Growth And Development

Question 1

What is meant by growth?

Answer 1

Growth is when there is an increase in physical size e.g height and weight

Question 2

What is meant by development?

Answer 2

Development is the increase in skills, abilities and emotions

Question 3

What does PIES stand for?

Answer 3

Physical, intellectual, emotional and social

Question 4

How many life stages are there and what are they?

Answer 4

1) infancy (0-2 years)
2) early childhood (3-8 years)
3) adolescence (9-18 years)
4) early adulthood (19-45 years)
5) middle adulthood (46-65 years)
6) later adulthood (65+)

Question 5

What is physical development?

Answer 5

• the way the body increases in height and weight during the lifetime of an individual
• includes the development of each of your body systems
• also called ageing

Question 6

What is intellectual development?

Answer 6

• the growth of the brain and the development of thought processes
• includes things like memory, problem solving and an understanding of the world
• occurs most rapidly before the child is 18 years old but development can continue through adulthood

Question 7

What is emotional development?

Answer 7

• understanding our feelings and of those around us and we also can take other people’s feelings into account
• it starts through a successful attachment relationship or binding between child and main carer
• as we get older, it is maintained through our relationships with family, friends and partners
• it also continues throughout our lives

Question 8

What is social development?

Answer 8

• making connections with people and becoming a part of society
• includes your immediate family and friends as well as the community in which we live

Question 9

Percentile height and weight chart

Answer 9

• a health visitor will check a babies weight and height to ensure that they are growing at the expected pace
• 50th percentile means that the baby is at average
• anything below means the child is below the expected weight for their age
• anything above means the child is above the expected weight for their age

Question 10

What does BMI stand for?

Answer 10

Body mass index

Question 11

What are fine motor skills and what are some examples?

Answer 11

The use of small muscles for smaller precision movements which require dexterity and coordination e.g. writing, grasping, doing up buttons on shirt

Question 12

What are gross motor skills and what are some examples?

Answer 12

The use of larger muscles for big movements which require mobility and coordination e.g. running, crawling, riding a bike, rolling over

Question 13

What is the rooting reflex in infancy?

Answer 13

• it assists in the act of breastfeeding
• activated by stroking a baby’s cheek, causing them to turn and open their mouth
• this reflex lasts about 4 months

Question 14

What is the palmar grasp reflex in infancy?

Answer 14

• the automatic flexing of fingers to grab an object
• stroking the palm of a baby’s hand causes the baby to close their fingers
• lasts until the baby is about 5-6 months old

Question 15

What is the moro reflex in infancy?

Answer 15

• acts as a baby’s primitive fight/flight reaction and is typically replaced by the adult startle reflex by four months old
• usually occurs when a baby is startled by a loud sound or movement - in response the baby throws back their head, extends their arms and legs, cries and then pulls the arms and legs back in
• lasts until the baby is about 2 months old

Question 16

What is the walking reflex in infancy?

Answer 16

• when a baby will make a walking movement when feet are placed on a flat surface
• lasts about 2 months

Question 17

What is the definition of a milestone?

Answer 17

A milestone is an ability achieved by most children by a certain age (but every child is unique and develops at different stages)

Question 18

What is hand and eye coordination?

Answer 18

• It is the ability of the vision system to coordinate the information received through the eyes to control, guide and direct the hands in the accomplishment of a given task e.g. handwriting or catching a ball
• uses the eyes to direct attention and the hands to execute a task

Question 19

What problems could cause a child to have poor hand and eye coordination?

Answer 19

• visual impairments
• lack of opportunity
• learning disabilities
• dyspraxia

Question 20

What is dyspraxia?

Answer 20

• Developmental coordination disorder (DCD), is also known as dyspraxia,
• it is a condition affecting physical coordination that causes a child to perform less well then expected in daily activities for their age and appear to move clumsily
• thought to be around three or four times more common in boys than girls
• the condition sometimes runs in families and can often cause continued problems into adulthood