Human Growth and Development NUR 311 Concepts of Growth & Development Lecture 1

Growth & Development Growth Development Change in quantity and results when cells divide and synthesize new proteins Increase in size & weight of the whole or any of the body parts Development - Development = A gradual change in abilities, emotions and skills as people get older

Maturation An increase in competence and adaptability; aging. Usually used to describe a qualitative change.

Developmental task The skills and competencies peculiar to each developmental stage that children must accomplish or master in order to deal effectively with their environments.

Developmental age periods

Prenatal period: Conception (fertilization) to birth. Germinal : conception to 12 weeks Embryonic: 2 to 8 weeks Fetal : 8 to 40 weeks A rapid growth rate and total dependency Most critical and important stage of development Mother condition determines fetal growth and development

Infancy period : Birth to 12 months Neonatal: the first month of life. Infancy : 1 to 12 months Rapid motor, social and cognitive development. The first month of infancy considered to different from the remainder period due to its dramatical and extrauterine adjustments and adaptation with parents.

Early childhood: 1 to 6 years Toddler : 1 to 3 years. Preschooler: 3 to 6 years. Characterized by discovery and activity. Children acquire language and wide their social relationships. Start to develop Self concept.

Middle childhood: 6 to 12 years. Also called “school age”. Establish new peer relationships with colleagues and the teacher. Emphasis on developing skill competencies.

Later childhood: 12 to 18 years Adolescence: 12 to 18 years. Adolescence period is considered to be a tumultuous transitional period that begins at the onset of puberty and extends to adulthood. Physical & emotional growth.

Adulthood and Aging The adult years are a period of competency and ability. The adult years do not have a sequence of precisely timed physiological events. This is also true of the aging years from 65 years until death.

It is important to consider human growth and development across the whole lifespan. infancy (0–1 years) early childhood (1–6 years) Middle childhood (6-12 years) Late childhood (adolescence) (12–18 years) early adulthood (19–45 years) middle adulthood (46–65 years) later adulthood (65+).

Patterns of growth and development Directional trend: Cephalocaudal or “head-to-tail” direction. In which the head is developed before the trunk , child uses eyes before hands, and hands before feet. Proximodistal: from midline to peripheral, hands then fingers. Differentiation: from simple to complex, cell to system.

Cephalocaudal Proximodistal

Sequential trends: Developmental pace: There is a definite and predictable sequence in which the development occurs Developmental pace: The rate of development is not fixed through all stages.

Development of Skills and Abilities You need to learn about the development of the following skills and abilities: gross and fine motor skills intellectual ability emotional development language skills social skills.

Factors affecting growth & development:

Factors Affecting Development inherited, (genetic ) factors and how these factors interact with environmental influences socio-economic factors, including the effect of income, housing, nutrition, education and access to health services local and global environmental influences, for example the impact of pollution on health

The following factors can affect human growth and development: Gender Income Pollution Ethnicity and religion Diet Genetic Inheritance Housing conditions Friendships

Life Experiences (birth, marriage, death and divorce) Material possessions Employment / unemployment Family relationships Amount and type of physical activity Educational experiences Access to health and welfare services Experience of illness or disease