8. Phys. Dev't in Preschool Children Flashcards
Describe rate of growth in preschool age
- slower than infants/toddlers
- still rapid
Height/weight of average 2-year-old
85 cm.
13 kg.
Height/weight of average 6-year-old
112 cm.
20.5 kg.
Average rate of growth of height/weight from ages 2-6
5-8 cm/year
1.8 kg/year
Describe the stability/variability of height/weight for preschool kids
Height rate is stable - predictive of adult height.
Weight rate is much more variable, based on more factors.
Stunting
Under the 3rd percentile for height
Wasting
Under the 3rd percentile for weight
Overweight
At or over the 85th percentile for BMI
Obese
At or over the 97th percentile for BMI
Head circumference
Children up to 3 are at risk for health, nutritional, or developmental problems if their head is beyond the 3rd or 97th percentile.
How many teeth does a typical 3-year-old have?
20 baby teeth
When do baby teeth get replaced by adult teeth?
At 5-6 years.
Why is dental care of primary teeth important?
Disease in primary teeth can affect development of the permanent teeth that from and emerge from below.
Age 3 brain (% of adult weight)
80%
Age 5 brain (% of adult weight)
90%
In what ways does the preschool brain change?
- pruning understimulated connective tissues
- myelinization - corpus callosum allows the hemispheres to communicate
- stronger connectivity between synapses
- becomes more specialized (e.g. localization of language) but less plastic
Why is sleep important to preschoolers?
Growth hormone (GH) is secreted
How much time/day do preschoolers/6-year-olds spend sleeping?
13 hours / 11 hours
Describe bedtime problems.
- 20-30% have nightly struggles
- problems often occur b/c of lack of routine
Describe a good bedtime routine.
- start/end at about the same times every day
- be followed as closely as possible every night
- supervised as needed
- 15-45 minutes
- not rushed
- good time to talk about the day
- attend to fears and needs but not demands
Nightmare
Dreaming that occurs towards morning that is vivid, frightening, and usually wakes the child.
Night terror
Waking in a panicked state, breathing rapidly and perspiring heavily.
- not fully awake
- usually early in the night
- often a result of waking too quickly from a deep sleep
- no underlying problem
Sleepwalking
Walking during deep sleep.
- danger of injury
Bed wetting
- more of a problem for boys
- 25% of 4-year-olds still wet the bed
Describe development of running
- age 2: hurried walk - stiff legs, not airborne
- age 5/6: run easily, change direction
Describe development of throwing
- age 2-3: use forearm exclusively
- age 3-5: use whole arm
- age 6+: rotate body
Describe development of catching
- age 2: can only catch if the ball lands in their arms
- age 6: use legs, adjust body position to catch and absorb force of the ball
Examples of fine motor skills development
2-3 y.o. put on simple clothing, zip zippers but not buttons
by 3 or 4 y.o., fasten buttons, take off clothes to go to the bathroom
5 y.o. dress and undress
6 y.o. shoelaces
Explain development of the grip in fine motor skills
3 y.o. still experimenting with holding pens
5 y.o. learning to grip the same way as adults
- improves writing/drawing - drawings become progressively more complex (this also reflects cognitive dev’t)
When is handedness established
by age 2
What % of people are R vs. L handed?
90%
Shape stage
period during which children mainly draw 6 basic shapes
age 3
6 basic shapes of the shape stage
circle x rectangle triangle \+ blob
Design stage
period during which children combine the 6 basic shapes into more complex patterns
age 3-4
Pictorial stage
period during which children depict recognizable objects in drawings
age 4-5
Lateralization
the functional specialization of each half of the brain, which makes the two halves different
How does lateralization differ between R and L handers?
In R, language lateralization is almost entirely in the L hemisphere.
In L handers, it’s a lot more mixed and inconsistent.
gender differences in motor skills
- no height/weight difference in preschool
- boys a little more muscular
- no difference in hand strength
- boys more active
- girls more coordinated (e.g. skipping)
- girls better fine motor control
Other than physical differences, what could explain the differences in motor skills between preschool boys and girls?
- socialization
- how they’re encouraged to play
How many calories do preschoolers consume?
90/kg. of body weight
= 1500-1700 calories/day
Characteristics of a healthy diet
- draws on all major food groups
- limits sugar and fats
What factors contribute to obesity
- pattern of poor eating
- low levels of exercise
- genetic
- also linked to social class
Obesity leads to…
- social and emotional problems
- poor self-image
- social rejection (cultural bias against obesity)
How many children in Canada are obese?
1/3
15% boys, 8% girls
What is the relationship between asthma and obesity?
In asthmatic people, Th2 immune cells cause asthmatic reactions AND release of “melanin-concentrating hormone” which causes increase in appetite.
obesity may cause inflammation -> allergic reactions -> the above cycle.
MCH
melanin-concentrating hormone
- Released by the Th2 immune cells in asthmatic people.
- causes increased appetite / overeating
Feeding guidelines for parents of preschoolers
- allow kids to select from healthy options
- allow them to eat in the order they want
- offer new foods 1 at a time & in small amounts; encourage but don’t force
- don’t force eating all the food
- don’t talk about eating for the whole meal
- food not a reward/punishment
How many colds/coughs does the average preschooler have/year?
7-8
Why are preschoolers susceptible to minor illnesses?
Their lungs are still developing
Why are minor illnesses good?
- help the body prepare for worse illnesses
- children learn how their bodies work and are more prepared in the future
Common chronic illnesses for prechoolers
asthma (most common)
juvenile diabetes
cancer
How many children under 4 have asthma?
8.25%
What is the Human Microbiome Project?
Studying the micoorganisms that live on/in us by genetic sequencing and examining how the microbes affect health and well-being.
What is the leading cause of death in preschool children?
Accidents.
Why are some children more prone to illness/injury?
- child stress - prone to illness (lower immune)
- parent stress - prone to injury
- poverty - problems begin before birth with inadequate prenatal care & diet
How can required hospital stays be made less stressful for children?
- parental presence / rooming in
- a warm/caring nurse assigned to the child
- psychologist/social worker help prepare the child
- tour ahead of time; touch the equipment
- some choices (food, toys)
