PRINCIPLES OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Prepared by: Gina Macabaya Jumawan
PRINCIPLES OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
• Individual abilities and talents contribute to each person’s development as a
unique entity
• Exact rate of development for any given individual can not be predicted
PRINCIPLE
Growth And development
are orderly and predictable,
occurring from:
• Cephalocaudal
(HEAD TO TOE)
• Proximodistal
(FUNCTIONS NEAR
MIDLINE DEVELOP
BEFORE DISTANT)
• General to
specific
Rate of growth and
development:
• Is not consistent
• Is individual
Each stage has specific
characteristics.
Certain tasks must be
accomplished in each stage.
Some stages are more
critical than others.
All body systems do not
develop at the same rate
Growth and development
are continuous processes
from conception until death
There is an optimum time
for initiation of experiences
or learning
Neonatal reflexes must be
lost before development can
proceed.
EXAMPLE
Everyone goes through the same process.
Head larger at birth in relation to body
Arm movements controlled before finger
movements
• Waving before learning how write
• Crawling before walking
Sounds and noises made before words are spoken.
Walking occurs before hopping or skipping
Rapid growth in infancy and adolescence.
Slower growth in school age and young adulthood.
Slower growing child will be smaller than others of
the same age
Infants depend on others for survival.
Adolescents search for their own identity.
Infants must develop trust.
Adolescents seek to establish individual identity.
First few weeks of pregnancy are critical for
embryonic development.
Certain body tissues mature more rapidly than
others
• Neurologic tissues
experience peak growth during
the first year of life
• Genital tissues during
puberty
Child is growing new cells and learning new skills
A child can not learn tasks until his or her nervous
system is mature enough to allow that particular
learning
• can not sit until nervous
system has matured enough
to allow back control
• Children who are not
given opportunity to learn
developmental tasks at the
appropriate or “target” tomes
for that task may have
difficulty than the usual child
learning the task later on.
An infant can not grasp until grasp reflex has
faded nor stand steadily until the walking reflex
has faded. Neonatal reflexes are replaced by
purposeful movements
• A great deal of Infants practice over and over taking a first step
skill and behavior before they accomplish this securely
is learned by If children fall behind in growth and development
practice because of illness, they are capable of “catch up
“growth to bring them equal again with their age
group.