Child Development

Physical Development

Physical Development of a child during the first four years of life constitute different stages like dependency on adults moves to being physically mobile and participating in the exploration of the surroundings. Rapid changes are evident in the first two years of life. The birth size doubles and the birth weight triples. As the chest widens the proportion of the head to the body decreases. The child grows in the following manner; the head develops first, then the body and then the legs.In some cases the growth occurs in the following manner; the chest, the fingers, the shoulders and finally their arms and finger muscles.

At the ages of three to six growth of bones slows down and begins to lose baby fat and the legs grow in proportion to the body. This is the time when the child gains balance over him/her-self which augments the variety of physical activities that can be carried out.

At about five children begin to lose their baby looks with followed by the loss of baby teeth and growth of permanent teeth. This is a step to maturity.

Mental Development

In this consequence, the first two years are the most critical. The weight of the brain changes by 10 percent upwards. This is the stage where the child develops the ability to choose which hand to use that is either left handedness or right handedness. Susceptibility to reactions is seen as the “development nerves have become covered with myelin, a membrane which increases conductivity, and this means the child can attend to and respond to many more things more quickly. Older children between three and six can change direction at short notice, whereas a younger child will probably bump into someone or something because he has a slower reaction time.” [Sheridan, 2001]

Factors which affect the Child's Physical Development

Heredity -any child is capable of inheriting physical size, appearance and rate of growth that of the mother or the father.

Nutrition and health care are mandatory to be good. This might cause the child to be unhealthy. If a child gets healthy nutrition, diseases like measles have no effect on physical growth.

Polio or tuberculosis can have a serious effect on a child's physical growth.

Clean environment and good health habits like brushing his/her teeth, washing hands after playing with toys and before eating can lead to a great positivity in the growth.

Traffic accidents among such ages are very evident and can lead to a great difficulty in the child's growth. Adults must watch out and be very vigilant to prevent accidents and keep the children safe. [Apter, 1998]

Emotional Developments at these ages include Very Self-centered, just beginning a sense of personal identity and belongings, possessive, often negative, often frustrated, no ability to choose between alternatives, enjoys physical affection, resistive to change, becoming independent, more responsive to humor and distraction than discipline or reason.

Other intellectual developments include saying short sentences, 896 words, and great growth in communication, tells simple stories, uses words as tools of ...