Your child is in middle childhood when he is not yet a teenager. During this stage, you may notice changes in his social, emotional and cognitive development, while some of the biggest changes occur physically. It is important to understand which changes to expect so you can encourage his physical development.
Growth Rate
Kids Health states that in middle childhood, your child will grow about 2.5 inches a year. She will gain about 6.5 pounds. Around 8 to 9 years of age, she may experience a growth spurt where she seems to grow taller and gain weight more rapidly. Your child's doctor will monitor her growth at regular check-ups in order to make sure that she is growing consistently.
Appearance
In middle childhood, your may notice that your child's appearance begins to change. As his body fat changes how it is distributed while he grows, he may have a slimmer appearance. His hair might become darker and his skin will begin to have a more grownup tone.
Puberty
Sometime in middle childhood, your child will go through puberty, a time when her skeletal, muscular and reproductive systems go through a big change. Girls will grow breast buds around 10 to 12 years of age, followed by pubic hair and menstruation by age 12. Boys enter puberty about one year later than girls. At around age 12, a boy may begin to have nocturnal emissions, grow pubic hair and develop a deeper voice. It is common for a child to enter puberty earlier or later than her peers.
Milestones
By middle childhood, your child will be able to perform a variety of large and fine motor skills. He will be able to bounce a ball, skate, catch a ball and learn more complicated tasks, such as sewing. Balance, strength and coordination continue to improve with practice.
Factors
A well-balanced and nutritional diet is important for growth in middle childhood. It can help to prevent your child from gaining too much weight or not gaining enough. Heredity plays a role, as your child is likely to become a size similar to her parents. Sedentary activities such as watching television can impair her bone growth so be sure she has opportunities for a lot of physical activity.
