Ch 8: Physical development in early childhood:

Growth hormone:

- (GH), is necessary from birth on for development of all body tissues except the central nervous system and genitals. - Children who lack GH reach an average mature height of only 4 feet, 4 inches. - When treated early with injections of GH, such children show catch-up growth and then grow at a normal rate, becoming much taller than they would have without treatment.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH):

- A pituitary hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland to release thyroxine. - Is necessary for normal brain development and body growth.

GH and associated changes, sleep:

- Bedtime routines are helpful for Western children, who—unlike children in many non-Western cultures—generally sleep alone. - Most preschoolers awaken occasionally at night, and some may suffer from sleep disorders. - A few experience sleepwalking or sleep terrors, which run in families, suggesting a genetic influence, but can also be triggered by stress, or extreme fatigue.

Brain development and changes:

- Between ages 2 and 6, the brain increases from 70 percent of its adult weight to 90 percent. - By age 4, many parts of the cortex have overproduced synapses. - High energy need. - Density of synapses in all three areas rises sharply during the first three years.

Corpus Callosum:

- Connects the two cortical hemispheres, also form synapses and myelinate. - Enables children to perform increasingly COMPLEX TASKS (like board games). - Tasks THAT REQUIRE: integration of ATTENTION, MEMORY, LANGUAGE, and PROBLEM SOLVING.

Gains in language:

- Density of synapses in three left-hemispheric cortical areas involved in language processing.

Cerebellum:

- During early childhood, connections are established between brain structures. - Fibers linking the cerebellum to the cerebral cortex grow and myelinate. - ENHANCES MOTOR COORDINATION.

Describe brain development in early childhood:

- During the PRESCHOOL years, neural fibers in the BRAIN continue to FORM SYNAPSES and MYELINATE. - By this time, many cortical regions have overproduced synapses, and synaptic PRUNING OCCURS. - To make room for the connective structures of active neurons, many surrounding neurons die, leading to reduced brain plasticity.

Synaptic Pruning:

- In early childhood, many cortical regions have OVERPRODUCED SYNAPSES, and synaptic pruning occurs. - As a result, density of synapses falls during the late preschool and school years. During this time, plasticity of the cerebral cortex is reduced.

Language Skills:

- Increase at an astonishing pace in early childhood. - Support children's increasing control over behavior.

What factors increase the risk of unintentional injuries?

- Injury victims are more likely to be boys. - Temperamentally irritable. - Inattentive, and negative. - Live in stressed, poverty stricken, crowded family environments.

What factors contribute to immunization rates being lower?

- Many economically disadvantaged children LACK access to necessary HEALTH CARE. - PARENTAL STRESS also contributes, as do widespread MISCONCEPTIONS about the dangers of immunization.

How can childhood injuries be prevented?

- Passing laws that promote child safety. - Creating safer home, travel, and play environments. - Relieving sources of family stress. - Improving public education. - Changing parent and child behaviors.

Hippocampus:

- Plays a vital role in MEMORY.

Reticular Formation:

- Responsible for ALERTNESS and CONSCIOUSNESS.

Fine Motor Skills:

- Self-help. - Dressing. - Buttoning. - Eating. - Drawing.

Gross Motor Skills:

- Walking. - Running. - Catching. - Throwing. - Swinging. - Riding

Restful sleep contributes to body growth ____, by contributing positively to family functioning.

__indirectly__,

Language processing:

The primary auditory area, Broca's area, and Wernicke's area.

First 3 years:

The same period in which children rapidly develop language skills.

What is the leading cause of childhood mortality?

Unintentional injuries.

Restful sleep contributes to body growth ____, through the release of GH during sleep.

__directly__,

In early childhood, changes in the __________ and other brain structures enhance communication between different parts of the brain.

__Corpus_Callosum__

_______ skills are typically housed in the left hemisphere.

__Language__

Immunization rates are lower in the __________ than in other industrialized nations.

__United States__

For most children, the ____ hemisphere of the cerebral cortex develops ahead of the ____ hemisphere, supporting young children's rapidly expanding language skills.

__left__; __right__

(2-3yrs):

o GROSS MOTOR SKILLS: - Walks more rhythmically. - Hurried walk changes to run. - Jumps, hops, throws, and catches with rigid upper body. - Pushes riding toy with feet (little steering). o FINE MOTOR SKILLS: - Puts on and removes simple items of clothing. - Zips and unzips large zippers. - Uses spoon effectively.

(5-6yrs):

o GROSS MOTOR SKILLS: - Increases running speed, gallops more smoothly. - Engages in true skipping, Displays mature throwing and catching pattern. - Rides bicycle with training wheels. o FINE MOTOR SKILLS: - Uses knife to cute soft food. - Ties shoes. - Draws person with six parts. - Copies some numbers and simple words.

(4-5yrs):

o GROSS MOTOR SKILLS: - Walks downstairs, alternating feet. - Runs more smoothly, gallops and skips with one foot. - Throws ball with increased body rotation and transfer of weight on feet, catches ball with hands. -Rides tricycle rapidly, steers smoothly. o FINE MOTOR SKILLS: - Uses fork effectively. - Cuts with scissors following line. - Copies triangle, cross, and some letters.

(3-4yrs):

o GROSS MOTOR SKILLS: - Walks up stairs, alternating feet, and downstairs, leading with one foot. - Jumps and hops, flexing upper body. - Throws and catches with slight involvement of upper body. - Still catches by trapping ball against chest. - Pedals and steers tricycle. o FINE MOTOR SKILLS: - Fastens and unfastens large buttons. - Serves self-food without assistance. - Uses scissors. - Copies vertical line and circle. - Draws first picture of person, using tadpole image.

Gains in gross motor and fine motor skills:

■ By age 3, children's scribbles become pictures.As perception, language, memory, and fine motor capacities improve with age, children's drawings increase in complexity and realism. Children's drawings are also influenced by their culture's artistic traditions. ■ Around age 4, children's writing shows some distinctive features of print, but only gradually do children realize that writing stands for language. Between 3 and 5 years, children experiment with pencil grip; by age 5, most use an adult like grip that maximizes stability and writing efficiency.

Major milestones of gross and fine motor development in early childhood:

■ During early childhood, children continue to integrate previously acquired motor skills into more complex dynamic systems of action.As the child's center of gravity shifts toward the trunk, balance improves, paving the way for new gross motor achievements. Preschoolers' gaits become smooth and rhythmic; they run, jump, hop, gallop; eventually skip, throw, and catch; and generally become better coordinated. ■ Increasing control of the hands and fingers leads to dramatic improvements in fine motor skills. Preschoolers gradually dress themselves and use a fork and knife. ■ Advances in perception and exposure to written materials contribute to progress in discriminating individual letters. When parents and teachers support children's efforts to print, preschoolers are more advanced in writing and other aspects of literacy development.