PHYSICAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE MIDDLE CHILDHOOD YEARS
Children enter middle childhood looking very young and exit on the verge of adolescence. Most children have gone through a growth spurt that has caused them to appear rather mature. Changes in the brain accompany the obvious physical changes. While we cannot see the actual brain changing, we can see the effects of brain changes in how children in middle childhood play sports, write, and play games.
Growth rates generally slow during middle childhood. A child will typically gain 5-7 pounds per year and grow about 2 inches per year. Many girls and boys go through a prepubescent growth spurt, but it occurs earlier in girls (around the ages of 9-10) than it does in boys (around age 11-12).
As a result, by the end of middle childhood, girls are frequently taller than boys. Middle-aged children tend to slim down and gain muscle strength and lung capacity, allowing them to engage in strenuous physical activity for extended periods of time.
Around the age of 7, the brain reaches adult size. That is not to say that the brain is fully developed by the age of seven. After reaching adulthood, the brain continues to develop for many years. The school-aged child is better able to plan, coordinate activity, and control emotional outbursts by using both left and right hemispheres of the brain. As the prefrontal cortex matures, so does the ability to pay attention. As the child’s myelin develops throughout middle childhood, so does his or her reaction time.
Physical growth slows during middle childhood. Motor skills improve as a result of the slower rate of growth. Children of this age tend to hone their abilities to perform both gross motor skills, such as riding a bike, and fine motor skills, such as nail clipping.
Children who are overweight are often mocked and teased by their peers, which is one of the consequences of childhood obesity. This can undoubtedly harm their self-esteem and popularity. Obese children are also more likely to develop orthopedic problems, such as knee injuries, as well as an increased risk of heart disease and stroke in adulthood. It may be difficult for an obese child to grow into a non-obese adult. Furthermore, the number of cases of pediatric diabetes has skyrocketed in recent years.
Dieting is not the answer to childhood obesity. When you diet, your basal metabolic rate decreases, causing your body to burn even fewer calories in order to maintain your weight. Increased physical activity is far more effective in reducing weight and improving the child’s health and psychological well-being.
Exercise relieves stress, and being an overweight child who is subjected to ridicule from others can be stressful. Parents should exercise caution when emphasizing diet alone in order to avoid the development of any obsession with dieting, which can lead to eating disorders as teenagers. Again, increasing a child’s activity level is extremely beneficial.
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PHYSICAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE MIDDLE CHILDHOOD YEARS
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