PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:

MATURATION AND GROWTH

A. Birth to Two Years

1. Birth
2. Neonatal Period
3. Each Month
4. Fourth Month
5. Twelve Months
6. Between 1-2 Years
7. Two Years Old
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
MATURATION AND GROWTH

A. Birth to Two Years

B. Two to Six Years
1. Slimmer
2. Proportions
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
MATURATION AND GROWTH

A. Birth to Two Years

B. Two to Six Years
C. Seven to 11 Years
1. Slimmer
2. Muscles
3. Lungs
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
MATURATION AND GROWTH

A. Birth to Two Years

B. Two to Six Years
C. Seven to 11 Years
D. Puberty
1. Growth & Weight Gain
2. Gonads/Sex Glands
3. Secondary Sex
Characteristics
4. Body Composition
5. Circulation and Respiration
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
MOTOR DEVELOPMENT
A. Birth to Two Years
1. Newborn
2. Five Months
3. Nine Months
4. Twelve Months
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
MOTOR DEVELOPMENT
A. Birth to Two Years
B. Sources of Variation
1. Environmental Influences
2. Inherited Factors
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
MOTOR DEVELOPMENT
A. Birth to Two Years
B. Sources of Variation
C. Two to Six Years
1. Speed
2. Coordination
3. Gross Motor Development
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
MOTOR DEVELOPMENT
A. Birth to Two Years
B. Sources of Variation
C. Two to Six Years
1. Speed
2. Coordination
3. Gross Motor Development
4. Fine Motor Development
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Fine Motor Skills

 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
MOTOR DEVELOPMENT
A. Birth to Two Years
B. Sources of Variation
C. Two to Six Years
D. Seven to Eleven Years
1. Motor Skills
2. Reaction Time
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAIN:
Neural Development and Plasticity

Brain Growth Spurt– Period

between the seventh prenatal
month and 2 years of age when
more than half of the child’s
eventual brain weight is added.
Brain
Growth
Spurt
Begins
Here
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAIN:
Neural Development and Plasticity
Some Basic Definitions:
Synapse – the connective space
(juncture) between one nerve cell
(neuron) and another.
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAIN:
Neural Development and Plasticity
Some Basic Definitions:
Synapse – the connective space
(juncture) between one nerve cell
(neuron) and another.
Neurons – nerve cells that receive
and transmit neural impulses
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAIN:
Neural Development and Plasticity
Some Basic Definitions:
Synapse – the connective space
(juncture) between one nerve cell
(neuron) and another.
Neurons – nerve cells that receive
and transmit neural impulses
Glia – nerve cells that nourish
neurons and encase them in
insulating sheaths of myelin.
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAIN:
Neural Development and Plasticity
Some Basic Definitions Cont’d:
Synaptogenesis – formation of
connections (synapses) among
neurons.
Plasticity – capacity for change; a
developmental state that has the
potential to be shaped by
experience.
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAIN:
Neural Development and Plasticity
Some Basic Definitions Cont’d:
Synaptic pruning – surviving
neurons that are stimulated less
often lose their synapses.
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
About Brain Development
1. Brain Stem and Midbrain–
most mature at birth
- consciousness
- reflexes
- respiration
- digestion
- elimination
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
About Brain Development
2. Surrounding Midbrain are the
Cerebrum & Cerebral Cortex
- movement
- perception
- learning
- language
- thinking
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Earliest
Maturing areas
of the
cerebrum are
the Primary
Motor &
Sensory Areas

Darker, dot-like areas mature first, then the

lined areas, and finally the clear areas
develop in adolescence
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Neural Development & Plasticity

Lateralization
• Evident from birth
• Increases with age
•Get better with age at integrating
functions of each hemisphere
• Dyslexia
ENVIROMENTAL INFLUENCES
Nutrition
Problems of Under nutrition:
• Catch-up growth
• Marasmus (insufficient protein &
calories)
• Kwashiorkor (insufficient protein,
but sufficient calories)
• Vitamin & mineral deficiencies
• Iron deficiency anemia
ENVIROMENTAL INFLUENCES
Nutrition
Problems of OVER nutrition:
• Obesity
• Diabetes, high blood pressure,
heart, liver & kidney disease
• Social impact
ENVIROMENTAL INFLUENCES

Nutrition
Illnesses
Emotional Stress/Lack of Affection
• Nonorganic failure to thrive
• Deprivation dwarfism
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Puberty

Adolescent Growth Spurt: the

rapid increase in physical growth
that marks the beginning of
adolescence.
Puberty: the point at which a
person reaches sexual maturity
and is physically capable of
fathering or conceiving a child.
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Puberty: the point at which a
person reaches sexual maturity
and is physically capable of
fathering or conceiving a child.
Also refers to the physical
changes that occur as child
passes from child to adult.
 CHANGES IN PUBERTY
1. Rapid growth/Weight Gain
2. Further development of
gonads
3. Secondary sexual
characteristics
4. Changes in muscle/fat
compositions
5. Changes in circulatory &
respiratory systems
 WHAT CAUSES PUBERTY?

• All of these changes triggered

by hormones
• No new hormones produced
at puberty
• Increase of hormones
Testosterone
Estrogen
Growth Hormone
Hormonal Influences on Development

Hypothalamus

Pituitary Gland

Adrenal
Thyroid Glands Testes Ovaries

Thyroxine Androgen Growth Testosterone Estrogen

Hormone

Male reprod.
General organs Female
Early brain Muscular
growth of before birth reprod.
growth growth
body Maturation of Organs
Bone Bone tissues male organs Breasts,
growth growth
Adolescent Voice,facial & hips
growth body hair, Body
spurt muscle dev., hair
bone growth,
broad
shoulders
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Puberty

Girls
Boys
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
 SEXUAL MATURATION

GIRLS:
• Begins about age 11 (breasts)
• Menstruation about age 13
• Fertility (at or after menstruation)
 SEXUAL MATURATION

BOYS:
• Begins about age 11 or 12 (testes
enlarge)
• Fertility about age 14.5 or 15

VARIATIONS IN TIMING OF
PUBERTY (BOYS & GIRLS)
• Heredity (identical twins similar
timing)
• Environment
 SEXUAL MATURATION
Psychosocial Influences of Puberty

• Boys that mature earlier

• Girls that mature “on-time”
 SEXUAL MATURATION
Teenage Pregnancy
• U.S. rates = +1 million/year
• 50% miscarriage or abortion
• 2 million babies next 4 years
• 2X higher in U.S.
 SEXUAL MATURATION
Teenage Pregnancy
CONSEQUENCES for Mom:
• Loss of education
• Loss of social network
• Lower income
• Lifestyle changes
 SEXUAL MATURATION
Teenage Pregnancy
CONSEQUENCES for Baby
Higher probability of:
• Prematurity
• Drug exposure
• Poor nutrition
• Less sensitive/experienced mom
• Intellectual deficits
• Emotional disturbances
• Economically disadvantaged