Chapter 10 Physical Development in the School Aged Child Accidents in Middle Childhood o Injury fatalities increase from middle childhood to adolescence o Most common types Motor vehicle leading cause of injury Bicycle head injury is the leading cause of permanent physical disability and death in school age children Pedestrian ex children running between cars o Prevention Model safe behavior ex parents wear helmets too Watch high risk children more especially boys Require helmets Teach safety o Nearly 50 of kids who receive medical treatment from a bike injury experienced trauma to the head or neck o Study of kids medically treated for injury 68 owned a helmet 26 used it regularly 30 never wore one 93 of the parents believed that helmets are important in protecting from serious injury o Compared to children over 6 younger kids are more likely to sustain head and neck injuries o Older more likely to be involved in vehicle collisions involving bicycles Upper and lower extremity injuries Ex fracture dislocation Motor Development in Middle Childhood o Gross Motor Skills Improvements Flexibility Balance Agility the power of moving quickly easily accurately Force More rapid responders 11 year olds respond twice as quick as 5 year olds React to only relevant information more often and quicker o Fine Motor Skills Gains Writing By 6 most can print alphabet first and last name and numbers 1 10 Starts big using entire arm Becomes more legible and smaller Dramatic gains in organization detail representation depth Drawing Other new accomplishments Cursive using a mouse o Brain dev allows children to practice fine motor skills e g playing an instrument video controller keyboard texting playing instruments Practice stimulates brain development Case study Over 2 year period Study piano lessons 3 4 hours a week practice Piano kids scored higher in o Reaction times o Overall information processing speed Possible stronger connection between brain hemispheres because kids use both hands to play the piano Individual Differences in Motor Skills o Body build Taller more muscular children often excel more at tasks o Sex or Gender unsure Boys are more superior at some gross motor skills than girls However girls are better in balance and agility o Family encouragement expectations o SES If parents encourage physical exercise kids tend to do it more enjoy it more etc Ex organized sports going to parks family hikes Parents hold higher expectations for girls in sports than boys Some families don t have the disposable income to place their kids in sports programs lessons etc Low income neighborhoods may be dangerous and kids may not be allowed to play outside o School community lessons available Less available in rural areas Regional differences ex ice hockey Do the schools have resources for programs like this o Heredity Some kids are genetically able to move their bodies better than others Ex college football coaches Physical Play Development in Middle Childhood o Child Organized Games with Rules Sports Invented Informal Games Class favorites o Tag and variations freeze tag o Hide and seek sardines o Red rover o Marco Polo o Capture the flag Help children learn o Perspective taking skills o Growth in emotional and social development ex turn taking o Try out cooperation competition winning and losing o Adjust and create rules Helps with moral development What s fair Ex tag with a base for younger kids o Video Games Electronic violence increases the likelihood of Hostile thoughts and emotions Aggressive behavior verbally physically and relationally aggressive desensitization o Adult Organized Sports About half of North Americal kids 60 boys 40 girls participate Raises self esteem Higher social competencies Does that mean that everyone should participate in organized sports No o Physical Education Less prevalent in schools now o Developmentally Appropriate Organized Sports Emphasize effort improvement participation and teamwork Don t always focus on winning Build in child s interest Teach age appropriate skills Emphasize enjoyment Want to create life long physical activity Limit frequency and length of practices Focus on personal and team improvement Discourage unhealthy competition Permit children to contribute to rules and strategies during practices etc when the time is appropriate
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