1. Review the Brief Chapter Summary.
2. Answer and submit the Learning Objectives. Write the question and then the answer.
3. Complete and submit the Learning Activity. Write the question and then the answer.
BRIEF CHAPTER SUMMARY
During early childhood, the rapid increase in body size tapers off and the childÕs shape becomes more streamlined,
leading to improvements in posture and balance. The skeletal changes of infancy continue throughout early
childhood. At the end of this period, children start to lose their primary teeth.
The brain continues to grow faster than any other part of the body. The cerebral cortex, especially, shows gains in
myelination and formation of synapses, followed by synaptic pruning. Hand preference strengthens, a sign of greater
brain lateralization. In addition, connections between different parts of the brain increase. These changes support
improvements in a wide variety of physical and cognitive skills.
Both heredity and environmental factors continue to influence physical growth and health in early childhood.
Heredity affects physical growth by regulating the production of hormones necessary for development of body tissues
and of the brain. Extreme emotional deprivation can interfere with the production of growth hormone, causing a
growth disorder called psychosocial dwarfism. Sleep difficulties, mostly in the form of night waking and nightmares,
are common during the preschool years. Appetite declines, reflecting a slower rate of physical growth. Since caloric
intake is reduced, preschoolers need a high-quality diet. Infectious disease interacts with malnutrition to seriously
undermine childrenÕs growth, an effect that is especially common in developing countries. Although widespread
immunization has led to dramatic declines in childhood diseases in the industrialized world, many children in the
United States are not fully immunized.
Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of childhood death in industrialized nations. Preventive efforts are
necessary at several levels, including laws that promote safety, improvement of community environments, and efforts
to change parentsÕ and childrenÕs behavior.
During the preschool years, children continue to integrate motor skills into dynamic systems. Gross motor skills,
such as running, jumping, galloping, throwing, and catching appear and become better coordinated. Gains in fine
motor development can be seen in preschoolersÕ ability to dress themselves, draw representational pictures, and print
letters of the alphabet. As in other areas, heredity and environment combine to influence early childhood motor
development.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
8.1 Describe changes in body size, body proportions, and skeletal maturity during early childhood. (pp. 293-296)
8.2 Explain the general growth curve, and discuss asynchronies in physical growth. (p. 296)
8.3 Discuss brain development in early childhood, including synaptic growth and pruning, lateralization and
handedness, and other advances in brain development that help to establish links between parts of the brain.
(pp. 296-299)
8.4 Describe the effects of heredity and hormones, emotional well-being, restful sleep, nutrition, infectious
disease, and childhood injury on physical growth and health in early childhood. (pp. 300-308)
8.5 Summarize individual, family, community, and societal factors related to childhood injuries, and describe
ways to prevent them. (pp. 308-311)
8.6 Cite major milestones of gross and fine motor development in early childhood. (pp. 312-316)
8.7 Discuss individual differences in preschoolersÕ motor skills, and cite ways to enhance early motor
development. (pp. 316-317)
LEARNING ACTIVITY 8.6: Speaking to Parents and Teachers About Early Motor Development (pp. 312-317)
Pretend you have been asked to speak to a group of parents and preschool teachers about early motor
development. What topics would you include in their presentation? For example, what gross and fine motor
advances take place in the preschool years? Will parents and teachers notice differences between boys and girls? How
can adults enhance childrenÕs motor development? What activities or behaviors should adults avoid, and why?
Prepare a PowerPoint presentation.