Growth & Development
Differences between Growth & Development
Growth Development
1. It is the process of physical 1. It is the process of functional
maturation by increasing in size. maturation of the organ.
2. It occurs by multiplication of cells 2. It is related to physiological
and intracellular substances. maturation of cells.
3. Quantitative changes of the body. 3. Qualitative changes in the body.
4. Does not continue throughout the life, 4. Continues throughout the life and
stops when maturity attained. progressive increase in skill and
capacity to function.
Principles of Growth & Development
I. Cephalo-caudal direction: development of
organs from head to tail.
II. Proximo-distal direction: development of
organs from center to peripheral parts. ie. body to
extremities.
III. General to Specific: First developed gross
functions and then fine skills of any organs. eg.
Children first catch big things than only catch
small things.
Growth of Length and Weight of a child
Growth of Weight:
Growth of Length: ❖ Up to 12th week – very small
➢ Up to 2-3 weeks - microscopic ❖ at 23 weeks - 1 pound weight
➢ At 12 weeks - length is 10 cm ❖ At 7th month - 3 pounds weight
➢ At 20 weeks – length is 25 cm ❖ At 8th month - 4.5 pounds weight
➢ At Birth (40 weeks)- length 53 cm ❖ At Birth - 7 pounds weight
Development of Organ System
System Functions Periods
Gross characteristic of all the Within 1st month
organs
Overall
Details of different organs About 2-3 months
Fetal organs similar to neonate Beyond 4th month
Start heart beat @ 65 beats/min 4th week
Circulatory System
Start RBC formation 4-5th week from yolk sac
Ingest and absorb large quantities 4-5th month (mid
Digestive System
of amniotic fluid pregnancy)
Begins to excrete urine 2nd trimester
Renal system ECF volume and electrolyte Start in late fetal life but
(Kidney) balances fully developed few months
after birth
Respiratory System Respiration Immediately after birth
Reflex start 3-4th months of pregnancy
Nervous System Myelination of neurons & Start before birth and
functions of cerebral cortex completed 1 year after birth
Growth patterns of
different tissues.
Explained by
Scammon
I. Neural Growth: growth of brain and spinal cord.
It grows rapidly after birth and reached almost100% by the age of 6 years.
II. Lymphoid Growth: growth of thymus, lymph nodes, lymphoid tissues, spleen.
It reaches maximum (200%) at the age of 10-12 years and decline after that.
III. Reproductive Growth: growth of gonads and accessory reproductive organs.
It remain dormant in childhood and grows rapidly around the puberty by gonadotropin hormones.
IV. General Growth Curve
4 Phases:
1. Rapid growth in infancy
2. Slow progressive growth
3. Second rapid growth in
puberty
4. Slow growth after puberty
Growth Spurts:
a. In Infancy: weight gain- 2 times by 6th month & 3 times by 1 year of age.
Height gain 2.0 - 2.5cm/month up to 1 year of age.
It is due to continuation of the fetal growth period due to thyroid & GH.
b. In Puberty: weight gain 3-5kg/year and height gain 4-7 cm/year.
It is due to protein anabolic effects of adrenal androgens as well as interaction between
sex steroids, growth hormone & IGF-I.
Note: The cessation of growth is due to closure of the epiphyses by Growth Hormone.
Factors Affecting Growth & Development
1. Genetic Factors.
2. Nutritional Factors.
3. Environmental Factors
4. Hormonal Factors.
1. Genetic Factor:
❖ It is most important deciding factor of growth.
❖ Up to certain extend, gene expression decides the height.
❖ Children of tall and heavy parents are likely to have same stature.
❖ Some races and ethnic groups are taller in comparison to others. eg.
European and American are taller than Asian.
2. Nutritional Factor:
❖ Balanced diet is necessary for optimum growth.
❖ Requirement of balanced diet increased during active periods of growth.
❖ Undernutrition and malnutrition in childhood is responsible for stunting
of growth.
❖ If lack of nutrition is prolonged severe- irreversible stunting occurs in
children.
❖ If lack of nutrition is less severe & for short period – stunting may be
reversible by restoring extra diet (eg. Catch up growth).
Catch-up growth: After illness or starvation in children, the growth rate is greater than
normal, probably due to increase rate of stem cell differentiation within the growth plates.
The accelerated growth usually continues until the previous growth curve is reached, then
slows to normal.
3. Environmental Factors: They comprise of the intrauterine
(prenatal factors) for a fetus and postnatal factors (after birth).
I. Prenatal factors: maternal nutrients, maternal health condition,
maternal hormones etc.
II. Postnatal factors: physical environment & various other factors
affect the growth of a child such as;
a. Seasons: Growth in height is faster in the Spring than Autumn
season whereas gain in weight is faster in the Autumn than Spring
season.
b. Diseases: Ill health causes temporary depression of growth.
Which is fulfill by Catch-up-growth.
c. Exercise: Exercise increases skeletal muscles mass by anabolic
effect of steroid hormones.
4. Hormonal Factor
1. Rapid growth during infancy is due to thyroid hormones & GH.
2. Spurt growth at puberty is by androgens & GH.
3. Growth in between infancy & puberty is by GH & thyroid
hormones.
4. After puberty, the rest of life is by GH, thyroid hormones &
androgens.
Normal and abnormal growth