chapter 20

School-age child age range

5-12 years

School-age growth pattern

Slower, steadier growth with alternating spurts and minimal growth.

Average yearly height increase

5 cm (2 inches) per year.

Average yearly weight gain

2-3 kg (4.4-6.6 pounds) per year.

Growth varies based on

Race, gender, and genetics.

Preadolescent growth spurt

Occurs earlier in girls than boys.

Menarche is influenced by

Genetics and sufficient body fat.

Body systems during school age

Reach adult-level function.

Blood pressure screening

Should be screened yearly to detect hypertension early and prevent adult organ damage.

Permanent teeth eruption

Approximately 4 permanent teeth erupt each year.

Permanent teeth replace

Deciduous teeth in the same order they erupted.

School sealant programs

Reduce dental caries by approximately 60%.

Lymphoid tissue during school age

Rapidly enlarges, strengthening the immune system.

Enlarged tonsils in school-age children

Usually a normal finding.

Lymphoid tissue begins decreasing around

Age 10.

Motor skill development

Nervous system matures around age 7-8 allowing greater control of fine and gross motor skills.

Long bone growth increases risk for

Fractures and joint pain.

Ossification

Bone replaces cartilage throughout childhood until adulthood.

Backpack teaching

Avoid excessive weight to reduce stress on developing bones.

Erikson stage

Industry vs Inferiority.

Major developmental task (Erikson)

Develop competence through achievement and mastery.

Successful resolution of Industry vs Inferiority

Confidence, competence, productivity, and healthy self-esteem.

Unsuccessful resolution of Industry vs Inferiority

Inferiority, low self-esteem, and feelings of inadequacy.

Children at risk for inferiority

Poor motor skills, difficulty making friends, difficulty fitting into the dominant culture or language.

Piaget stage

Concrete Operational.

Concrete Operational characteristics

Logical thinking, conservation, classification, seriation, reversibility, decentration, and decreased egocentrism.

Can school-age children think abstractly?

No. Abstract thinking develops during adolescence.

Best teaching strategies

Hands-on activities, demonstrations, pictures, models, and concrete examples.

Conservation

Understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in appearance.

Classification

Grouping objects according to shared characteristics.

Seriation

Arranging objects according to size, weight, or another characteristic.

Reversibility

Understanding that actions can be mentally reversed.

Decentration

Ability to focus on more than one characteristic at a time.

Recommended calories

Approximately 1200-1800 kcal/day.

Healthy nutrition

Balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy.

Most common food allergies

Peanuts, milk, eggs, and wheat.

BMI overweight

85th-95th percentile.

BMI obesity

Greater than the 95th percentile.

Risk factors for obesity

Genetics, poor diet, inactivity, environment, and food used as a reward.

Complications of obesity

Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, bullying, and low self-esteem.

Treatment for obesity

Healthy eating, increased activity, behavior modification, and family involvement.

Vision reaches optimal function by

Age 6.

Most common vision disorders

Myopia and astigmatism.

Myopia

Nearsightedness.

Astigmatism

Uneven focusing caused by an irregularly shaped cornea.

Most common cause of hearing loss

Chronic serous otitis media.

Auditory acuity nearly complete by

Age 7.

Learning styles

Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.

Language development

Rapid vocabulary growth, improved reading, writing, grammar, and communication.

Memory development

Improved organization, categorization, labeling, and recall.