Children develop as they grow in the areas of social, physical and cognitive abilities and skills. With proper nutrition and physical activity, children can grow and prosper physically. Sometimes, a developmental delay may occur, but talking to your physician can arm you with activities and strategies to help your child develop.
Physical Milestones
Physical development in children and teenagers is almost impossible to chart since every child is different. However, there are some basic developmental stages that can give you an idea of whether or not your child is growing at a healthy rate.
Developmental milestones are usually divided according to age and tell what your child should be doing by the end of a certain age. Since all children are different, getting the advice and opinion of a pediatrician or family physician may help if you fear your child is not experiencing healthy development.
Gross Motor Skills
Gross motor skills refer to the skills and abilities your child gains as she attempts to move her body through space. Large muscles, such as the ones in her legs, arms and torso help her achieve her goals of crawling, walking, running, jumping and other large motor skills. According to The University of Minnesota, the development of gross motor skills builds as your child learns to hold her head up, then push herself up, crawl, stand, walk and run.
Fine Motor Skills
Your child's fine motor skills are the abilities he has to use his small muscles in his fingers and toes, mouth and wrists. As your child develops, he will be able to pick up cereal or little pieces of food, scribble with a pencil or dress himself. Small motor skills are those skills that use small movements and precision.
Development Delays
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sometimes a child may not develop at a normal rate. The CDC warns that if your child has delayed growth, she may be affected by other delays, such as language and speech problems as well as behavioral and learning problems. There are some activities and games that could help your child develop better. The CDC says to contact your physician to find out what you can do if your child has a developmental delay.
Puberty
When your child is between the ages of six and 12, he will eventually reach puberty. As puberty hits, your child's physical growth will skyrocket, hitting between 2 and 4 inches per year in height and 5 lbs per year in weight.
During puberty, your child will grow through a tremendous amount of physical changes, which may cause him to feel self-conscious. Arming your child with knowledge about what is common or normal can help.
References
- University of Minnesota Extension: Understanding and Encouraging Your Child's Large Motor Development
- Baby Center: What's the Difference between Fine and Gross Motor Skills?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Important Milestones: By the End of Five Years
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Child Development
- Kids Health: Growth and your 6- to 12-Year-Old
