physical development : youth to adulthood Flashcards
physical development : general
Lifespan context, development is the changes that people experience from fertilisation until death.
* Development is often characterised by milestones that are predictable and occur in a sequential order.
* We are going to look specifically at physical development
what is the definition of physical development?
Physical development: the changes that occur to the body and its systems.
* includes external changes that you can see, such as changes in height, and internal changes you cannot see, such as the increasing size of the heart.
growth
- Growth refers to the increase in size of organs and systems.
- Youth is a rapid growth period, along with prenatal and infancy stages.
- Childhood is marked by slow, steady growth.
- Adulthood stages are primarily maintenance periods.
- Physical development continues beyond puberty, with decline in body systems in later lifespan stages.
changes to body systems
- Changes in body systems include replacing baby teeth with permanent ones, hardening bones until early adulthood, altering sex organ function during youth, and continuous immune system development.
- These changes aid individuals in reaching their physical peak, typically in the early twenties to early thirties.
- Post-peak, most systems like the muscular, circulatory, and skeletal systems generally decline over time.
- Changes associated with physical decline include heart stiffening, thickening artery walls, decreased aerobic capacity, gradual loss of bone density, decreased muscular strength, decreased skin elasticity, and decline in sensory organs.
motor skill development
- Underdeveloped motor skills in newborns.
- Gradual development of controlled, deliberate movements during infancy.
- Classification: fine or gross motor skills.
motor skill development : gross motor skills
refer to movements that involve large muscle groups such as walking, throwing, skipping and kicking
motor skill development : fine motor skills
involve control over the smaller muscle groups such as those used for writing, tying shoelaces, cutting with scissors and manipulating the mouth to speak
physical developmental transitions from youth to adulthood
- Sexual maturity
- Legal recognition as an adult
- Compulsory education completion
- Legal permissions for alcohol, driving, voting, and military service
- Independent decision-making
- Physical changes include fused growth plates in bones, sexual maturity, and changes in body composition and structure.
growth
- Significant growth observed.
- Girls gain 16cm height and 16kg weight.
- Boys gain 20cm height and 20kg weight.
- End of youth or early adulthood marks end of epiphyseal plates in long bones.
changes to body system
One of the most noticeable changes that occur to body systems as youth transition to adulthood are the changes to the reproductive system, which includes the sex organs and the way they function.
primary sex characteristics
- Primary sex characteristics involve body parts involved in reproduction.
- Changes occur during puberty to ‘genitals’.
- Despite present at birth, develop during puberty.
- By early adulthood, organs are fully developed and functioning.
secondary sex characteristics
- Traits arising from changes in both males and females at puberty.
- Not directly related to reproduction or present at birth.
- Typically fully developed by adulthood.
changes to body systems : bones
- Bones fuse, but reach maximum density or strength years later.
- Youth crucial for building bone density and strength for adulthood.
changes to body systems : body composition
- Males: Increase in muscle mass and broadening shoulders result in triangular body shape.
- Females: Widen hips and increase fat to muscle ratio.
- Fat deposits in mid-section, including thighs and hips, leading to hourglass figure.
motor skill development
- Youth maturation leads to increased control.
- Arms and legs proportionate by puberty, improving coordination.
- Puberty enhances strength and endurance, aiding in adult motor skills.
- Males generally gain more strength-requiring skills due to muscle mass differences.
