PSYC 200: Chapter 8 -Physical Development in Early Childhood

what are the 2 most important contributors to height differences in children?

• ethnic origin

• nutrition

ex: urban, midde-socioeconiomic status first born children were taller than rural, lower-socioeconomic status, and later born children

what are reasons for unusually short children?

• congenital factors (genetic or prenatal problems)

• growth hormone deficiency

• maternal smoking during pregnancy

• a physical problem that develops in childhood

• emotional difficulty

what is growth hormone deficiency?

absence/deficiency of growth hormone produced by pituitary gland to stimulate body to grow

does the size of the brain grow rapidly in early childhood?

no, its not as fast as infancy. this brain will be similar in size to adult

which grows faster than the other: upper body (where head is) or lower body?

upper body grows faster than lower body (top to bottom)

what is myelination?

• one of the factors for increase in brain size

• nerve cells covered and insulated w/ layer of fat cells, which increases speed and efficiency for info to travel thru out NS

for children 3-6 years old, where does most rapid growth in the brain occur?

frontal lobe areas involved in planning and organizing new actions and in maintaining attention to tasks

what are neural circuits?

neural networks composed of many neurons w/ certain functions

how do gross motor skills change in early childhood?

more automatic and more different kinds of movements are done adventurously

ex: standing upright to walk around doesnt take any effort anymore

how do fine motor skills change in early childhood?

improved from infancy, but still not precise even tho know what to do

ex: placing a jigsaw piece in a puzzle by jamming it in

what is the Denver Developmental Screening Test II?

simple, inexpensive fast method of diagnosing developmental delays (gross and fine motor skills) in children from birth-6 years old

how does perception change in early childhood?

able to distinguish colors, move eyes thru series of letters, and focus on something close-up

what is the important of art for children?

• helps express feelings and ideas that cant easily be expressed thru words

• enables problem-solving skills to be used to develop creative ways to represent scale, space, and motion

what is the earliest form of drawing?

scribbling

what are the 4 distinguishable art phases that early childhood children go thru?

• age 2: 20 basic scribbles

• age 2-3: placement

• age 3: shapes

• age 3-4: design stage

• age 4-5: pictorial stage

what is the difference between Golomb and Kellogg’s view on young children and art?

• Kellogg: artistic abilities develop in phases/stages

• Golomb: artistic abilities develop based on sociocultural context: talent, motivation, familial support, cultural values

how many hours of sleep each night is recommended for early childhood children?

10-13 hrs

what are 3 adjustments sleep expert, Mona El-Sheikh recommends to improve child’s sleep?

• bedroom is dark, cool, and comfy

• maintaining consistent bedtimes & wake times

• building positive relationships

what are 4 specific sleep problems in children?

• night terrors

• nightmares

• sleepwalking

• sleep talking

what are nightmares?

frightening dreams that wake sleeper usually towards morning rather than after goes to bed

what are night terrors?

• waking up suddenly

• having intense fear w/ psychological reactions: rapid heart rate & breathing, loud screams, heavy perspiration, and physical movement

what is the calorie requirement for a preschool/early childhood child?

1,800 calories/day

what is the percentile of being obese?

at/above 97th percentile

what is the percentile of being overweight?

at/above 95th percentile

what is the percentile of being at risk for being overweight?

at/above 85th percentile

how many hours of physical activity are recommended for young children?

3 hours/day

what is the leading cause of death in young children?

unintentional injuries esp. firearms

what are contexts affecting young children’s health?

• poverty and ethnicity

• home and child care

• environmental tobacco smoke

• exposure to lead