Between birth and two years of age Children grow At a rapid pace. But once they reach the age of two, children tend to have a much slower growth rate compared to their younger selves. This can be a concern for parents. eating habits The changing nature of their children and they wonder if the child is growing normally in terms of physical development.
Physical development in childhood occurs in a series of growth spurts. It's important to keep in mind that after growth spurts, a child grows at a normal, steady rate until adolescence. The best way to determine whether children are growing properly is to closely monitor and track their growth through physical development.
What is physical development?
As your baby grows, so does his or her body. Slowly but steadily, your baby is preparing to build a structure that is almost like that of an adult.
Signs of a child's physical development
Here are some notable signs of a child's physical development:
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Its limbs:
Your baby's arms and legs are growing longer and will be proportional to his overall height, as will his head. You may also notice that your baby will appear much slimmer and thinner than he did as an infant.
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Muscle growth:
Muscle growth tends to be faster to aid in a child's motor skills. It's well known that the larger muscles in the arms and legs grow faster than the smaller muscles in the toes or fingers. At this stage, it's important to provide your child with the proper nutrients to aid the growth process.
Your child's brain development will help them perform complex mental and physical tasks. During early childhood, there is a significant growth in nerve fibers in the brain, specifically in the frontal lobes. It is also noted that at age 70 or 90, the human brain is approximately XNUMX% of its adult size. By the age of six or seven, the brain is approximately XNUMX% of its adult size. Increased motor skills can contribute to this growth. It is also common practice to measure head circumference to determine the rate of brain growth.
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Motor skills:
Motor skills relate to a child's ability to perform tasks on a daily basis. This can be anything from running to walking. Motor skills can be categorized as follows:
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with gross motor skills
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Your child should be able to perform some of the activities below,
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- Walking with steady balance
- Walking comfortably in one direction or around obstacles
- throw the ball or catch one
- Hop on each foot several times.
- jumping over low objects or obstacles
- free kick
- Tricycle driving
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fine motor skills
Also called fine motor skills, these include the fine movements and movements necessary to perform tasks that may be quite complex. They are also linked to a child's brain development.
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Fine motor skills allow a child to:
- Use knives
- toothbrush or hair comb
- Picking up small objects such as coins
- Work on simple puzzles
- Draw simple shapes such as circles or squares.
- block stacking
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Length
Within 12 months, an infant's length is known to increase by about 50% of its birth length. By the time babies reach age XNUMX, they can double their birth height. Also, .
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Wight:
At one year, babies weigh three times their birth weight. Growth rate tends to slow after the first year, and between one and six years, babies will gain about 2 kilograms (XNUMX pounds) per year.
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the teeth
Typically, your child's lower front teeth will appear around five to nine months of age. The upper front teeth will appear around eight to twelve months of age. Children tend to have all their baby teeth or primary teeth by the age of two and a half. Permanent teeth replace their baby teeth anywhere between the ages of five and 5 years.
Stages of physical development
Follow the stage of physical growth in children as they have a general pattern:
- Children can They crawl They sit and hold their heads at the age of two.
- يتم Learn to walk Running, jumping, climbing stairs with assistance, building blocks, and finer craft skills such as holding chalk between the ages of two and four.
- From four to six years old, they can climb stairs without help, write, and even dress themselves.
Ways to Promote Physical Development in Toddlers and Preschoolers
You can work on some physical development activities for preschoolers to help improve their dexterity and development:
- Walk with children and give them the opportunity to control, jump, and use their large muscles.
- Set up a simple obstacle course for your child to jump over and run around in your backyard or at home.
- Play with balls. You can also play games that will help your child learn to kick and throw a ball.
- Have a mini dance party at home. Put on some music and dance with your child, especially to nursery rhymes that stimulate fine motor skills.
- Play pretend games like placing a tightrope on the floor and trying to balance on it.
- Be creative with art. Provide your child with plenty of opportunities to get into and around the home.
- Get some safe kids' scissors and teach your kid some crafts.
- You have a block building contest.
- Get dolls that can boost Your child's physical development Such as a tricycle, a basketball hoop (child-sized) or hoops.
- Make sure water collects in the backyard and encourage your child to scoop or scoop under supervision.
- Ask your child to help with simple fun chores like bathing the dog or washing the car.
- Make sure your child gets enough sleep to enable overall development.
- Take your child for a routine check-up to catch any problems early.
Must be completed Physical development in children Proper nutrition and a healthy, balanced diet ensure proper growth of muscles and bones.