Question

Social development during childhood and adolescence

Answer 1

Explanation:

AGES & STAGES

Español

Physical Changes During Puberty

Puberty is made up of a clear sequence of stages, affecting the skeletal, muscular, reproductive, and nearly all other bodily sys­tems. Physical changes during puberty tend to be more gradual and steady. This is comforting to many parents who feel childhood passes much too quickly.

Changes in Body Composition & Height

Most children have a slimmer appearance during middle child­hood than they did during the preschool years. This is due to shifts in the accumulation and location of body fat. As a child's entire body size increases, the amount of body fat stays relatively stable, giving her a thinner look. Also during this stage of life, a child's legs are longer in pro­portion to the body than they were before. On average, the steady growth of middle childhood results in an increase in height of a little over 2 inches a year in both boys and girls. Weight gain aver­ages about 6.5 pounds a year.

A number of fac­tors, including how close the child is to puberty, will determine when and how much a child grows. In general, there tends to be a period of a slightly increased growth rate between ages 6 and 8. This may be accompanied with the appearance of a small amount of pubic hair, armpit hair, mild acne, and/or body odor.

The Influence of Heredity

Perhaps more than any other factor, your child's growth and ultimate height will be influenced by heredity. While there are exceptions, tall parents usually have tall children, and short parents usually have short children. Those are the realities of genetics.

Concerns About Growth

If your child seems unusually short or tall relative to his friends the same age, talk with your pediatrician. A true growth disorder can sometimes be treated by administering growth hormones; however, this therapy is re­served for young children whose own glands cannot produce this hormone. Doctors do not recommend this treatment for healthy boys and girls who may want (or whose parents may want them) to grow to be 6 feet tall instead of 5 feet 8. See When a Child is Unusually Short or Tall.

Growth Spurts

Just as height can vary from child to child, so can the timing of a child's growth. Despite the averages mentioned above, children have a tendency to grow in spurts. Thus, they may grow faster at times and slower at others. Some children grow as much as three times faster during a particular season of the year, compared with their "slow" seasons. These individual variations in timing—along with hereditary factors—are largely responsible for the wide variations in size among children the same age. Height differences among children in a typical elementary school classroom can range from 4 to 5 inches.

Although boys and girls are generally of similar height during middle child­hood, that changes with the beginning of puberty. Particularly in junior high school, girls are often taller than their male classmates, but within a year or two, boys catch up and usually surpass their female classmates. About 25 per­cent of human growth in height occurs during puberty.

Nutrition's Influence on Physical Development

A number of other factors—so-called environmental influences—can affect physical development as well. Nutrition is important to normal growth processes. Parents should make an effort to ensure their child con­sumes a well-balanced diet. A child's need for calories rises during times of rapid growth, gradually increasing as she moves through middle childhood into puberty. However, if the calories consumed exceed those expended, a child may develop a weight problem. See Energy In: Recommended Food & Drink Amounts for Children.