Slide 1Slide 2Physical DevelopmentBrain DevelopmentMotor Skill DevelopmentExerciseObesitySlide 8Physical DevelopmentBrain GrowthExercise in Middle ChildhoodMotor DevelopmentObesityOverweight Children: A Serious ConcernSlide 15NutritionMalnutritionIllness and DeathParental SmokingThe Scope of DisabilitiesThe Scope of DisabilitiesPossible causesThe Scope of DisabilitiesEducational IssuesPhysical Development Early and Middle ChildhoodEarly ChildhoodPhysical Development•Body growth slows•shape becomes more streamlined; heads still large for bodies•Boys bigger than girls•Girls have more fatty tissue, boys have more muscle tissue•Skeletal growth continues•new growth centers•lose baby teethBrain Development•Most rapid growth in prefrontal cortex•Linking areas of the brain develop•In neurons, the number and size of dendrites increase •Myelination continuesBy 6 years, brain is at 95% peak volumeMotor Skill Development •Gross-motor skills•balance improves•gait smooth and rhythmic by age 2•upper- and lower-body skills combine into more refined actions by age 5•greater speed and endurance•Fine-motor skills•self-help: dressing, eating•drawing and paintingExercise•Routine physical activity should be a daily occurrence•Preschool children: 2 hours of physical activity per day •Child’s life should be centered around activities, not mealsObesity•More than 10% of 2-5 year olds are overweight•By age 5:•Cases of Type II diabetes•overweight associated with lower self-esteem•Low-income children of all ethnicities at greatest risk•Heredity + learned eating habitsMiddle/Late ChildhoodPhysical Development•Slow, consistent growth•grow an average of 2 to 3 inches a year until the age of 11•gain about 5 to 7 pounds a year •increases in the size of the skeletal and muscular systems and size of body organs• decreases in baby fat and increases in muscles mass and strengthBrain Growth•Total brain volume •stabilizes by the end of middle and late childhood•Synaptic pruning –connections in areas of the brain not being used lose synaptic connections: Use it or lose it!•Increased cognitive control• attention•Cognitive flexibilityExercise in Middle Childhood•US children don’t exercise enough•More activity linked with better health•Role of parentsMotor Development•Running, jumping, hopping, and ball skills more refined•Fine motor skills improve•Writing starts off large and gradually decreases in size•Drawing shows gains in organization, detail and representation of depth•Games are more commonObesity•The percentage of overweight middle childhood children in U.S. •1970s = 15 percent•Today = almost 30 percent• girls more than boys•African-American and Latino children more than non-Latino White childrenOverweight Children: A Serious Concern•Physical functioning•Lung and hip problems•lower health-related quality of life•hypertension, heart disease, orthopedic problems, diabetes and other medical issues• Emotional: Low self-esteem, depression, and problems in peer relations are commonChildhoodNutrition•Eating habits important to development•Affects their skeletal growth, body shape, and susceptibility to diseaseMalnutrition•Almost 30% of children worldwide are underweight, some severely. •In the US, 1 out of 5 do not get enough to eat• Poor nutrition is associated with low income•Malnutrition can harm cognitive development long-term•Early education of children and improved diet can help moderate, but may not eliminate, these poor outcomesIllness and Death•Leading causes of death in U.S. children are:•Motor vehicle accidents•Cancer•Cardiovascular disease•Safety influenced by:•Children’s own skills and behaviors •Characteristics of contexts (family, school, etc).• Parental smoking a major dangerParental Smoking•22 percent of children and adolescents are exposed to tobacco smoke in the home•Children exposed to smoke are more likely to develop wheezing symptoms and asthma•Linked to young children’s sleep problems and sleep-disordered breathing7-20The Scope of Disabilities•Learning disability: Difficulty in learning that involves understanding or using spoken or written language, •Difficulty can appear in listening, thinking, reading, writing, and spelling•Dyslexia - Severe impairment in the ability to read and spell•Dysgraphia - Difficulty in handwriting•Dyscalculia - Developmental arithmetic disorder7-21The Scope of Disabilities•Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity •Not a learning disability though co-occurrence is frequent•Number of children diagnosed has increasedPossible causes• Genetics•Brain damage during prenatal or postnatal development•Cigarette and alcohol exposure during prenatal development•Low birth weight7-23The Scope of Disabilities•Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)•Autistic disorder - Onset in the first three years of life •Deficiencies in social relationships, abnormalities in communication, restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior•Asperger syndrome - Good verbal language skills•Milder nonverbal language problems•Restricted range of interests and relationships7-24Educational Issues•Individualized Education Plan (IEP): Written statement that is specifically tailored for the disabled student•Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): Setting that is as similar as possible to the one in which non-disabled children are educated•Inclusion: Educating a child with special education needs full-time in the regular