Page 3 - LESSION 6.pmd

Growth and Development

4 years 16.7 102.9

5 years 18.7 109.9
6 years 20.7 116.1 Notes

7 years 22.9 121.7
8 years 25.3 127.0

Source: ICMR (1990) Nutrient Requirements and Recommended Dietary Allowances
for Indians.

Physical growth is measured by increase in height and weight at regular intervals.
The height of a newborn child ranges from 47 cms to 52 cms. The weight can
range from 2.4 kg to 3.2 kg. On an average, increment in weight is 2.0–2.5 kg
per year. Boys tend to be heavier and taller than girls during infancy and even as
toddlers. A steady increase in both height and weight is a good indicator of
satisfactory physical growth. A height and weight chart is a good way of assessing
health and physical development of children. Growth charts that monitor growth
should be maintained regularly for all children.
Along with an increase in height and weight, body proportions of children also
undergo changes. You must have noticed that the head of a newborn looks bigger
compared to the rest of the body. The top of the head appears to be large and the
face remains small. Later body proportions change and the head does not look
that big. However, throughout infancy and toddler hood, the lower portion
continues to remain small and underdeveloped. The growth of the head is
proportionately much less after birth as compared to the growth of the other
parts of the body. The head increases in size and accounts for one-fourth of a
child’s length at two years of age. Its width-wise grow this almost ninety percent
complete by the age of three years. However, functional development of the
brain continues into adolescence.

Compared to the first year, the trunk and limbs begin to grow at a faster pace
during toddlerhood. When children are born, their arms appear to be longer in
proportion to their legs. At birth, the legs are short and face each other. As they
grow in length, they straighten out. During the first and second years, the height
of infants increases approximately by 40 percent and 60-75 percent respectively,
greater than at birth. As a result of this change, the body of a child looks more
proportionate than it did in the first year. This also helps children attain better
balance. This pattern of growth remains the same for both boys and girls, but on
an average, baby girls are slightly smaller than baby boys in size.

Let us now understand what development is.

6.2 WHAT IS DEVELOPMENT?

Development refers to qualitative changes in the body as well as changes in

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION 77