Childhood Development

Childhood Development

Many factors affect childhood growth, the main causes are nutrition, physical activity, illness and lifestyle.

A developing child's motor development is marked by the coordinated, progressive and intricate interweaving or neural mechanisms of opposing muscle systems into an increasingly mature relationship. Differentiation is the gradual progression from the gross overall movements of infants to the more refined and functional movements of chlidren as they mature. On the other hand, integration refers to the coordintaed interaction of opposing muscle and sensory systems.

In early childhood development growth proceeds at a low but steady pace, perceptual-motor abilities are rapidly developing. Children are active and energetic and would often rather run than walk. Secondly, in cognitive characteristics children at this stage are able to express their thoughts and ideas verbally. Children continuously investigate and discover new symbols that have primarily personal reference. In affective characteristics, children are generally egocentric and believe that others think the way they do. Often they are fearful of new situations, shy, self-conscious and unwilling to leave the security of what is familiar.

In later childhood development, the development is steady, especially from age eight to the end of this period. The body begings to lengthen out, with an annual gain of only 3 to 6 pounds. Girls are generally about a year or more ahead of boys in physiological development. Secondly, cognitively speaking, children's attention is very focused, especially for activities of interest. Children are eager to learn and to please adults but need help in decision making. Lastly, in affective characteristics, large group interaction and the concept of teamwork improve throughout this period. Children are often aggressive, boastful, self-critical and overreactive.

Basketball may be a simple game to learn, but a lifetime to master. It is a skill theme composed of stability, locomotor and manipulative movements. It takes pivoting, guarding, blocking and faking, to name a few stability movements. Of the locomotor skills, athletes need to comprehend running, sliding, leaping and jumping. Lastly, athletes need to learn the manipulative skills of passing, catching, shooting, dribbling, tipping, blocking and rebounding.

Gallahue's hourglass model depicts different phases of motor development. The reflexive movement phase starts from in utero to 1 year old. Next, the rudimentary movement phase is from birth to 2 years old. Third, the fundamental movement phase goes from 2 to 7 years old. Lastly, the specialized movement phase is from 7 years old and up.

The initial stage of developing a fundamental skill, children make their first observable and purposeful attempts at performing the task. Secondly, in elementary stage of fundamental skill, it is typical of the performance to improve and children gain greater control over their movements. Lastly, in the mature stage the performance improves rapidly. Children are able to throw farther, run faster and jump higher.

Lack of Exercise

Nutrition

Critical Issues facing children

Obesity