Physical Growth and Development in Middle Childhood: Obesity and Cognitive Development, Study notes of Developmental Psychology

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Chapter 9Chapter 9

Physical Growth and Physical Growth and Development in Middle childhood Development in Middle childhood

Physical Growth andPhysical Growth and

Development Development

• (^) Boys and girls grow 1 – 3 inches per year
• (^) Gain 5 – 8 pounds per year
• (^) Girls have growth spurt around ages 10 – 12
• (^) Boys have growth spurt around ages 12 - 13

Heart Disease is a PediatricHeart Disease is a Pediatric

Problem Problem

• (^) Kevin Patrick, M.D. University of California, San Diego
• (^) Autopsies of kids killed in auto accidents demonstrate that obese, inactive children showed fatty streaks – atherosclerosis – in their coronary arteries.

Contributing Causes of ObesityContributing Causes of Obesity

• (^) Genetics - Inherited tendency aggravated by too little exercise and too much of the wrong foods.
• (^) Environment - Tend to eat the same as the people around them. Cultural and family influences.
• (^) Inactivity - Children who watch 4 or more hours of TV each day have a higher BMI than children who watch 2 hours of TV each day.
• (^) Obese children suffer teasing from peers.

How much do kids need?How much do kids need?

National Association of Sports and National Association of Sports and

Physical Education Physical Education

• (^) Elementary school kids need 150 minutes of physical education per week.
• (^) Middle school and high school kids need 225 minutes of physical education.
• (^) 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. (AHA)
• (^) One out of three kids gets this.

Physical ActivityPhysical Activity

• (^) 30 years ago, kids played outside
• (^) Parents would have to beg kids to come in but they were having too much fun.
• (^) Today, definition of fun has changed. Fun today is staying indoors playing video games, TV, computer friends.
• (^) 17% of American children between the ages of 6 and 19 are obese, three times as many compared to 30 years ago.

Changing HabitsChanging Habits

• (^) Even if schools changed, the best solution is for parents to be a good role model.
• (^) Encourage your kids to do active family activities like taking a walk, roller blading, going swimming.
• (^) Plan activities for your kid’s friends that are active and fun.

Medical ProblemsMedical Problems

• (^) Kids have 6 – 7 bouts of colds, flu and viruses each year.
• (^) Asthma is the most prevalent chronic illness. It is the number one cause of childhood disability, affecting 1.4 U.S. children. Prevalence has increased 232 percent since 1969.

Leading Cause of DeathLeading Cause of Death

• (^) Accidental Injuries are the leading cause of death in children 5 – 14.
• (^) Bicycles, snowmobiles, and trampolines
• (^) Prevention – Wearing protective head-gear for all sports
• (^) Children under 16 should not ride snowmobiles
• (^) Parents should not buy backyard trampolines nor should children use them at school.

PiagetPiaget

Concrete Operations Concrete Operations

• (^) Third stage of cognitive development (approximately 7 to 12) during which children develop logical but not abstract thinking.
• (^) Includes advances in logical thinking with regards to cause and effect, seriation, inductive and deductive reasoning.

Piaget’s Three Stages of MoralPiaget’s Three Stages of Moral

Development Development

• (^) Stage I - Ages 2 – 7 Obedience to authority
• (^) Corresponds to Pre-operational stage
• (^) Thinks rigidly about right and wrong, there is no black or white.
• (^) Rules come from adults and cannot be changed.
• (^) Punishment is deserved regardless of intent

Moral Development (Continued)Moral Development (Continued)

• (^) Second stage – Ages 7 – 11
• (^) Increasing flexibility based on mutual respect and cooperation
• (^) Corresponds to Concrete Operations
• (^) Develop a sense of justice, based on fairness and equity for all
• (^) Consider intent

Intelligence TestingIntelligence Testing

• (^) Most popular is the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III)
• (^) Pro’s – IQ scores in middle childhood are fairly good predictors of school achievement.
• (^) Con’s – Timed tests and some children do not do well on timed tests.

Con’s to Intelligence TestingCon’s to Intelligence Testing

• (^) IQ tests infer intelligence from what children already know. Much of this knowledge is from schooling or culture and does not measure native ability
• (^) Tests are unfair to minorities –
  • (^) Black children on average score 15 pts. lower than white children
  • (^) Hispanic children fall in between
  • (^) Asian children have high scholastic achievement but do not have a significant edge in IQ. Differences are probably a result of environment – income, nutrition, living conditions, intellectual stimulation, schooling, culture, etc.