User:Atcovi/Spring2024/Child Psychology/Chapter 8: Early Childhood: Physical Development

Children became full-on dependents to parents to interacting with the broader world (early childhood: ages 2 - 6).

8.1 - Growth Patterns
What Changes Occur in Height and Weight During Early Childhood?

Even growth in height (2-3in) and weight (4-6lb).

How Does the Brain Develop During Early Childhood?

Brain grows the fastest due to myelination of nerve fibers, which increase development of fine motor skills. Balance is increased in improvement to cerebellum (balance and coordination).

Improvement in ability to attend to/process visual info + scan visual material systematically (are these pics identical?). More focused and improved reading.

Are Some Children Right-Brained and Others Left-Brained?

Right-handed individuals = left hemisphere is more involved in intellectual undertakings. But we don't have "right-brained" or "left-brained" children.

What Is Meant by Plasticity of the Brain?


 * Plasticity - The tendency of new parts of the brain to take up the functions of injured parts. 2 factors for brain's plasticity: growth of new dendrites ("sprouting") and redudant (multiple) neural connections for the same function.

8.2 - Motor Development
How Do Gross Motor Skills Develop in Early Childhood?


 * Gross motor skills - Skills that employ the large muscles used in locomotion.

"In early childhood, children appear to acquire motor skills by teaching themselves and observing the behavior of other children." Girls have the upper hand with balance/precision of movement. Boys show advantage in throwing and kicking. Genetic predisposition, motivation, and practice are important.

Physical Activity: 2-4 yr olds will play more in physically oriented play vs. 4-6 yr olds.

Rough-and-Tumbe Play: Same universally, but shaped by culture.

Which Child Will Be Active? Depends: role models (parents), family activities, encouragement, genetics

How Do Fine Motor Skills Develop in Early Childhood?


 * Fine Motor Skills: Skills that employ the small muscles used in manipulation (fingers). Allows children to hold pencils.

Making scribbles --> Drawing pictures: placement, shape, design, and pictorial stages (resemble recognizable objects). Drawings may be symbolic.

'''When Does Handedness Emerge? Are There Advantages or Disadvantages to Being Left-Handed?'''

This emerges 6-14 months of age. Overall differences in being left-handed or right-handed are small. Left-handed people have been found to have disadvantages in language problems/psychological disorders.

8.3 - Nutrition
Nutrition NEEDS CHANGE!

In early childhood (ages 2 - 6), children grow slower, so less calories are needed. The more a child grows, the more calories they need.

What Are Children’s Patterns of Eating?


 * Children's appetite will decrease cuz of less growth.
 * Fixations with certain foods will develop.
 * Kids like sugar, girls like vegetables while boys like meat, and parents can influence what the kids will eat.
 * How to get kids to like vegetables? Feed them incrementally. A balanced diet has all the food categories (grains, veggies, fruits, proteins, diary).

8.4 - Health and Illness
Kids get sick every now and then, but some illnesses may be severe.

What Minor Illnesses Do Children Develop in Early Childhood?
Minor Illnesses: Respiratory infections (colds, upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea). Good as can build up immune system. Decreases as progress is made through early childhood. Diarrhea has been the #1 cause of death in young children in developing countries.

What Major Illnesses Do Children Encounter?

 * Pneuomnia
 * Diarrhea (oral rehydration therapy used to cure dehydration from diarrhea, uses a salt-and-sugar solution).
 * Malaria
 * Measles
 * Malnutrition

Vaccines are necessary and needed. Other lesser concerned problems, such as asthma and migraine, may need extensive health care.

Lead is not good (from paint, formerly pencils).

What Is the Role of Accidents as a Cause of Death in Early Childhood?
Accidents, or "unintentional injuries", are the leading cause of death for children (in DEVELOPED countries). Examples are car accidents, drowning, and fires. Homicide is a big contendor as well.

Poverty is a factor. Legislation (required child safety seats, window guards, lifegaurds, manufacturers removing lead from pencil, ex.) have been passed to make the world a better place for children.

8.5 - Sleep
Compared to infants, children sleep less and need a transitional object (teddy bear, for example).

What Sleep Disorders Affect Children?

 * Sleep/night terrors - Frightening, dreamlike experiences that take place during non-REM/deep sleep (early in the night/right after sleep).
 * Nightmares - Frightening dreams that take place during REM sleep (usually in the morning).

Children with frequent night terrors/nightmares may develop insomnia.


 * Sleepwalking - Deep sleep walking. Eyes are open.

8.6 - Elimination Disorders
Although a heated family topic, parents should wait until the third year to begin toilet training.

What Is Enuresis?


 * Enuresis: Failure to control urination at a normal age. Must occur twice a month for 5/6 yr olds, and once a month for older children. Could be caused by infections of the urinary tract, kidney problems, or immaturity in development of the motor cortex.
 * Bedwetting: Nighttime accident (what Mohomed did). Children will outgrow this usually by age 8. Solutions: limit fluid intake, wake the child at night, implement a nightlight, consistent schedule, and reward the child's success.

What Is Encopresis?


 * Encopresis: "Soiling", lack of control over bowl movement. Could be caused commonly by constipation. Either caused by harsh punishment when toilet mistakes are made, thereby tightening up the anal sphincter muscles and not allowing defecation - or repeated rumination of soiling, which leads to a 'soiling' cycle.