Written by: Briona Estrada
Physical Development in Children
When we are born, we enter the world as infants, small and fragile. We are not ready to be alone in the world and we need our parents to hold us, take us everywhere, feed us, and just do everything for us overall. As we grow, we begin learning to move around by ourselves. We learn to walk, then we learn to talk, pick up a spoon and feed ourselves, and so on. It takes a long time to grow into a full sized adult, and there's numerous phases of growth and development between infancy and adulthood. We develop mentally and physically through these stages and it's all a part of the growth we all experience.
How do we ensure a proper, healthy growth process?
Well, the answer, as with all things, is to maintain a healthy overall lifestyle. This includes diet, a stable loving environment, and proper sleep and exercise. Overall, a growing child needs a healthy lifestyle from the onset so they can have proper mental and physical development. The two go hand in hand, as without proper emotional development, a child will not grow physically to their fullest potential. Parents are essential to this development, as children will obviously spend most of their time with their parents.
For teachers, their role in a child's life is formative. Teachers contribute greatly to children's development, as they will spend nearly half of their waking hours in school during the week. This is important, as teachers must always keep their role as a secondary parental figure in mind.
Studies have shown that development is a highly interactive process. It is not solely determined by your genetic makeup. As we grow, the environment we're raised in has an essential impact on everything, including our genetic code. Yes, studies have shown that our environment could in fact chemically modify certain genes within us that can change the way certain traits are expressed.
This is an incredible phenomenon that just shows how important the situation we are born into really is. Our environment shapes us, even down to modifying our predisposed genetics. It is important to remember however, that just because a child experiences violence or a toxic environment throughout their childhood, does not mean that they are doomed to a violent or unhealthy future at large. It is more likely, but not at all guaranteed. Overcoming adversity is part of the human experience.
Developmental Milestones
There are various different developmental milestones that indicate the effective and healthy development of a child.
- At 2 months old: they should be able to move their arms and legs on their own and hold their heads up when they're on their tummy.
- At 9 months old: babies should be able to get into a sitting position and support themselves on their own.
- At 1 year old: they'll likely be able to walk by themselves.
- At 2 years old: they'll be able to run by themselves and eat with a spoon!
These phases continue through their childhood, and onto adulthood.
Overall, the growth and development of children is essential knowledge for parents, teachers, caregivers, and humans in general. We all overcome the same growth and unique challenges that make each of us individuals, as a part of the greater human race. As we all advance through the stages and major milestones of growth and development, we change and grow and evolve. As teachers and current/future parents, we have a responsibility to learn about the youth, and how to best serve them, and maybe in doing so, we even learn a thing or two about ourselves too.
For more information, please refer to the video provided below:
8 Things to Remember about Child Development. Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2020, October 29). Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/8-things-remember-child-development/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, August 17). CDC's Developmental Milestones. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, February 15). Learn about child development. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/index.html
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