THE FAMILY:
 The first born child in the family is an only child in a family who receives all the
parental attention until the second child is born.
 The parents of the first born child are unusually inexperienced & may not know the
successive stages of growth & development.
11-HORMONAL INFLUENCES:
 There is evidence that all the hormones in the body effect growth in some manner.
Although 3 hormones are very important others also influence growth to an extent.
a) Somatotrophic hormone (STH) or growth hormone:
 Its major effect is on linear growth in height because it is essential in the proliferation of
cartilage cells at the epiphyseal plates. The growth hormone stimulates skeletal and
protein anabolism. An excess of growth hormone causes gigantism & lack results in
dwarfism.
b) Thyroid hormone:
 the thyroid gland to release Thyroxin (T4) & Tri Iodothyronine (T3) under effect of the
Thyroid stimulating hormone or (TSH), produced by pituitary gland. These thyroid
hormones stimulate the general metabolism & therefore are necessary for advanced
linear growth
 Whereas a deficiency produces cretinism with short physical growth & mental
retardation.
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c) gonadotrophic hormones (Hormones that stimulate the gonads FSH & LH) & The
adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH):
 They are produced by the pituitary gland. The gonadotrophic hormone stimulates the
interstitial cells of the testes to produce testosterone & the interstitial cells of the ovaries
produce estrogen.
 Testosterone stimulates the development secondary sexual characteristics & the
production of spermatozoa in young man.
 Estrogen stimulates the development of secondary sexual characteristics & the results in
precocious puberty, whereas the deficiency results in delay in development.
D) Other hormones that less directly influence the process of growth & development include
insulin, parathyroid hormone, cortisol, & calcitonin.
12- EMOTIONS:
A. Relationships with significant other persons, mother, father, sibling & teacher play a vital
role in the emotional, social, & intellectual development of the child.
B. If the child is given the necessary care & love that promotes healthy development,
otherwise growth & development retardation may occur.
C. Emotionally deprived children may receive adequate nutrition but do not gain weight as
expected & are pale & unresponsive.
D. If emotional deprivation continues & loving care is not given over a period of time, the
children may have repeated illness, become emotionally ill, or die at an early age.