Lifespan And Development Flashcards
How many lifespan development stages are there?
Name them…
6
Infancy, childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle age, older age
What occurs in infancy’s first trimester?
Embryo logical and foetal Development
Beginnings of major organ systems laid down as Ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm
What occurs in infancy’s seconds trimester?
Development of organs and organ systems
Body shake and proportions change
What occurs in infancy’s third trimester?
Rapid foetal development
Deposition of adipose fats
Major organ systems are fully functioning
What is the ‘critical period of development’?
During foetal development the body is very sensitive to damage caused by the environment and physical factors. In this time the foetal development and growth can be affected.
What are some immediate changes that occur within 24 hours after birth?
Blood rushes into the pulmonary system, rising the o2 conc.
Constriction of the Ductus Arteriosus - causing blood to be fully directed to the lungs.
Pressure rises in left atrium - Foramen Ovale close as the pressure begins to stabilise.
Umbilical cord clamped - Ductus Venosus to cease bringing blood to the heart.
Due to lack of placental blood it then eventually closes.
What are some features of an infants respiratory system?
- Rib cage is soft and cartilaginous
- Poorly developed intercostal muscles = easily fatigued
- Less type 1 muscle twitch fibres
- Angle of diaphragm is horizontal rather than dome shaped = mechanical disadvantage and easily fatigued.
- Airway diameter is smaller = increased resistance and work of breathing
- Less cartilaginous airway support
- Poorly developed cilia = high risk of infection
- 150 alveoli at birth
What are some features of infants musculoskeletal system?
- Born with 300 bones
- Bones are soft. They ossify over time.
- Non weight bearing
- Muscle fibres are small and watery = easily fatigued
- Body fat is laid down at 9-12 months, which protects organs and tissues
What are some features of infants neurological system?
- Brain is a quarter of the baby’s body weight
- Lower centres of the brain are most developed = including breathing, heart and blood vessel function, digestion etc.
- Exhibit ‘flexural tone’ = babies have the natural tendency to curl up as they can’t fully extend their knees
- Possess primitive reflexes
- All neurones and nerves are present
- Transient Exuberance = dendrites increase, connection and developments are made in learning
Describe and Infants physical growth?
Born 1/3 of adult height
Body parts grow at a different rates.
Our weight increases before our height = this is why most babies have a ‘chubby’ phase
What are the factors affecting growth and development in Infants?
Can be physical and environment.
Single or multiple births
Physical and mental health of mother at time of pregnancy
Normal or abnormal delivery
Conditions and care of delivery
Care if baby by mother, before, during and after
Nutrition received before and after - a poorly nourished child is more likely to have an infection.
Climate, culture, religion, sex, race, family.
Describe childhood
From the ages of 2-10
Physical growth is slow but steady
Begin to understand the names, colours and speech through refine,ent and motor skills
Describe Adolescence
From the ages of 10-20
Puberty occurs = boys 12-16 and girls 10-14
Causes the body systems to alter as a result of the hormones
This causes distinct changes in males and females
What are some features of an adolescence musculoskeletal system?
- Accelerated bone deposition and skeletal growth
- Closure of epiphyseal plates = hyaline cartilage plates in the metaphysis at each long bone end
- Increase in strength and endurance of skeletal muscle
- Testosterone massively affects muscle mass gain in males as it has a greater affect then oestrogen in females
What are some features of an adolescence neurological system?
- Sex hormones affect the central nervous system
- increase in sex drive triggered by an increase in testosterone and oestrogen
What are some features of an adolescence cardio respiratory system?
- Increased levels of testosterone causes blood volume to increase
- Testosterone stimulates the disproportionate growth of the larynx (small voice box) and thickening of vocal cords which deepens the voic
What occurs after Puberty?
Secretion of hormones is much less but the sex specific differences between males and females is maintained.
Both genders grow at slower rates
Boundary between adolescence and maturity is hazy
When growth stops, physically adolescence
Describe early adulthood.
From the ages 20-40
Often the time of intellectual, emotional and social development.
Become more financially dependant and form more stable relationships
Person is most physically capable
No body regeneration in this stage, as well as equally little degeneration of body systems.
All physical characteristics such as strength are all there
Our ‘Prime of Life’
Describe Middle Age
‘Young old’ Ages of 40-65 Some may retire Generally good health and physical function Gradual signs of degeneration begin to appear = such as organ inefficiency Senses change Wrinkles appear Menopause may occur in women
Describe Older Age
There is old-old and old-older
The ages of 65 and above
Still good mental, social and physical ability
A big boom in this bracket
Life expectancy of males is 80 and females 83.
What are the two types of ageing?
Primary and secondary
Describe primary ageing
An inevitable process of the body’s natural deterioration that takes place during life.
Nothing can be done apart from staying healthy.
Describe secondary ageing
Results from disease and poor health practices.
Often preventable
Someone who leads a poor lifestyle, such as smoking, alcohol etc.
What are some causes of secondary ageing?
Smoking Diet Alcohol Activity level Drugs Disease and infection
What are some consequences of the secondary ageing causes?
Increased cholesterol Diabetes Liver disease Heart disease High blood pressure Obesity Cancer
What are some manifestation of ageing?
Cellular changes Altered metabolic processes Impaired mobility Impaired immune responses Appearance Altered nutrition
What occurs during ageing of tissues?
Maintenance process slows down - as we have slower slower healing times. Takes people longer to recover.
Tissues repair speed and effectiveness decreases - become more fragile
Less regeneration and more degeneration
Structure and chemical composition alter
What happens to appearance with age?
Thinning of epidermis - skin becomes thin and we loose tone
Decreased vitamin D
Thinning of dermis - this layer contains the connective tissue to hold the skin in place, so it becomes saggy, wrinkled and discoloured.
Melanin deficiency
Decreased blood supply and hair production - greying and loss of hair
What occurs to our immune system with age?
T cells are less responsive - less responsive B cells, infection response is impaired
More susceptible to viral and bacterial infections
Increase incidence of cancer - immune surveillance is weaker so cancerous cells are less likely to be removed by our body.
Skin barrier becomes weaker
Vaccinations and flu jabs are offered to the elderly.
What occurs to our digestion, urination and reproduction systems with ageing?
Decline in olfactory and osmoreceptor sensitivity
Loose senses such as smell - which changes our dietary wants, end up eating less
No longer realise if we need fluid or not
Gradual loss of teeth and reduction in gut motility
Decrease kidney function
Filtering system begins to diminish
Menopause and andropause decrease - reduced sex drive
What occurs to the muscles with ageing?
Muscle fibres become smaller Loose size and strength - more susceptible to fatigue Skeletal muscle is less elastic Tolerance to exercise decreases Ability to recover from injury decreases
What occurs to bones with ageing?
Reduction in bone mass - become thinner and weaker
Osteoblasts begin to decline
Loss of height
Osteoporosis and osteopenia are a risk
Osteoarthritis due to wear and tear of joints and overuse.
What occurs to the heart due to ageing?
Reduction in cardiac output
Less oxygen and minerals get round the body
Changes to conducting cells
Reduction in elasticity if cardiac muscles
What occurs to the vascular system as a result of ageing?
Atherosclerosis- plaque (fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances) builds in the artery’s which narrows them. Mainly to do with a change in hormone levels.
Increased risk of aneurysm
Decreased function of valves in veins - can chase tissue death
What occurs to the respiratory system as a result of ageing?
Decrease in vital capacity - chest walls more rigid.
Gas trapping can occur where abnormal retention of air occurs - as its difficult to exhale so not all air exits, which obstructs the lungs.
Increased residual volume
Stiffening of rib cage
What occurs to the brain as a result of ageing?
Decrease in size and weight Loss of neurones and neurotransmitters Decreased blood flow Gradual decline in function Common degenerative changes - such as memory loss, amnesia, dementia, Alzheimer’s
What occurs to the nervous system as a result of ageing?
Slower motor skills
Decreased reaction times
More likely to fall
Consequences of ageing
Reduced mobility and independence
Increased risk of falls
Reduced exercise tolerance
Increased sedentary lifestyle
