Question

Discuss the physical and psychosocial growth and development of preschoolers.

Answer 1

PHYSICAL GROWTH: an increase in body size ( length or height and weight) and in the size of organs.

PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: According to Erikson, psychosocial development is a comprehensive psychoanalytic theory that identifies a series of eight stages in which a healthy developing individual pass through from infancy to late adulthood.

PHYSICAL GROWTH IN PRESCHOOLERS: Children begin to lose their boby fat and chubbiness around age 3. During these years, the child's trunk and limbs grow longer and the abdominal muscles form, tightening the appearence of the stomach.In addition to this, the preschoolers physical appearence also continue to change. On an average scale, a 3 year old preschoolers may grow to about 38 inches tall and weighs about 32 pounds. For the next 3 years, healthy preschoolers grow to an additional 2 to 3 inches and gain from 4 to 6 pounds per year. By age 6, they reach a height of 46 inches and weighs about 46 pounds.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT IN PRESCHOOLERS: Ages 2 through 6 are marked as early childhood years or preschool years. Some important influences on physical development includes a) changes in the child's brain and nervous system b) gross and motor skills and c) health.

BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT: 1.The brain is comprised of two, the right and left cerebral hemispheres. The localization of assorted functions, competencies and skills develop in either or both the hemispheres. In the left hemisphere, language, writing , logic and mathematical skills to be located and in the right, other functions like creativity, fantasy, artistic and musical skills seems to be located. The left hemisphere develops at 2 to 6 ages and right by 7 to 11 in children. 2. Handedness or the preferences of using right or left hand over the other is another aspect of brain development. 3. The nervous system undergoes changes in early childhoood. The neurons, glial cells and myelin sheaths rapidly grows during the first few years of life.

MOTOR SKILLS: Motor skills- physical abilities. Gross motor skills involve the use of large bodily movements like running, jumping, turning, skipping, balancing and dancing. Fine motor skills involves the use of small bodily movements such as drawing, writing and tying shoelaces. Both gross and fine motor skills develop during early childhood period; however, fine motor skills develop more slowly in preschoolers.

HEALTH: Preschoolers are generally quite healthy but more prone to develop medical problems like coughs, colds and stomach aches. Respiratory illnesses occur more frequently because preschooler's lungs are not fully developed during these years.

PSYCHOSOCIALGROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN PRESCHOOLERS:

Initiative vs Guilt: 1. Initiative adds to autonomy the quality of planning, undertaking and attacking a task for the sake of just being active and on the move. Guilt is a confusing new emotion. At this stage, the child wants to begin and complete their own actions for a purpose. They may feel guilt over things that logically should not cause guilt. They may feel guilt when this initiative does not produce desired results. 2. The development of courage and independence evolve at this age. The child learns to take initiative and prepare for leadership and goal achievement roles. Activities sought out by a child in this age may include risk- taking behaviors ( for instance, crossing a street alone).