Principles of Human Growth and Development

Definitions

Growth:
- Refers to physical changes and increase in size.
- Can be measured quantitatively (e.g., height, weight, bone size, dentition).
- Rapid growth occurs during prenatal, neonatal, infancy, and adolescent stages, slowing during childhood and minimal in adulthood.
Development:
- Involves an increase in complexity of function and skill progression.
- Refers to the ability to adapt to the environment and is synonymous with maturation.
- Qualitative changes can be measured by:
  - Observing tasks performed by the child.
  - Recording parents’ descriptions of progress.
  - Using standardized tests (e.g., Denver Developmental Screening Test 2).

Continuous Process: Growth and development occur from conception until death.
Orderly Sequence: They proceed in an orderly sequence; different children progress through stages at different rates.
Body Systems Development: All body systems do not develop at the same rate.
Cephalocaudal Development: Development proceeds from head to toe.
Proximal to Distal Development: Development proceeds from the center of the body outward.
Gross to Refined Skills: Development progresses from gross motor skills to refined skills.
Optimum Timing for Learning: There are critical times for initiating experiences or learning.
Reflex Loss: Certain neonatal reflexes must be lost for further development.
Learned Skills and Behaviors: Many skills and behaviors are learned through practice.

Psychosexual Development: Refers to developing instinct or sensual pleasure (Freud).
Psychosocial Development: Stages of personality development (Erikson).
Moral Development: Understanding right from wrong and applying it to real-life situations (Kohlberg).
Cognitive Development: Ability to learn, understand from experience, and solve problems (Piaget).

Respiratory and Pulse Rate: Decrease sharply in the first two years, then gradually throughout childhood.
Blood Pressure: Rises steadily starting at approximately 6 years of age.
Paranasal Sinuses Development: Ethmoid, maxillary, and sphenoid sinuses present from birth; ethmoid reaches maximum size by 7-14 years; others by puberty.
Lymphoid Tissues: Develop rapidly, reaching adult size by 6 years and hypertrophying throughout childhood and early adolescence.
Medication Metabolism: Rapid changes in response to medications occur in the first month of life and again during puberty.

Nutritional needs and various biochemical and hematologic values undergo significant developmental changes.