School-Age Children (6-11 Years)

Characteristics of School-Age Children (6-11 years)

• Ages 6-11 years.
• Starts with formal education.
• Ends with puberty.
• Attention moves from family toward peers.
• Loss of deciduous teeth and permanent teeth appear.
• Sexual tranquility replaces sexual curiosity and preoccupation.

Weight

• Gain 4.5-6.5 lb per year.

Height

• Increase 2-3 inches per year.

Bone and Muscle

• Boys appear taller and heavier earlier but towards the end for a brief period girls are taller and heavier.
• Girls’ bones mature 2 years earlier than boys.

Motor Development

• Increased muscle mass and strength.
• Increased endurance and coordination.
• Swimming, skating, bicycle riding.
• Boys:
  • Stronger, more endurance, better at running, jumping, and throwing.
• Girls:
  • Better at balance and coordination.

Sexual Development

• Answer honestly at the child’s understanding.
• May ask questions.
• Need to learn respect for feelings and values even if different from their own.
• Period when sexual energies are relatively dormant and peer relationships are mainly with children of the same sex.
• Latency stage.

Psychosocial Development

• More focused on the real world and see themselves part of a larger group.
• Motivational drive increases.
• Gain satisfaction from accomplishments.
• High standards for academic achievement.
• Peer relationships.
• Gravitate towards same sex.
• Friendships become more intense.
• Heroes or idols may be worshiped or fantasized about.

School Age Privacy

• Appear modest and shy during self-care activities.

Fears

• Exaggerated fear of physical harm.
• Limit violent programming on screens.
• Become more nonverbal about their worries.

Concept of Money

• Begin to place importance on money and possessions.
• Use allowance to help teach about money.

Hygiene

• Frequently have to be reminded to bathe and change clothes.
• Leave bedrooms in a mess.

Cognitive Development

• Have moved from egocentric thinking and can think more logically.
• Understand that their actions can cause things to happen or change.
• Display seriation, the ability to sort objects or situations according to characteristics.
• Can take into consideration the views of other people.
• Improved memory.

Moral Development

• Conventional level of moral reasoning.
• Make moral decisions based on what their families and others expect of them.
• Concern for others.
• Moral reasoning develops gradually.

Sleep, Rest, & Play

• 10-12 hours of sleep.
• Nightmares usually decrease.
• Full of energy and willing to learn new skills.
• Cooperation and compromise.
• Usually competitive and active.
• Team play validates the child’s worth.

Safety and Health Promotion

• Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of accidental deaths for this age group.
• Common injuries from biking, skating, skateboarding.
  • Wear a helmet.
• Water safety.
• Avoiding child predators.
• School violence.
  • Most common factors:
    • Breakdown in communication.
    • Easy availability of weapons.
    • Bullying.
• Anxiety.
• Depression.
  • Not common.
• Asthma.
• Food Allergies.
• Substance abuse.