HUMAN BODY DEVELOPMENT

In biological terms, human development entails growth from a one-celled zygote to an adult human being.

6 stages of HUMAN development

1. INFANT DEVELOPMENT (0-12 MONTHS OLD)
2. TODDLER DEVELOPMENT (1 – 3 years old)
3. PRESCHOOLER DEVELOPMENT (3 – 5 year olds)
4. MIDDLE CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT (6 – 11 years)
5. ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT (12 – 18 years)
6. ADULT DEVELOPMENT (Ages 18 – 65)

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INFANT DEVELOPMENT

(0-12 MONTHS OLD)

During this stage children grow from babies to toddlers. The most important development that happens for babies is that they make their earliest connections with others.

In addition:

• they learn the first aspects of language
• they learn to crawl and possibly walk
• they become familiar with their environment.

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• Infancy is the shortest of all developmental periods.

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• INFANCY is a preview of later development.

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• Infancy is a time of radical adjustments.

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• INFANCY is a hazardous period.

Research has shed light on the developmental milestones, or typical growth changes, which occur for infants. The following chart summarizes the major milestones that occur between birth and 12 months of age, broken down by the major domains of child development:

• THE SECOND STAGE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT -

Toddler ( 2 - 4 years)

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As physical growth and development slow during the ages of two to four, motor skills, cognitive development and language take huge strides. In just a few short years, the child will go from crawling and babbling as an infant to running, jumping and excitedly telling stories as a Kindergartener.

Not only do children begin to take their first physical steps at this stage, they also take their initial steps toward becoming an independent person.

• They want to explore their world and try new things
• They may seem adventurous and “into everything,” however, they may also experience times when they are clingy and shy.
• Their language skills develop quickly. Reading to children is always important; particularly when they are developing language.
• They move towards eating more independently, helping with getting dressed, picking up their toys, and getting along with others.

From starting school to entering puberty, age 5 to 12 is a time of great progress and development for a child. While the changes may be more gradual, the child’s thinking, emotions and body will continue to develop.

grade-schooler + MIDDLE CHILDHOOD

Between age 6 and 10, children are able to better understand and think about several elements of an issue.

As children grow into early childhood they continue to change physically, emotionally, intellectually, and socially. Physically, children become increasingly able to run, jump, skip, climb, and slide. Fine motor skills such as drawing, colouring, and using safety scissors are also developing. They are more responsible for their physical care so during this stage they like to dress, eat, bathe, and go to the bathroom on their own.

Once children begin school their lives change considerably. They experience extensive physical, social, and mental growth. Middle childhood is marked by increased independence from the family and increased focus on the demands of school, friends, and independent recreational activities. Socially, children develop a clearer understanding of their place in the world. They are able to describe their experiences, thoughts, and feelings and they want to be liked and accepted by friends, classmates, and teammates. Your role may include a number of tasks and should be determined in discussion with your supervisor and the family.

During adolescence, young people experience physical changes, develop a unique personal identity, become more independent, and are focused on peer relationships.

• Moving towards a unique identity. Individuals develop an increasingly unique sense of “self” during this period. They often believe that their thoughts and ideas are distinctive and not understood by others. Interests, skills, academic performance, self confidence, aptitudes, and personal likes and dislikes, all serve to create an increasingly unique identity.

• Moving towards meaningful relationships, employment, and disengagement from family. In early adolescence, friendships often take the form of group peer relationships such as cliques, clubs, or teams. In later adolescence individuals begin to think more about the future; they contemplate romantic relationships, work options, and moving away from home.

Changes taking place in the adolescent’s environment both affect and are affected by the internal changes of adolescence. These external influences, which differ among cultures and societies, include social values and norms and the changing roles, responsibilities, relationships and expectations of this period of life. These changes affect adolescents in their immediate environment of family, school and community but reflect a range of wider societal changes, including increasing urbanization, globalization and access to digital media and social networks.

While adolescents experience similar biological, cognitive and psychosocial developmental processes, the timing and influence of these processes depend on both individual characteristics and the environments in which they live, learn, play and work.

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ADULTHOOD

Adult development encompasses the changes that occur in biological and psychological domains of human life from the end of adolescence until the end of one's life. These changes may be gradual or rapid and can reflect positive, negative, or no change from previous levels of functioning. Changes occur at the cellular level and are partially explained by biological theories of adult development and aging. Biological changes influence psychological and interpersonal/social developmental changes, which are often described by stage theories of human development. Stage theories typically focus on "age-appropriate" developmental tasks to be achieved at each stage. Erik Erikson and Carl Jung proposed stage theories of human development that encompass the entire life span, and emphasized the potential for positive change very late in life.

Adulthood signals that time in an individual’s life when choice and more control over one’s life typically occur. This may or may not be the case for individuals with an intellectual disability.

project realised by secelEANU MEDEEA, BARSAN CATALINA AND HARCEAGA EMILIA