Physical Development in Middle Childhood 6 11 yearolds

Physical Development in Middle Childhood 6 -11 year-olds Chapter 10

Today we will talk about • Physical growth • Brain development • Nutrition & Obesity • Exercise • Health Issues • Special Education • Autism

Physical Growth • Slow and steady growth rate • Gain 5 -7 lbs. per year • Grow 2 inches a year • Slim down & gain muscle strength • Bones grow and muscles strengthen= engaging in strenuous physical activity • Mastering of gross & fine motor skills

Brain Development • Brain reaches its adult size around age 7 Frontal lobe becomes more developed( 10 -12 yrs. ) • Control panel of the brain • emotional expression, problem solving, memory, language, judgment, and sexual behaviors • Logic, planning, memory improves Plan & coordinate activity using left & right hemispheres of the brain • Control development of emotions, physical abilities, intellectual abilities

Brain Development Prefrontal cortex matures • Attention span improves Myelination continues • Improvement in reaction time • Information processing speed increases • Improvements in memory ( myelination in the hippocampus)

Nutritional Needs • What has influenced your eating habits? • How has television influenced what children eat? • What are some of the unhealthy types of foods that you have eaten as a child? • Need more macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins) & micronutrients(vitamins/minerals) than adults • Food insecurity: the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. • In the United States, about 20% of households w/ children are food insecure to some degree. • Deficiencies in: iron, zinc, protein, vitamin A= stunted growth, illness, limited development • National School Lunch Program provides low- income families w/ breakfast, lunch, snacks • How has COVID impacted children’s ability to get access to food? • My Plate Website

Small Group Discussions pg. 260 - 262 • In your break- out rooms discuss the following: 1. What is causing childhood obesity? List all the causes you can think of. 2. What are the social implications of children who are overweight/obese? 3. How can parents help overweight/obese children reach a healthy weight? • Be prepared to participate in the main room

Childhood Obesity • Impacts children Physical, cognitive and social and emotional domains of development! • Physical issues related to obesity: high blood insulin resistance, inflammation, depression, lower academic achievement, childhood diabetes, knee injuries, high risk of • Brain functioning issues related to obesity: - deficits in executive functioning (planning, self-monitoring, self-control, working memory, time management, and organization) - mental flexibility (switching in thinking between two different concepts) - decision making, difficulty in impulse control and delayed gratification

Childhood Obesity • Body Mass Index (BMI): measurement for determining excess weight by looking at height &weight. • BMI is at or above the 85 th percentile for age = overweight, • BMI is at or above the 95 th percentile for age are= obese • About 16% to 33% of American children are obese • CDC BMI Calculator Tool

Exercise, Physical Fitness, and Sports • What physical activities did you participate in as a child? • Recess & Physical Education (PE) • teaches skills, rules, and games • Play time for children has been cut back due to testing • only Oregon and the District of Columbia meet PE guidelines • Guideline is providing a minimum of 150 minutes per week of physical activity • Did you participate in organized sports?

positive aspects of organized sports negative aspects of organized sports • Children’s participation in sports has been linked to: higher levels of satisfaction with family and overall quality of life in children Improved physical and emotional development Better academic performance • Emphasis on competition and athletic skill • parent pressure • adults become involved and approach the games as adults rather than children. • Not affordable/accessible to all children (children with disabilities) • Caucasian girls/ boys participated in organized sports at higher rates than minority children • fathers may not be providing their daughters as much support as they do their sons.

Physical Health • Myopia (nearsightedness): inability to see distant objects clearly while close objects are clear. • common vision problem in middle childhood • 25% of children will be diagnosed by the end of middle childhood • Loss of baby teeth and the arrival of permanent teeth (starts from age 6 -7) • Children need to brush and floss daily 2 x a day

Physical Health • Asthma: chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways • causes recurring periods of wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing • About 7 million children have asthma

Mental Health • mental health problems can lead to: school failure, alcohol or other drug abuse, family discord, violence or even suicide • A qualified professional will make a diagnosis • A diagnosis well help a child get the right help they need • Some children are labeled for their disability • Labeling can impact a child’s self-concept in a negative way

Special Education • About 13% of children in U. S. public schools are receiving services under a federal law • Before 1960 children with special needs did not attend school • IDEA= Individuals w/Disabilities Education Act • Students get an IEP=Individualized Education Plan • Educated with nondisabled peers to the greatest extent possible • LRE=Least restrictive environment • Some schools may use inclusion • Let’s Watch

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) • • - Developmental disorder Symptoms appear w/in 2 years of life Variation in the type and severity of the symptoms people experience Social Communication Little or inconsistent eye contact Not looking or listening to people Difficulty w/back & forth conversations • - Repetitive Behaviors words/phrases is called echolalia Lasting intense interest in topics: #, facts, details Upset at changes in routine More/less sensitive in sensory input: lights, noise, clothing, temperature -flapping arms/ banging head

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) • Don’t know the exact cause • Risk factors include: - Having a sibling w/ ASD - Older parents - Very low birth weight - Having certain genetic conditions • Treatments - Medication to reduce irritability, aggression, hyperactivity, attention problems - Applied Behavioral Therapy: setting goals for child and rewarding desired behaviors and ignoring undesired behaviors - Regional Center