chapter 11

weight of brain increases by how much during middle childhood

10%

individual differences in motor skills

differences reflect both heredity and environment body build: Taller, more muscular children excel at many motor tasks family income and parental encouragement affect access to lessons in athletics and other motor skills sex differences extend and, in some instances, become more pronounced: -girls have advantage in fine-motor skills as well as balance and agility -boys outperform girls on throwing, kicking, and other gross-motor skills educating parents about minimal differences between boys' and girls' physical capacities can help increase girls' self-confidence and participation

overweight and obesity

about 32% of U.S. children and adolescents are overweight, 17% obese, based on body mass index (BMI). dramatic rise in overweight and obesity has occurred in many Western nations. obesity rates have risen in developing countries as a result of urbanization and dietary shifts: -in China, 20% of children are overweight and 8% are obese—a fortyfold increase over the past 25 years. -cultural beliefs may contribute (view of overweight as sign of prosperity). obese children are at risk for physical, emotional, and social problems.

adult organized youth sports

about half of U.S. children aged 5-18 participate in organized sports outside of school participation is generally associated with increased self esteem and social skills valid criticisms of organized sports include: -overemphasis on competition and adult control -potential for social ostracism of weaker performers, especially for boys

about 20-25% of us children living at home have chronic diseases

asthma, the most common, has increased steadily over past several decades severe illnesses (sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, AIDS) affect about 2% of US children

nocturnal enuresis

bedwetting during the night occurs in 1 in 10 children affects more boys than girls at all ages usually has biological roots can be treated with medication or, more effectively, by using a urine alarm

skeletal growth in middle childhood

bones lengthen and broaden ligaments are not yet firmly attached to bones, resulting in unusual flexibility nighttime "growing pains" are common: -stiffness and aches in the legs -usually subside as bones strengthen by age 12, all primary teeth have been replaced by permanent teeth

providing developmentally appropriate organized sports in middle childhood

build on children's interests teach age appropriate skills emphasize enjoyment limit frequency and length of practices focus on personal and team improvement discourage unhealthy competition let children contribute to rules and strategies

nutrition in middle childhood

causes of poor nutrition: -more focus on new friends and activities, less on eating -drop in percentage of children eating meals with families -poor quality diets high in soft drinks and fast foods -malnutrition resulting from poverty children report feeling better and focusing better after eating healthy foods prolonged malnutrition can result in permanent physical and mental impairments

drawing fine motor development

dramatic gains in organization, detail, representation of depth ability to copy two dimensional shapes ability to relate objects to one another as part of an organized whole

regular screenings

early detection and correction of vision and hearing defects

physical education should

emphasize enjoyable, informal games and individual exercise focus on each Childs personal progress and team contribution

rates of illness rise during first two years of school because of

exposure to sick children an immune system that is still developing

gains in basic gross motor capacities

flexibility balance agility force

family based interventions on treating obesity

focus is on changing behaviors, both diet and exercise rewards for giving up inactivity are helpful

tallest children

found in Australia, northern and Central Europe, Canada, united states

shortest children

found in South America, Asia, pacific islands, parts of africa

rough and tumble play

friendly chasing and play fighting emerges in preschool years and peaks in middle childhood common in many mammals and across cultures more common among boys helpful in establishing dominance hierarchy

physical activity supports childrens

health sense of self worth as physically active, capable beings cognitive and social skills necessary for getting along with others

interventions for families with chronically ill children

health education: parents and children learn about illness and how to manage it home visits: health professionals offer counseling and social support to parents and children schools: can accommodate special health and education needs disease-specific summer camps: teach children self-help skills and give parents time off parent and peer support groups: can help families cope

factors accounting for physical size differences

hereditary: evolutionary adaptions to particular climates environment: availability or scarcity of food; control of infectious diseases

causes of obesity in middle childhood

heredity (overweight parents) socioeconomic status early growth pattern of rapid weight gain family eating habits: -use of food as reward, overfeeding, parental control of children's intake responsiveness to food cues vs. hunger lack of physical activity television viewing early malnutrition and growth stunting

school recess

in U.S. school districts: -80% no longer mandate recess for students -fewer than half mandate at least 20 minutes of recess per day recess periods boost classroom learning by: -distributing cognitively demanding task over longer time -enhancing attention and performance at all ages children may be more active at recess than in gym class recess fosters children's health and physical, academic, and social competence

fostering healthy lifestyles in school age children

increase health related knowledge, encourage healthy behaviors involve parents in supporting health education provide healthy environments in schools provide voluntary screening for risk factors promote pleasurable physical activity teach children to be critical of media advertising work for safer, healthier community environments

writing fine motor development

mastery of uppercase letters, then lowercase increased legibility

otitis media

middle ear infection common in early childhood may cause hearing loss after repeated infections

characteristics of effective injury prevention programs

modeling and rehearsing safety practices targeting specific injury risks, such as traffic safety emphasizing helmet use while bicycling, in life skating, skateboarding, or using scooters taking steps to alter high risk factors in families of highly active, impulsive children

most common types of injuries

motor vehicle accidents involving children as passengers or pedestrians bicycle accidents

among us students

nearly half have no physical education classes in a typical week fewer than one third engage in moderate intensity activity for 60 minutes per day

myopia

nearsightedness most common vision problem in middle childhood affected by heredity, early biological trauma, increased eye strain increases with SES

may affect brain development and functioning

neurotransmitters hormones

common health problems in middle childhood

nutrition overweight and obesity vision and hearing bedwetting illnesses unintentional injuries

malocclusion

occurs in 1/3 of school age children a condition in which the upper and lower teeth do not meed properly

gray matter in brain development

peaks in middle childhood and then declines as a result of synaptic pruning consists of neurons and supportive material

body growth in middle childhood

physical growth continues at a slow, regular pace girls are slightly shorter and lighter than boys until about age 9, when this trend reverses lower portion of body is growing fastest after age 8, girls accumulate fat at a faster rate

white matter in brain development

rises steadily, especially in prefrontal cortex, parietal lobes, and corpus callosum consists of myelinated nerve fibers

changes in gross motor skills during middle childhood

running: increased speed other gait variations: skipping, sideways stepping vertical jumps and standing broad jump: performance improvements precision jumping and hopping throwing and catching: improved ability over greater distances kicking: improved speed and accuracy batting: more effective batting motions dribbling: improvements in style

health education for school age children

school age period is especially important for fostering healthy lifestyles: -gap remains between knowledge of health information and children's behavior -adults should work to reduce environmental health risks -parents and teachers must model and reinforce good health practices

school interventions on treating obesity

schools can serve healthier lunches and ensure regular physical activity other measures include weight related school screenings and improve school nutrition standards

consequences of obesity

social isolation leads to emotional, social, and school difficulties unhappiness and overeating contribute to each other overweight girls are likely to reach puberty early life chances are reduced by psychological consequences combined with discrimination

family stressors and childhood obesity

stressful daily life prompts overeating through various routes: -elevated stress hormones signal brain to boost caloric intake -chronic stress triggers insulin resistance -effort required to manage persistent stress strains self-regulatory capacity, interfering with ability to limit excessive eating

advances in fine motor skills

writing drawing