“Pediatrics Week 1”

CASTILLO, Hannah Leigh R.

ALHP 2-0

1. What is Growth and Development?

Growth is the progressive increase in the size of a child or parts of a child.

Development is progressive acquisition of various skills (abilities) such as head support,
speaking, learning, expressing the feelings and relating with other people. Growth and
development go together but at different rates.

2. What are the principles of Growth and Development?

The three (3) Principles of growth and development: the cephalocaudal principle,
the proximodistal principle, and the orthogenetic principle. These predictable patterns of
growth and development allow us to predict how and when most children will develop
certain characteristics. Cephalocaudal principle refers to the general pattern of physical
and motoric development followed from infancy into toddlerhood and even early
childhood whereby development follows a head-to-toe progression. Proximodistal
principle states that the development proceeds from the center of the body outward.
This principle means that the trunk of the body grows before the extremities of the arms
and legs. Lastly, orthogenetic principle refers to the hypothesis that development of all
aspects of functioning (including cognition, perception, etc.) progresses from lack of
differentiation to increasing differentiation, articulation, and hierarchic integration

3. Explain the different stages of Growth and Development.

 Stage 1 - Prenatal Development

Conception occurs and development begins. All of the major structures of the
body are forming and the health of the mother is of primary concern. Understanding
nutrition, teratogens (or environmental factors that can lead to birth defects), and
labor and delivery are primary concerns.
 Stage 2 - Infancy and Toddlerhood
The first year and a half to two years of life are ones of dramatic growth and
change. A newborn, with a keen sense of hearing but very poor vision is
transformed into a walking, talking toddler within a relatively short period of time.
Caregivers are also transformed from someone who manages feeding and sleep
schedules to a constantly moving guide and safety inspector for a mobile, energetic
child.
 Stage 3 - Early Childhood
 Early childhood is also referred to as the preschool years consisting of the years
which follow toddlerhood and precede formal schooling. As a three to five-year-old,
the child is busy learning language, is gaining a sense of self and greater
independence, and is beginning to learn the workings of the physical world. This
knowledge does not come quickly, however, and preschoolers may have initially
have interesting conceptions of size, time, space and distance such as fearing that
they may go down the drain if they sit at the front of the bathtub or by
demonstrating how long something will take by holding out their two index fingers
several inches apart. A toddler’s fierce determination to do something may give way
to a four-year-old’s sense of guilt for doing something that brings the disapproval of
others.
 Stage 4 - Middle Childhood
The ages of six through eleven comprise middle childhood and much of what
children experience at this age is connected to their involvement in the early grades
of school. Now the world becomes one of learning and testing new academic skills
and by assessing one’s abilities and accomplishments by making comparisons
between self and others. Schools compare students and make these comparisons
public through team sports, test scores, and other forms of recognition. Growth
rates slow down and children are able to refine their motor skills at this point in life.
And children begin to learn about social relationships beyond the family through
interaction with friends and fellow students.
 Stage 5 – Adolescence
Adolescence is a period of dramatic physical change marked by an overall
physical growth spurt and sexual maturation, known as puberty. It is also a time of
cognitive change as the adolescent begins to think of new possibilities and to
consider abstract concepts such as love, fear, and freedom. Ironically, adolescents
have a sense of invincibility that puts them at greater risk of dying from accidents or
contracting sexually transmitted infections that can have lifelong consequences.
 Stage 6 - Early Adulthood
The twenties and thirties are often thought of as early adulthood. (Students who
are in their mid-30s tend to love to hear that they are a young adult!). It is a time
when we are at our physiological peak but are most at risk for involvement in violent
crimes and substance abuse. It is a time of focusing on the future and putting a lot
of energy into making choices that will help one earn the status of a full adult in the
eyes of others. Love and work are primary concerns at this stage of life.
 Stage 7 - Middle Adulthood
The late thirties through the mid-sixties is referred to as middle adulthood. This
is a period in which aging, that began earlier, becomes more noticeable and a period
at which many people are at their peak of productivity in love and work. It may be a
period of gaining expertise in certain fields and being able to understand problems
and find solutions with greater efficiency than before. It can also be a time of
becoming more realistic about possibilities in life previously considered; of
recognizing the difference between what is possible and what is likely. This is also
the age group hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic in Africa resulting in a substantial
decrease in the number of workers in those economies (Weitz, 2007).
  Stage 8 – Late Adulthood
This period of the life span has increased in the last 100 years, particularly in
industrialized countries. Late adulthood is sometimes subdivided into two or three
categories such as the “young old” and “old old” or the “young old”, “old old”, and
“oldest old”. We will follow the former categorization and make the distinction
between the “young old” who are people between 65 and 79 and the “old old” or
those who are 80 and older. One of the primary differences between these groups is
that the young old are very similar to midlife adults; still working, still relatively
healthy, and still interested in being productive and active. The “old old” remain
productive and active and the majority continues to live independently, but risks of
the diseases of old age such as arteriosclerosis, cancer, and cerebral vascular
disease increases substantially for this age group. Issues of housing, healthcare, and
extending active life expectancy are only a few of the topics of concern for this age
group. A better way to appreciate the diversity of people in late adulthood is to go
beyond chronological age and examine whether a person is experiencing optimal
aging (like the gentleman pictured above who is in very good health for his age and
continues to have an active, stimulating life), normal aging (in which the changes
are similar to most of those of the same age), or impaired aging (referring to
someone who has more physical challenge and disease than others of the same
age).
 Stage 9 - Death and Dying
This topic is seldom given the amount of coverage it deserves. Of course, there
is a certain discomfort in thinking about death but there is also a certain confidence
and acceptance that can come from studying death and dying. We will be examining
the physical, psychological and social aspects of death, exploring grief or
bereavement, and addressing ways in which helping professionals work in death and
dying. And we will discuss cultural variations in mourning, burial, and grief.

4. Discuss the factors that affects Growth and Development

Each child’s path or pattern of growth and development is determined by genetic

and environmental factors. The genetic factors determine the potential and limitations of
growth and development. If favourable, the environmental factors, such as adequate
nutrition, facilitate the achievement of the genetic potential of growth and development.
Unfavourable factors, acting singly or in combination, slow or stop growth and
development. Some of the unfavourable factors are malnutrition, infections, congenital
malformations, hormonal disturbances, disability, lack of emotional support, lack of play,
and lack of language training. To promote optimum growth, these environmental factors
can be removed or minimized. Once they are removed, there follows a period of catch
up growth. During this period the growth rate is greater than normal. This growth rate
continues until the previous growth pattern is reached. Then the growth rate is reduced
to the normal rate determined by the individual’s genetic factors. A child genetically
determined to be tall grows slightly more rapidly than a child genetically determined to
be short. Similarly, a child genetically determined to be clever develops their intellect
more rapidly than a child genetically determined to be less intelligent.