Factors Influencing Normal Growth and Development in Children

Normal growth and development in children is a long process, consisting of several stages, but which vary from case to case. Therefore, just because a child does not follow exactly the patterns set by specialists, does not mean that he does not develop normally.

Each has its own pace of development, influenced by specific features and internal and external factors. Thus, there is no correct rule and equation to show you if the little one is following the correct pattern or not, but serious delays (for example, difficulties in learning to walk or talk) can still show the existence of a physical development problem or psycho-social.

Thus, the normal growth and development in children can be seen from a physical perspective, but also psycho-social, and each child goes through several stages, namely: first childhood (newborn, infant, young child - up to 3 years), second childhood (3–7 years), third childhood (from 7 years to puberty) and adolescence (up to 21 years in girls and around 24 years in boys).

Factors influencing normal growth and development in children

From birth until the moment when the individual is considered an adult (as it was said, 21 years old, respectively 24 years old), each person goes through various physiological and psycho-social changes.

The factors that can influence this long process are the internal ones, related to the child's physique, psyche, but also the external ones, such as the family environment, lifestyle, diet.

Thus, internal factors can be considered genetic and hormonal. Genetics, constitution, physical appearance, but also the level of the intellect and some personality traits are predetermined and influence the child's development.

Heredity also plays a role in the transmission of genetic diseases or functional abnormalities. Hormones can affect a child's growth and general condition, including a faster or slower transition from one stage of development to another (some children reach puberty faster, others more difficult).

External factors contribute to the normal growth and development of children. They are present in utero life, because the mother's lifestyle, certain habits, and diet can affect or benefit the development of the child's nervous system, skeleton, weight, and health.

Another external factor is the family environment: atmosphere, educational style, relationship, and communication style - all of which can affect a child's growth and development. For example, children raised in conflict families, where there is domestic violence, develop more difficult psycho-socially and intellectually, have tense relationships with others, communicate more difficult.

Another external factor is also related to the family of origin, this time in the sense of socio-economic status: social status and financial situation influence living conditions, lifestyle, education, nutrition. The physical environment, the climate in which a child grows up influences his physical development.

And last but not least, the society in which a child grows up, the culture, the norms, and the values ​​to which he is exposed and which he internalizes, decisively influence his psycho-social, moral, intellectual, emotional development.

For example, a child raised in an archaic tribe will develop intellectually in qualitative and quantitative terms, radically different from a child raised in the urban information society. It is not necessarily about progress, but about completely different social environments, which offer different models, different opportunities, different cultural norms and values.

Normal growth and development in children in terms of physical appearance can be assessed quite simply because if there are certain abnormalities, they are easy to detect: malnutrition, obesity, locomotor difficulties, constitutional imbalances. The increase can be followed by weight control, height, and regular medical consultations.

But the normal growth and development of children from a psycho-social and intellectual point of view are more difficult to follow and verify, because each child has its own pace of development, but also because some signs of poor development can not be easily detected.

In psycho-social development, the child follows five main stages: the in-utero stage, the first childhood (up to 3 years), the second childhood (3–7 years), the third childhood (in two sub-stages: small school, up to 11, respectively 13 years and high school, up to adolescence, around 14 years) and adolescence (up to 21, respectively 24 years).

In utero, the psycho-social evolution is influenced by genetic factors, but also by the mother's diet: the lack of certain essential vitamins, such as folic acid, can lead to poor development of the nervous system.

In early childhood, until the age of three, the child learns to speak and strengthens his first social relationship - with his parents. Up to one year, a normal child will know how to use simple words and recognize certain words and objects, but also the people around him.

After a year or three, he will learn to speak using short sentences to ask what he wants, to recognize and differentiate those close to him, to walk and bend without support.

In the second childhood, the locomotor skills improve considerably - at the age of 4, a child should run, climb, even ride a tricycle without difficulty. Now begins the ability to abstract and process information and children can analyze the effect of a particular action.

The child becomes able to think in terms of "I believe", not just "I want". Now there is a so-called "crisis of independence": the child may no longer blindly follow your demands, endlessly asking "why?" Questions. By age 6, logical thinking, in terms of cause and effect and the capacity for abstraction should be formed. Therefore, it is important to satisfy his curiosity, because he will ask you many questions - do not ignore him and do not be amused by these questions, but try to answer them and encourage his curiosity.

In the third childhood, up to the sub-stage of high school, the little one adapts to the school environment and makes friends, thus slowly moving away from the family.

The inability to relate to people of the same age and the continued total dependence on parents may show the existence of developmental difficulties. During this period, playing with friends and school are the two essential concerns - notice if he has difficulties with mental or intellectual development as he handles school tasks.

During high school (between 11 years and 14 years), friends can become the first models of the child, the distance from the family is increased. Now another "crisis of independence" may arise - the child no longer values ​​the family in the first place and puts more value on his own opinions or those of his friends. It is also the period of the onset of puberty, which involves the appearance of the first physiological changes, which can cause irritability and fear.

Puberty and adolescence - with the age of 13–14, is perhaps the most difficult period in the child's development, both for him and for his parents. Normal growth and development in children involve at this stage important physical, psycho-social, intellectual, emotional changes.

From the onset of puberty to adolescence, physical development, sexual maturity, increased cognitive ability - all influence the development of the future young person. Behavioral changes are normal - caused by overwhelming emotions, changes in temperament, new ideas, principles, values ​​that guide the child.

The group of friends is the most important in accepting a certain set of values ​​and principles. Increases the child's independence, cognitive and emotional capacity, new interests appear - for the opposite sex, for certain leisure activities, for the professional future.

But, as mentioned, there is simply no exact pattern by which you can track and check the normal growth and development of children from a psycho-social point of view.

Everyone is different and has this right. Just because in adolescence, a child is still very close to his family, it does not necessarily show that he has a developmental problem; but it can still be a symptom of the existence of socialization and relationship problems.

A behavior, therefore, can be explained in different ways and may or may not reveal a difficulty in the child's development; only the parents - who know him and have witnessed his entire development - can interpret a certain behavior and decide whether to show the existence of difficulty or not.