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10: Physical Development: Student Objectives

1) The document summarizes physical development from birth through adolescence, covering growth in infants/toddlers, preschoolers, middle childhood, and adolescence. 2) Key physical developments discussed include rapid brain and body growth in early life, laterality of brain hemispheres from ages 2-11, growth of the frontal lobes from 7-11, and puberty and sexual maturation from 12-19. 3) Puberty introduces hormonal changes that trigger secondary sex characteristics and physiological changes preparing the body for reproduction and adulthood.

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Şterbeţ Ruxandra
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153 views9 pages

10: Physical Development: Student Objectives

1) The document summarizes physical development from birth through adolescence, covering growth in infants/toddlers, preschoolers, middle childhood, and adolescence. 2) Key physical developments discussed include rapid brain and body growth in early life, laterality of brain hemispheres from ages 2-11, growth of the frontal lobes from 7-11, and puberty and sexual maturation from 12-19. 3) Puberty introduces hormonal changes that trigger secondary sex characteristics and physiological changes preparing the body for reproduction and adulthood.

Uploaded by

Şterbeţ Ruxandra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Module 10 : Physical

Development

Student Objectives:
To learn about physical development from birth to two
years old
To understand the physical changes that occur from two
to six years old
To learn about what physical changes occur between the
ages of seven to 11 years old
To understand physical growth from the ages of 12 to 19
To learn about how the body prepares for adulthood

10.1 Introduction
Many people don’t connect physical development
with psychological development, but the truth
is, these concepts go hand in hand.

This module will explore the physical development of a child


from birth to adolescence, especially when it comes to the
brain.

10.2 Growth from Birth to Two Years


Old
Infants and toddlers grow quickly, and the
physical changes they go through are
profound.

There are both physical and brain changes that occur, such as
the development of motor skills, perceptions, reflexes, and
sensations.

The first four weeks of a person’s life are known as the


neonatal period, and this is the time where the most rapid
growth occurs. In fact, physical growth in the first two years
occurs very quickly, and the birth weight of an infant should
double by six months, and then triple by the time they are a
year old. Fetal and neonatal brain development also occurs
very rapidly. The subcortical area of the brain, which is the
lower part of the brain, develops before the other parts. This
is the part of the brain that is responsible for breathing and
other essential functions for life. The cortical areas, those
that are responsible for functions such as planning and
thinking develop later.

Most of the changes in the brain occur when the child is in


the womb, but it does not finish the job until after birth.
The brain also grows in size, and by the end of the child’s
second year, their brain will be approximately 80 percent of
the size of an adult human brain.

FACT
The first four weeks after a child is born marks that fastest
segment of growth in their lifetime. Remarkably, by the time a
child reaches the age of three, their brain is approximately
80% the size of a fully grown, adult brain.

Source: CPD

10.3 Growth from Two to Six Years


Old
Known as the “early childhood years,” or
“preschool years,” the time between the ages
of two and six is another time of rapid
growth.

Suddenly, the short and chubby toddler who could not string
more than two or three words together is tall, lean, and will
not stop talking.
Though these changes are still quite dramatic, the development
is slower and more stable than the changes that occurred
during infancy. During this time, the biggest influences on
physical development include changes in the brain and health.

Brain Development
Though physical development slows a bit during this stage when
compared with the infant and toddler stage, brain development
is much more dramatic. The brain is made of two halves, which
are called cerebral hemispheres. Within these hemispheres,
there are specific skill areas.

For example, in the left hemisphere, logic, language, writing,


and math skills are focused. On the right, fantasy,
creativity, musical, and artistic skill areas are found.
Though each hemisphere has different functions, they almost
always come together and coordinate functions. This is called
the process of lateralization.
What is fascinating for many, is the fact that these
hemispheres have different rates of development. The left
hemisphere develops more fully from the ages of two to six,
and the right hemisphere develops more fully from the age of
seven to 11.

The nervous system of a child undergoes many changes during


this time, too. The majority of the neurons develop when the
child is still in the womb, but glial cells, which are support
cells that surround neurons, develop during the early
childhood years. These cells insulate, nourish, and remove the
waste from the neuron. Additionally, the myelin sheaths, which
insulate, surround, and improve the efficiency of neurons,
also develop rapidly during these years.

Take a Quick Recap Test

10.4 Growth from Seven to 11 Years


Old
Middle childhood is from seven to 11 years
old, and it is divided into two periods:
early-middle, which is from ages seven to
nine, and late-middle, which is from ages 10
to 11.

Variations in growth patterns characterize the physical


development that occurs during this point. There might be due
to genetics, gender, ethnicity, nutrition, hormones, disease,
or environment. These children often follow the same basic
pattern of physical development, but they do so at a different
rate. For instance, girls usually have a physical growth spurt
around the age of nine or 10, but boys will not have theirs
until they are 11 or 12. If a child does not get proper
nutrition or medical care, they might also have delayed
development.

Physical changes, nervous system development, and motor skills


are all still developing during this stage.

Brain Development
Brain and nervous system development will continue into these
years, though it gets much more complicated. Early in the
middle childhood stage, a growth spurt in the brain occurs, so
that by the time a child is around nine years old, the organ
is almost the size of an adult’s. The development of the brain
during this time is generally focused on the growth of
specific structures, such as the frontal lobes. These lobes
are located in the front of the head, just under the surface
of the skull. They are responsible for reasoning, planning,
ethical decisions, and social judgment. If damage occurs in
this area of the brain, the person might experience emotional
outburst, poor judgment, and the inability to make plans. The
prefrontal cortex, which is part of the structure of the
frontal lobes, is responsible for a person’s personality.

As the frontal lobes grow, children find that they can do more
complex tasks than ever before. For instance, putting together
a model truck is much easier now than it would have been just
a year previously.

They understand, for instance, the importance of a reasonable


order when doing things. In this case, they will unpack the
pieces, connect the parts, place the power source into the
truck, and then use the completed object.
Lateralization of the two brain hemispheres continues to occur
during this time, and the corpus callosum matures. This is the
series of fiber bands that connect the hemispheres and other
areas of the brain.

10.5 Growth from 12 to 19 Years Old


The period from the age of 12 to 19 is known
as adolescence and is largely seen as the
transition years between being a child and
an adult.

During this time, there is a tremendous change in the child’s


life. They are not only growing physically, but they are also
growing intellectually and emotionally. This can be quite
challenging and overwhelming, as these children must adjust to
their changing bodies, their social identities, and their new
world view.

The most significant change that a child will go through


during adolescence is a physical change. Within just a few
years, a child who had previously been dependent on their
parents will start becoming more independent and a
contributing member of society.
Famed psychologist Sigmund Freud refers to this period as the
genital stage, which is, according to him, the final stage of
psychosexual development. During this stage, adolescents begin
to experiment sexually, which, Freud believed, would lead to a
healthy, loving, one-to-one relationship later in life.

Puberty
Puberty also occurs during this time, of course, and for most
people, it signals the end of childhood and the beginning of
full, sexual maturity. Though puberty begins at different
times for each of us, by the time this natural cycle is over,
both men and women will be hormonally and structurally ready
for reproduction.

Some people go through puberty much faster than others, and it


is based on gender in many cases. If you were to look at a
group of 14-year-olds, you would find that they were at very
different stages of development.
Some would appear to be older children, while others would
appear to be fully mature teens. Eventually, of course, the
entire group fully matures.

The development of both the primary and secondary sex


characteristics occurs due to hormones. The primary sex
characteristics are those that are already present from birth,
such as the uterus in females, and secondary sex
characteristics that appear after a person enters into
puberty, such as the deepening of the voice and the widening
of the hips.

Throughout childhood, males and females produce approximately


the same amount of both male and female hormones. However,
when puberty begins, the pituitary gland begins stimulating
hormonal changes in the body. This includes turning on glands
such as the sexual glands, adrenal glands, and endocrine
glands.
Adolescence
One of the first signs that a child has fully entered
adolescence is a growth spurt, which is an increase in both
height and weight.
Females generally begin between the ages of 10 and 14, and it
typically ends by the age of 16. In males, the growth spurt
generally begins between the ages of 10 and 16 and ends by the
time he is 18.

Girls usually begin the process of puberty earlier than boys


with the average age being around 11 or 12 years old. There is
a rush of estrogen, the female hormone, through the body, and
this triggers several changes. These include hair growth,
height, breast growth, and menstruation.

The average age of puberty onset for boys is from 12 to 14. In


this case, there is a surge of the hormone called
testosterone. Boys get taller and stronger, get a deeper
voice, broader shoulders, and they begin to grow hair over
most of their body.

The effect of puberty can have a range of effects on the body


of both girls and boys. These changes are undoubtedly
physical, but they also appear in the emotions and actions of
these teens. It is difficult for many to go through this
period, and some of their reactions to these changes can seem
similar to the symptoms of some well-known psychological
disorders.

For instance, teens often have anxiety, depression, and


emotional ups and downs. However, in most cases, these are
simply effects of puberty and not a psychological disorder.

Conclusion
As has been noted throughout this module, the physical
development of children into adolescence and eventually into
adulthood is greatly connected to their cognitive development.
As we continue to move through this course, you will also see
how other aspects of the body can all be traced back to
cognitive development, and you will discover that all of this
development works to create a functioning adult.

[Tweet “I just completed Module 10 of the Child Psychology


Certification Course”]

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