features of human growth

Question 1

features of human growth

Answer 1

• During 1st yr growth is v rapid
• Levels off at ~3-4
• Fast again in early adolescence
• Growth is cephalocaudal (from head to foot) and proximiodistal (from in to out)
• Big muscles gain control before extremities
• Throughout generations we have gotten bigger and taller bc better nutrition and health and not as many risk factors
• Average and normal are not the same
  o Range of normal is v large, centers around the average

Question 2

growth charts

Answer 2

• 2 versions: centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) and world heath organization (who)
• Separated for m and f
• Diff as kids get older
• Looks at percentiles → where someone fits out of 100
• Expect most kids to drop a bit on the curve but a lot is bad → malnutrition

Question 3

sleep

Answer 3

• Essential for growth → 80% of growth hormones secreted then
• Sleep patterns, needs and problems change over the course of maturation
  o Infants and toddlers are more likely to wake up → maybe feeding (wake up hungry)
  o Preschoolers have more trouble falling asleep because of changes in daily habits (napping, etc)
  o Younger school age kids have ore gong to bed early because they want to exert their dominance
  o Adolescents and adults have more problems going to or staying asleep or having enough time to sleep

Question 4

adolescent sleep

Answer 4

• Don’t have enough time
• Difficulty waking up because shifted biological clock → would go to bed too late but would also want to get up late but cant
• Melatonin released later → delayed circadian rhythms
• Longer on device has delay in release in melatonin
• Less sleep means less ability to pay attention, academic problems
• Less car accidents

Question 5

nutrition

Answer 5

• Important when growth is rapid
• Breast milk = optimal nourishment
  o Formula is still a viable option when there are reasons to use it (not bad)
• Advantages of formula → other family members can help feed
• Breast milk leads to higher immunity in mom and baby

Question 6

nutritional needs

Answer 6

• Unpredictable appetite (what they like and don’t)
• Like familiar foods
• Diet needs to be high quality
• Social environment influences food choices
  o Imitate admired people
  o Need repeated exposure to like food → must try 30x before giving up
  o Pressuring kid to eat something doesn’t work bc they will try to assert their dominance
  o Junk food is cheaper than healthy food → poverty influence

Question 7

nutrition in adolescence

Answer 7

• Food intake increases a lot
• Poor food choices are common
  o Less fruits, veggies, milk breakfasts
  o More soda, high fat fast food
  o Iron calcium magnesium vitamin b2 deficiencies are common
  o More fam meals are linked to healthier eating

Question 8

picky eater

Answer 8

• Picky eater
  o Rejecting familiar and new foods resulting in restricted and habitual variety of food
  o 24-40% of typically developing kids
  o Although some decreases with age early feeding problems can persist
  o Runs in families

Question 9

feeding related disorders

Answer 9

• If picky eating is too much → family can revolve around the problem
• Concerning when
  o Weight loss
  o Nutrient deficiency
  o Failure to thrive → serious growth and nutritional problems in infants
  o Impairing family life

Question 10

malnutrition

Answer 10

• Worldwide ~1 in 3 kids under 5 suffer
• Almost 1 in 7 Canadian kids live in poverty
• Malnutrition damaging in infancy bc of rapid growth
• Malnourished kids are listless, inactive and often have learning disabilities
• Treatment includes both diet and parent training to ensure healthy development

Question 11

obesity

Answer 11

• BMI used to define obesity status
• Measures body fat based on height and weight
• BMI percentiles used in kids bc BMI fluctuates with age and varies by sex
• Overweight: BMI at 85th percentile for age and sex
• Obese: BMI at 95th percentile for age and sex

Question 12

disease

Answer 12

• ~10000000 kids 5 and under die every year
• Most preventable by vaccines, improved healthcare and habits
• Top killers of kids worldwide = pneumonia, diarrhea, measles, malaria, malnutrition
• In NA car crashes are the top killers (no carseat or seat belt)
• Parents with unrealistic ideas about what kids can do so kids get hurt
• In US firearms are most common leading COD amoung teen boys

Question 13

adolescent growth spurt and puberty

Answer 13

• Puberty marks the biological start of adolescence
• Events and timing of sexual maturation differ for boys and girls
  o Girls ~2y before boys
• Adolescent become taller, heavier, experience changes in primary and secondary sex characteristics
• Hypothalamus and pituary responsible for growth hormones

Question 14

timing of puberty

Answer 14

• Regulated by genes, nutrition and health
• Occurs earlier with adequate nutrition and health
• Maturing early is diff for girls and boys
  o Girls early → lack self confidence, more depression, increased drinking and smoking
  o Less clear for boys → thought it didn’t matter but they think that late maturing boys develop a more positive identity in their 30s because they are less obsessed with appearance