Physical Development in Middle Childhood

at what stage is the brain’s growth during middle childhood

mostly fully grown

what happens to white matter in the brain

increases

what is impacted by the increase of white matter in the brain

prefrontal cortex, parietal loves, corpus callosum

what does the prefrontal cortex control

cortex thought

what do parietal lobes control

spatial abilities

what does the corpus callosum control

cross-hemisphere communication

what happens to the grey matter in the brain during middle childhood

it peaks then decreases after middle childhood

what executive function skills are affected during middle childhood

sustained attention, inhibition, working memory, organized, flexible thinking

how are bones affected during middle childhood

lengthen, broaden

what doesn’t BMI consider

proportions of bone, muscle, fat

what has increased obesity rates

urbanization, dietary shifts

what are common causes of obesity

heredity, socioeconomic status, early growth pattern of rapid weight gain, family eating habits, responsiveness to food cues rather than to hunger, lack of physical activity, television viewing, early malnutrition that results in growth stunting

how does stressful daily life prompt overeating

elevated stress hormones signaling the brain to boost caloric intake, chronic stress triggers insulin resistance, effort required to manage stress strains self-regulatory capacity

what are some examples of stressors that could lead to obesity

poverty, single-parent household, residential factors (crowding, noise, clutter), lack of books and playthings, child separated from family, exposure to violence 

when does self-regulatory training help

when stressors are manageable

cultural stigma

children at risk of physical, emotional, social, school problems

what are some examples of cultural stigma surrounding weight

comments, attention, suggestions about weight/size, expressing concern in the context of “health”

what are some national campaigns and government policies surrounding obesity

public education about health, nutrition, and physical activity, access to healthy, affordable foods, laws mandating nutrition labels and menus specify calorie content, quality of publicly-supported school breakfasts and lunches, parks, recreation centers, and walking and bike paths

what is there increased ability in for gross motor development

running speed, jumping, skipping, sideways stepping, throwing speed, distance, accuracy, kicking speed, accuracy, batting, dribbling skills

what are some developments in writing 

uppercase then lowercase, increased legibility

what are some improvements in drawing

organization, representation, depth, copying

what are factors that lead to differences in motor skills

genetic and environmental, body build, family income and parent encouragement, socialization contributing to gender differences

what are policy recommendations for physical education

enjoyable, informal games and individual, sustainable exercise (running, walking, climbing), recess

how is recess beneficial

improves academic performance, reduces classroom disruptions, improves social skills

what is the leading cause of injury for middle childhood

car accidents

how to prevent car accidents and fatalities

keep children in booster seats until height 4’9”, supervise outdoor activities, helmets for all wheeled activities, modeling safe behavior

how are organized sports beneficial

builds long-term confidence and fitness, improves self-confidence in shy children and decreases anxiety 

how to help children enjoy developmentally appropriate organized sports

build on children’s interests, teaches age appropriate skills, emphasize enjoyment, limit practice time, focus on personal and team improvement, discourage unhealthy competition, include children in decisions

learning disabilities

difficulty in learning involving understanding or using spoken language

what are some common examples of learning disabilities

ADHD, dyslexia, discalculia 

what are some recent explorations of non-medication based cures for ADHD

neurofeedback training, yoga, mindfulness/meditation, exercise