As soon as a baby is born he begins to grow and change on a daily basis. Generally, babies will transition from one stage of development to the next by achieving specific tasks and reaching an average height and weight. Babies and toddlers experience rapid changes in growth and development that will allow them to transition into childhood. Children will reach specific milestones and continue to grow into adolescents and then eventually into adults. The three stages of child development will each bring new challenges and delights for parents as they watch their children grow.
Babies And Toddlers
According to Kids Health, newborn babies will grow an average of 2/3 oz. per day and 1 to 1 1/2 inches per month. Over the next year, your baby can be expected to grow an average of 10 inches and triple her birth weight. During the first year, your baby will also achieve a variety of developmental milestones that will allow her to transition to childhood. Walking, talking and feeding herself are three notable milestones, reports Kids Health. By the end of the second year, your baby will grow an additional 4 inches and will continue to gain weight. She will also continue to learn new skills for playing, eating and moving around.
Children
During childhood, most children will slim down and lose the appearance of being a toddler, reports Healthy Children. They will continue to grow and change but it will happen at a more gradual and steady pace than the growth that occurred during the baby and toddler years. Children will grow an average of 2 inches per year during this stage and will gain an average of 6 1/2 lbs. per year. Your child will most likely experience a growth spurt between ages 6 and 8, as his body prepares for puberty. Fine and gross motor skills will develop during this time so that your child will gain muscle mass as well as learn to tie his own shoes, throw a ball accurately, walk on tiptoes, draw more advanced pictures and learn to ride a bike.
Adolescents
As children approach puberty they go through many physical, social and emotional changes. Healthy Children reports that puberty is the most notable development that will occur during adolescence, and parents will begin to notice many different changes in their child. She will achieve her adult height and weight during this time, and parents may notice significant differences between their child and her peers. Kids Health cautions parents to remember that children come in different shapes and sizes and to talk with their child's pediatrician if they are concerned. Intellectually, adolescents gain the ability to think abstractly and come to understand how their actions affect others. Peers will also gain more importance than family and Healthy Children recommends that parents encourage their children to spend time with friends while also providing support and attention at home.
