Ch 11: Physical Development in Middle Childhood

What is the age range for middle childhood?

6-12 years old

What are some physical changes in children in Middle Childhood

• changes in brain and body

• gains in physical prowess, strength, and motor coordination

• new skills support children’s participation in cultural activities and experiences in new ways

Whats an MRI?

a brain imaging technique that uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create images of the brain’s anatomy

MRI shows that white matter volume

white matter volume increases linearly throughout childhood and adolescence, reflecting the myelination of axons (especially in prefrontal cortex)

Cortical gray matter ___ in

increases in childhood and then decreases in adolescence, reflecting the pruning of unused synapses

What are three main changes in restructuring of brain activity based on network analyses?

• connections become more complex

• connections become more efficient

• distant brain (long-range) connections increase and short range connections weaken

Brain network analyses further our understanding about:

• neurotypical development

• children with developmental challenges such as ADHD and autism

Brain waves?

rhythmic/repetitive patterns of electrical impulses or neural oscillations in the brain that are created when impulses from neurons communicate

brain waves guide

all aspects of human functioning

EEGs help researchers

document whether the brain waves or oscillations from different cortical networks are synchronized

Coordinated brain activity is essential for

learning and such coordination increases over the course of childhood

home environmental influences help explain differences in

brain development from child to child

differences exist in the brain

size of children living in poverty compared to children living in homes with more resources

t/f: 7-8 years, children gradually add more fat to their bodies. Fat gain increases as approaching adolescence

True

Bones in the body ___

continue to grow as the body lengthens and broadens

Muscle mass ___

increases, sometimes causing stiffness and aches in the legs—growing pains

At any given age children can differ substantially in

height and weight

ex: by 12yrs old some children are at the 5th percentiles in weight, whereas other children are at the 95th percentile

gross motor skill are large movements that

people make with their arms, legs feet, and torsos

Change during the childhood years due to improvements in

• strength

• flexibility

• balance

• agility

• coordination

physical activity promotes:

• muscle

• bone growth

• heart health

• gross motor development

fine motor skills are

small movements of muscles

by about 6 years old, most

children can dress themselves and print clearly

by about 8 years old, children

gain better control of fine motor movements

t/f: Girls and boys differ in their physical growth and motor development

true

for several years, boys

surpass girls in muscle mass and body size, resulting in better performance in activities requiring strength

girls tend to excel in skills requiring

balance and agility

school contexts offer children opportunities for

physical activity and energy release

Experimental study in Sweden

daily schedules lessons around physical activity and motor training at school improved motor development in children, and led to lasting effects in children between 7 and 15 years of age

neighborhood contexts, such as playground offer children

structures allowing for movement and activity