LESSON PLAN ON

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

OF CHILDREN
TOPIC:PRINCIPLES,CHARACTERISTICS,STAGES,THEORIES OF GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT,
FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.

SUBMITTED TO SUBMITTED BY:

MRS.ARCHANA MADAM M.JYOTHSNA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR M.SC (N) 1st YEAR
DEPARTMENT OF CHILD HEALTH NURSING. JAYA COLLEGE OF NURSING.
JAYA COLLEGE OF NURSING.

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 OBJECTIVES

GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the class the students will be able to gain knowledge regarding the growth and development principles,
characteristics,stages ,types and factors affecting growth and development.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the class the students will be able to

 define Growth and Development

 describe the Principles of growth and development
 explain the Characteristics of growth and development
 explain the various Stages of growth and development
 determine the Factors influencing growth and development
 enlist the Types of growth
 enlist the Types of development

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1 15mts INTRODUCTION:
The term growth denotes a net increase in the size
or mass of the tissue. It is largely attributed to multiplication of cells
and increase in the intracellular substance.
Development specify maturity of functions. It is
related to the maturation and myelination of the nervous system and
indicates acquisition of a variety of skills for optimal functioning of
the individual.

2. To define growth and 10mts DEFINITION:

Lecture method Black Define growth and
development
board development?
GROWTH:
Growth is change in size,in proportion,disappearance of
old features and acquisition of new ones.
-HURLOCK

→Growth refers to structural and physiological changes.

-CROW AND CROW

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DEVELOPMENT:
Development means a progressive series of
changes that occur in an orderly predictable pattern as a result of
maturation and experience.
-HURLOCK
→Development is concerned with growth as well as those changes in
behaviour which results from environmental situations.
-J.E. ANDERSON
3. Describes the 20mts PRINCIPLES OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT:
Lecture cum Flash What are the
principles of 1.Cephalocaudal principle:
discussion cards principles of
growth and The cephalocaudal principle states that
growth and
development development proceeds from top to bottom.
development?
→According to this principle,it describes the direction of growth and
Development.
→The head region starts at first, following by which other organs
start developing.
→The child gains control of the head region first two months,in next
few months they
are able to lift themselves up by using their arms.

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→Next gain control over the leg and able to
crawl,stand,walk,run,jump,climb,day by
day.
→The co ordination of arms preceeds the coordination of legs.
2.Proximodistal principle:
→Growth preceeds from the centre,or midline or the body to the
periphery,or in aproximodistal direction.
→During the prenatal period,the limb buds develop before the
rudimentary fingers and toes.
→During infancy,the large muscles of the arms and legs are subject
to voluntary control earlier than the fine muscles of the hands and
feet.
→This proximodistal development is bilateral and symmetric.
→The spinal cord develops before outerparts of the body.
→The childs arms develops before the hands and feet develops
before the fingers and toes.
→Fingers and toe muscles are the last to develop in physical
development.

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3.Continuous process:
Development does not occur in
spurts.Although,it is suggested that there are definite developmental
stages as “gang age”.
→Growth continuous from the movements of conception until the
individual reaches maturity.It takes place at slow regular pace rather
than by leaps and bounds.
→Development of both physical and mental traits continues
gradually until these traits reaches their maximum growth.
→It goes on continuously throughout life. Even after maturity has
been attained, development does not end.
EX:Speech does not come overnight.It has gradually developed from
the cries and other sounds made by the baby at birth.
→The first teeth seem to appear suddenly ,but they start developing
as early as the fifth fetal month,they cut through the gums about five
months after birth.
4.Sequentiality:
→Every species,whether animal or human,follows a pattern of
development peculiar to it.This pattern in general is the same for all
individuals.

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→Social and behavioural scientists increasingly have come to see
development as a relationship between organism and environment in
a transaction.
→All children follow a development pattern with one stage leading
to the next.
EX: Infants stand before they walk, draw circles before they make
squares.
5.General and specific:
→Deveopment proceeds from general to specific. In all areas of
development, general activities always preceeds specific activity.
→His responses are of a general sort before they become of so
specific response.
EX: When a newborn infant cries , the whole body is involved with
growth, the crying is limited to the vocal cords, eyes etc.
→In a language development the child learns general word before
specific.
6.Both heredity and environment:
→Development is influenced by both heredity and environment.
→Both are responsible for human growth and development.

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→The forces of heredity and environment directly or indirectly
influence his growth and development in any dimensions at all time.
→It is not possible to indicate exactly in what proportions heredity
and environment contributes to the development of an individual.
→The environment bears up on the new organism from the
beginning. Among the environmental factors,one can mention
nutrition,climate,the conditions in the home,and the type of social
organisation in which individual move and live, the roles they have to
play and other.
7.Development is an individualized process:
→All individuals develop in their own way. Each child has his own
rate of physical ,mental, emotional and social development. If we
observe 6 years old children we find great differences in their height,
weight and social, emotional and learning readiness.
→Even at different ages,children have different rates of development
→The rate of growth is high in infancy and then it slows down and
continuous throughout ones life.
8.Growth is both quantitative and qualitative:
→These two aspects are inseparable. The child not only grows in

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size, he grows up or matures in structure and function.
→Breckenridge and Vincent have given a example to illustrate this
principle.
→The baby’s digestive tract not only in size, but also changes in
structure, permitting digestion of more complex foods and increasing
its efficiency in converting foods into simple forms which the body
can use.
→The younger the child, the simpler the emotions. With growth
,there is an increase of experiences and these produce more and more
complex emotional reactions to more and more complicated
situations.
9.Interrelated:
Growth and development in various dimensions
like physical, mental, social etc are interrelated and inter dependent.
Growth and development in any one dimensions effects the growth
and development of child in other dimensions.
EX: Child with goosd health can be active socially and intellectually.

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4. Explain the 15mts CHARACTERISTICS OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: Lecture method Pamph What are the
characteristic of 1.Individual differences: lets characteristics of
growth and Each child will have a different rate of growth and
development growth. But the pattern of growth is same. development?
EX: An infant will be able to sit before standing, the age at which an
individual child achieves may differ.
2.Readiness for certain task:
Measurable periods, lasting from a few days to
a few weeks,during which the learning of certain behaviours occurs
are termed critical periods.These are defined as those points at which
the maximal capacity for an aspect of development is first present or
at which structures to be developed are undergoing rapid
growth.Critical periods are related to the maturation of neuro-
muscular system.
3.Rate of development:
Rapid growth occurs during gestation and
infancy. In the preschool years growth levels off and slow down
during the school years.

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4.Changing growth rates over the years:
Children today are growing taller at each age level and
maturing sexually at a younger age than children did at that term of
20th century children.Main causes are improved nutritional status and
higher socio-economic levels.

Explain the various STAGES OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT:

5. stages of growth 10mts The stages of growth and development is divided into intrauterine life Discussion Hand What are the
and development outs
or prenatal and extrauterine life or post natal period. different stages of

Prenatal period: growth and

Ovum : 0 to 14 days after conception development?

Embryo : 14 days to 8 weeks

Foetus : 8 weeks to birth
Postnatal period:
Neonates : From birth to 4 weeks of life
Infants : 1 month to 1 year
Toddler : 1 to 3 years
Preschooler : 3 to 6 years (early childhood)
Schooler : 6 to 10 years (girls)
6 to 12 years ( boys )

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Adolescent : From puberty to adult hood
Prebuscent (early adolescent ) : 10 to 12 years (girls )
: 12 to 14 years (boys)
Pubescent (middle adolescent ) : 12 to 14 years ( girls )
14 to 16 years (boys )
Postpubescent (late adolescent) : 14 to 18 years(girls)
16 to 20 years (boys)

20mts
FACTORS INFLUENCING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT:
6. Determine the Lecture cum Flip Expalin the factors
factors influencing The term growth and development depend upon various fators.These discussion charts influencing growth
growth and and development?
factors can influence directly or indirectly by promoting or inhibiting
development
the process.These factors are divided into
1.Hereditary
2.Environmental
1.Heredity:
Genetic determinant is the important factor which
influences the growth and development of children.Different
characteristics such as height,body structures,colour of skin,eyes and
hair etc, depend upon inherited gene from parents.Thus tall parents
have tall children and parents with high intelligence are more likely
to have children with high level of intelligence.

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Heredity factors are related to
 Sex

 Race and nationality

→ SEX :
The sex determinant has impact on growth and development,
which is determined at conception. At birth, male babies are heavier
and longer than the female babies. Boys maintain this superiority
until about 11 years of age. Girls mature earlier than boys and bone
development is more advanced in girls, but mean height and weight
are usually less in girls, than boys at the time of full maturity of the
body.
→Race and nationality:
Growth of different racial groups is different in
various level. Physical characteristics of different national groups
also vary. Height and stature of Americans and Indians usually differ
because of the differences in growth pattern of individuals.
2.Environmental factors:
It includes

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 prenatal and
 postnal factors
→Prenatal factors:
Intrauterine environment is an important predominant factor
of growth and
Development.Various conditions influence the foetal growth in utero:
 Maternal malnutrition
 Maternal infections
 Maternal substance abuse
 Maternal illness
 Hormones
 Miscellaneous
→Maternal malnutrition:
Lack of proper diet and anemia leads to
intrauterine growth retardation.low birth weight and preterm babies
have growth potentials.In later life these children are usually having
disturbance of growth and development.
→Maternal infections:
Various intrauterine infections like HIV,HBV, etc.May

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transmit to the foetus via placenta and affect the foetal
growth.Various complications may occur like congenital anomalies
and congenital infections.
→Maternal substance abuse:
Intake of teratogenic drugs(phenytoin,thalidomide etc,) by the the
pregnant women in first trimester affects the organogenesis and leads
to congenital malformations which hinders the growth. Smoking,
chewing tobacco and alcohol abuse also produces foetal growth
restriction.
→Maternal illness: Infection like pregnancy induced hypertension,
anaemia,
heart disease, hypothyroidism,diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure
etc, have adverse effect on foetal growth .Iodine deficiency of the
mother may lead to mental retardation of the baby in later life and
have impact on brain.
→Hormones:
Thyroxine and insulin hormones influence the foetal growth.
Thyroxine deficiency retards the skeletal maturation of foetus.
Maternal myxedema results in foetal hypothyroidism. Antithyroid

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drug therapy and iodides during last trimester may lead to foetal
goiter and hypothyroidism. Excess insulin stimulates foetal growth
leading to large size foetus with excessive birth weight due to
macrosomia.
→Miscellaneous:
Prenatal conditions which may also influence foetal growth include
uterine malformation steped uterus, bicornuate uterus, malpositions
of the foetus, oligohydramnios, polyhydromnious, faulty placental
implantation or malfunction, maternal emotion during pregnancy
,inadequate prenatal care,lack of antenatal clinics.
→POSTNATAL FACTORS:
It includes

 Growth pattern
 Nutrition
 Childhood illness
 Acute illness
 Physical environment
 Physiological environment
 Cultural influences

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 Socio economic status
 Climate and seasons
 Play and exercise
 Birth order of the child
 Intellegence
 Hormonal influence
→Growth pattern:
Growth pattern is indicated by the child’s size at
birth.The larger the child
at birth, the larger she /he is likely to be in later years.Low birth
weight babies have
various complications in later life,which retarded child’s growth.
→Nutrition:
For the child essential nutrients have great significant role in
growth and development of children. Both quantitative and
qualitative supply of nutrition. EX: Protein, fat, carbohydrates,
vitamins &minerals in daily diet are necessary for promotion of
growth and development. Adequate food intake helps the child in
body building, energy production and infection protection.

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→Well nourished child has positive physical and mental growth,
where as undernourished child suffers from growth retardation and
various health problems. Nutritional requirement depends upon age,
sex, growth rate ,level of activity and health status of the child, every
child have different nutritional requirement.
→Child illness:
Chronic childhood diseases of heart, chest, kidneys, liver,
Malignancy, malabsorption syndrome, digestive disorders, metabolic
disorders etc,generally lead to growth impairement.
→Acute illness:
These are ARI,repeated attack of infection results in malnutrition
and growth retardation,congenital anomalies,accidental injury and
prolong hospitalisation usually
Have adverse effects on growth and development of the child and
make the child unhealthy.
→Physical environment:
Environment conditions such as housing, living
conditions, environmental sanitation, sunshine, ventilation & fresh
air, hygiene, water supply etc. Are having direct influence on child’s

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growth & development. Drought and disaster also influence the
child’s growth and development.
→Psychological environment:
A good psychological environment like healthy family,
good parent child relationship and healthy interaction with other
family members, neighbours, friends, peer and teachers are important
factors for promoting, emotional, social & intellectual development.
Lack of love, affection and security leads to emotional disturbances
which hinders emotional maturity and personality development.
→Cultural influences: The children growth and development is
influenced by the culture in which he or she is growing up.The child
rearing practices, food habits,traditional beliefs,social taboos,attitude
towards health,standards of living,educational level etc, influence the
child’s growth & development,so good culture have good habits and
social development.
→Socio-economic status:
It includes poor socio economic groups which may
have less favourable environment for growth and development than
the middle and upper groups.Parents
of unfavourable financial conditions are less likely to understand and

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 adopt modern scientific child care. They lack money to buy essential
for diet and health care and even unable to accept medical or hospital
services.
→Climate and season:
Climatic variation and seasonal changes influence the child’s health.
Weight gain is greatest in late summer and in rainy season. Maximum
gains in height among children occur in the spring season.
→Play and exercise: For a child, play and exercise promote
physiological activity and stimulate muscular development. Physical,
physiological, social, moral,intellectual and emotional development
are enhanced by play and exercise,so providing the play activities are
good for health.
→Birth order of the child:
In india especially bihar, where birth rate is more, influences the
growth and development. Birth order alone does not determine
intelligence, personality traits or methods of coping also but it has a
significant influence on all of these. The first born
child gets full attention until the second child born.The second born
child learns mainly from elder one.Middle born child gets less
attention during rearing.
→Intelligence:
It influences mental and social development.a child with higher
intelligence adjusts with environment promptly and fullfills own need
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adopt modern scientific child care. They lack money to buy essential
for diet and health care and even unable to accept medical or hospital
services.
→Climate and season:
Climatic variation and seasonal changes influence the child’s health.
Weight gain is greatest in late summer and in rainy season. Maximum
gains in height among children occur in the spring season.
→Play and exercise: For a child, play and exercise promote
physiological activity and stimulate muscular development. Physical,
physiological, social, moral,intellectual and emotional development
are enhanced by play and exercise,so providing the play activities are
good for health.
→Birth order of the child:
In india especially bihar, where birth rate is more, influences the
growth and development. Birth order alone does not determine
intelligence, personality traits or methods of coping also but it has a
significant influence on all of these. The first born
child gets full attention until the second child born.The second born
child learns mainly from elder one.Middle born child gets less
attention during rearing.
→Intelligence:

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 It influences mental and social development.a child with higher
intelligence adjusts with environment promptly and fullfills own
needs and demands where as a child with low intelligence level fails
to do that.Intelligence is co-related to some degree with physical
development.
→Hormonal influences:
In children the important three influencing hormones are
somatotropic hormones,thyroid hormone and adrenocorticotropic
hormones that stimulate to secrete gonadotropic hormones. Other
hormones are insulin,parathormone,cortisol and calcitonin.thus
growth and development is a complex process with the influence of
various factors.Favourable conditions promote growth and
development. Lecture method What are the types
TYPES OF GROWTH of growth ?
Enlist the types of Book
7. 20mts 1.Biological growth let
growth
2.Motor development
3.Sensory development
1.Biological growth:
→Changes in biological growth:
Changes result from different rates of growth in different parts
of the body
during consecutive stages of development.
EX: Infants head constitutes one fourth of the entire length of the

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 body at birth, where as the adults head is only one eighth of body
length.
→Growth during childhood is primarily linear;and growth in
adolescence is both linear and in the nature of a filling out process
until adult proportions are reached.The NATIONAL CENTER FOR
HEALTH STATISTICS(NCHS) made a massive survey of
characteristics of growth,namely length or stature,weight &head
circumference of American children.
→Length or height:
Yearly increments in height diminish from birth to
maturity.Yearly increases in stature among children of the same age
vary gently.Some children reach adult height in their early teens,but
others continue to grow throughout late adolescence.The periods of
most rapid growth are infancy and puberty.
→Weight:
Weight is influenced by all the increments in size and
isprobably the best gross index of nutrition and health.Normal limits
vary widely for each year of childhood.Excess weight in realtion to
the height and pelvic diameter is as abnormal as being underweight.
→Head circumference:
Circumference of head is an important measurement since
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It is related to intracranial volume. An increase in circumference
permits an estimation of the rate of brain growth.
→Thoracic diameter:
Chest measurements increase as the child grows and the
shape of the chest changes. At birth the transverse and
anterioposterior diameters are nearly equal. The transverse diameter
increases more rapidly than does the anteroposterior diameter that is ,
the width becomes greater than the depth.
→Abdominal and pelvic measurements:
The abdominal circumference is not fixed by a bony
cage as chest,consequently it is affected by the infants nutritional
state,muscle tone,gaseous distension,and even the phase of
respiration.The pelvic bicristal diameter is not affected by variations
in posture and musculature and is a good index of a child’s
slenderness or stockiness.
2.Motor development:
Motor development depends on the maturation of the
muscular,skeletal and nervous system. Motor development is usually
termed gross & fine.

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Gross motor development describes the acquisition of increasing
mobility and independent locomotion: it preceds fine motor activities.
Gross motor activities include turning, reaching, sitting, standing and
walking.
Fine motor development evolves as the reflexes give way to the
acquisition of motor dexterity. As the neural tract matures, reflexes
disappears and are replaced by purposeful activities. The child learns
to use the hands and Fingers for thumb apposition,palmar
grasp,pincer grasp and so on.
→Sensory development:
Although the sensory system is functional at birth,the child
gradually learns the process of associating meaning with a perceived
stimulus. Most acute initially at birth are the senses of taste and
smell. Touching a neonate results in total body response. As
myelination of the nervous system is achieved, the child is able to
respond to specific stimuli. The visual system is the last to mature at
about 6 to 7 years.

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8. Enlist the types of 30mts TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT: What are the types
development The development of children are divided into several areas: Lecture method of development ?
1.Intellectual development(Jean Piaget)
2.Moral development(Piaget &Lawrence Kohlberg)
3.Emotional development(Erik H. Erikson)
4.Development of sexuality ( Sigmund Freud)
5.Social development
6.Development of language and speech
7.Spiritual development (James W. Fowler)
1.Intellectual development:
Cognitive or intellectual development means the growth of a
child’s ability to think and reason.Its about how they organize their
minds,ideas and thought’s and understanding
information,reasoning,learning,remembering,problem solving and
thinking-develop from birth until adulthood.
Although potential mental ability is inherited and fixed at birth,the
rate and extent of its development are very much influenced by a
child’s environment.
PIAGET’S THEORY:
According to piaget, the child gradually develops co ordination of

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the various sensory inputs from touch, taste, smell, sight and sound
into an organized and objective understand of reality.
According to this theory , there are four major stages of
development.These stages describe the stages of normal intellectual
development, from infancy through
Adulthood. This includes thought, judgement and knowledge.4 stages
are:
1. Sensorimotor stage (birth to age 2)
2. Preoperational stage (from age 2 to age 7)

3. Concrete operational stage (from age 7 to age 11)

4. Formal operational stage (age 11+ - adolescence and adulthood)

Sensorimotor stage(0 to 2 years):From birth to 2 years of age, an
infant begins to understand the world around them by using their
senses and bodily movements. Experts call this the sensorimotor
stage.
At first, a baby uses their basic reflex movements, such as sucking
and waving their arms, to explore their environment. They also use
their senses of sight, touch, smell, taste, and hearing.
They don't yet know how things react, they're constantly experimenting

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with activities such as throwing things, putting things in their mouths,
and learning about the world through trial and error. The later stages
include goal-oriented behavior which brings about a desired result.
Between ages 7 and 9 months, infants begin to realize that an object
exists even if it can no longer be seen. This important milestone -- known
as object permanence -- is a sign that memory is developing.

The main achievement during this stage is Object Permanence -

knowing that an object still exists, even if it is hidden.It requires the
ability to form a mental representation of the object.

Preoperational stage :(2-7 YEARS)

In this stage they are pre occupied with symbols

in language,dreams and fantacy.The child displays five key
behaviors during this period:

 Imitation. This is where a child can mimic someone's

behavior even when the person they are imitating is no longer
in front of them.

 Symbolic play. A child starts to use objects as symbols,

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 projecting the properties of one object onto another; for
example, pretending a stick is a sword.
 Drawing. Drawing involves both imitation and symbolic
play. It begins as scribbles and develops into more accurate
abstract representations of objects and people.

 Mental imagery. The child can picture many objects in their

minds. They may ask the names of objects often to secure
these associations in their mind.

Verbal evocation of events. The child can use language to describe

and represent events, people, or objects from their past.

During the preoperational stage, the child is egocentric. This means

they only understand the world from their perspective and struggle to
see other peoples' points of view.

Concrete operational stage(7 to 11 years):Children's thinking

becomes less egocentric and they are increasingly aware of external events.
They begin to realize that one's own thoughts and feelings are unique and
may not be shared by others or may not even be part of reality.

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Formal operational stage (11 to 15 years):In the formal operational

stage,which is the final stage of cognitive development, a child learns
more sophisticated rules of logic. They can use logical roles to
understand abstract concepts and solve problems.The child is now
able to analyze their environment and make deductions. They move
beyond the limits of understanding objects and facts, toward
problem-solving. This involves creating theories about what is
possible based on their existing knowledge.The child can now use
their existing knowledge to create new theories about the world and
make predictions about what will happen in the future.

2.MORAL DEVELOPMENT: Moral development is the process

throught which childrendevelop proper attitudes and behaviors
toward other people in society, based on social and cultural norms,
rules, and laws.piaget and Kohlberg both discussed about this
development.

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According to piaget,moral development parallels mental development

and consists of 2 stages:Respect for the rules and sense of justice.

Stage 1: (3 to 11 years) :Piaget describes this stage as “ Mortality of

restrain”.Rules are considered scared because they are laid down by
parents.Punishment for Infraction of rules is compensatory.
Stage 2: ( above 12 years ) :Piaget decribed this stage as Mortality of
reciprocity or co operation.Adolscent can think abstractly and is
becoming sensitive to others,rules can be changed if this action is
advantageous to all.
Lawrence Kohlberg follows piagets footsteps.lawrence postulates six
stages of potential moral development organized with in three levels:
Pre conventional mortality,
Conventional mortality and
Post conventional mortality
Level 1 : Preconventional morality : Ego centricity : children
make moral judgements only on the basis of what will bring them a
reward or punishment.This level is divided into 3 stages.
Stage 0 :The good is what I like and want ( 0 - 2 years ).Infants and

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toddlers are egocentric,liking or loving that which helps them and
disliking or hating that which hurts them.
Stage 1 : Punishment obedience orientation (2 – 3 years ).The older
toddlers and young preschool children believe that if they are not
punished their acts are right.If they are punished ,their acts are wrong.
Stage 2 : Instrumental hedonism and concrete reciprocity ( 4 – 7
years )Children focus on pleasure motive.They consider those actions
right that meet their own needs or those of others.They carry out rules
to satisfy themselves or because of what others might do if they did
not carry them out.
Level 2 : Conventional morality :Correct behaviour is that those in
authority will approve and accept; If behaviour is not acceptable,
children feel guilty.At this level,there are two stages.
Stage 3 : Orientation to interpersonal relations of mutuality ( 7 or 8 -
9 years ) Children of early school age are becoming socially sensitive
and want to gain the approval of others.If their actions help them gain
the approval of their family peers
and teachers ,they are right. If disturbed relations result ,their actions
are wrong. Justice means reciprocity or equality between individuals.
Stage 4 : Maintenance of social order, fixed rules and authority

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( 10 -12 years ) Children want to what is right and what they consider
to be their duty.They obey rules of their own sake.
EX : They assume responsibilities on the school safety patrol and ,
when carrying out their duties ,show respect for those in
authority.They want to maintain order among their peers.
Level 3 :Post conventional morality :Adolescence and adulthood.
Adolscents make choices on the basis of
principles that have been thought about ,accepted ,and internalized.
This level has two stages:
Stage 5A :Social contract, utilitarian law-making perspective.
Stage 5B :Higher law and conscience orientation. Adolescents place
culturally appropriate values on attitudes and actions that benefit
society and that lead to co operation and the good of all. They think
in rational terms; they give as well as they talk, they do not want
something without paying for it, and if they belong to a group they
work towards its goals.
Stage 6 :Universal ethical principle orientation. This is the level of
highest moral value,is the period in which individuals can motivate
and evaluate themselves.

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They have reached the level of self actualization.If adolscents act
correctly,they have a feeling of rightness about
themselves.Regardless of what others might say,they do what they
think is right.They can obey the law but feel guilty if they have gone
against their own principles.
3.EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Personality is the composite
of physiological, psychological, and sociological qualities of the
individual.
ERIKSON Theory : In each stage of child’s emotional
development ,a central problem exists for which a solution should be
found.Solving each problem at the child’s particular stage of
development lays the basis for progress to the next stage.
Birth to one year ( Infant ):Sense of trust : Infants learn to trust the
adults, usually the parents who care for them and are sensitive to their
needs .A negative outcome of the period of infancy is a sense of mis
trust.
One year to three years (toddler):Sense of autonomy infants
develop from clinging ,dependent creatures into human beings with
mind and wills of their own.If children succeed in the developmental

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task of this stage in their maturing process sthey will have a degree of
self control cost caused not by fear but by feeling of self esteem . If
they dont succeed , they will doubt their own worth and that of others
and will have a sense of shyness , doubt and shame.
Three to six years ( The preschool child ):Sense of initiative.
Children at this age want to learn what they can do for themselves.
They have active imaginations, imitating adult behaviour and wanting
to share in adult activities. The positive, maturing outcome of this
force within children is a sense of initiative, delineated by conscience
or superego, which is developed from parental attitudes and
examples. The negative outcome is a personality overwhelmed by
guilt.
Six to twelve years ( The school age child ):Sense of industry
Children in this age group have a strong sense of duty.They want to
engage in tasks in their social world that they can carry out
successfully,and they want their success to be recognized by adults
and by their peers.The danger of this period is the development of a
sense of inferiority if the parents or the school except a level of a
achievement that children are unable to attain.

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Twelve years (The beginning of adolescence: Sense of Identity.The
sense of identity develops during adolescence. Adolescents want to
clarify who they are and what they roles in the society are to be .
Success in this periods brings self esteem , an attitude to the self that
is essential to the normal breaking away from dependency upon their
parents and to planning for their future. The dander is identity
diffusion , for their face in reality and in their dreams of their future
a life full of conflicting desires , possibilities and chances .
Late adolescence :Sense of Intimacy. After puberty, youths outgrow
the “gang age “, that age when they find it essential to belong to a
group. In adolescence, young people develop a sense of intimacy
with individuals of their own and the opposite sex and with
themselves. Failure to establish such intimacy results in
psychological isolation.
4.DEVELOPMENT OF SEXUALITY :
Sex of a child is determined genetically at the time of
conception, the development of a child’s sexuality after birth is
influenced by development in the physical, mental,emotional, and
sociocultural areas of living. Sexuality refers to the total quality of a

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human being from the time of birth,not just to the genitals and their
functions.Sexuality is a normal human process that expresses itself a
range of individual variability.It is related to many aspects of total
personality functioning,including cultural beliefs,attitudes, feelings
like loving and caring,sex roler stereotypes,self image, and body
image.It is also concerned with aesthetic and spiritual values and
beliefs of an individual.
FREUD THEORY:
Sexual feelings do not suddenly emerge during puberty
and adolescence.They are present from infancy and gradually change
from one form or state to another until adult sexual life is
achieved.Freud theory explained it in 5 stages
The Oral stage :(Infancy ) During this period ,the oral region or the
sensory area the mouth , provides the greatest sensual satisfaction for
infant
The anal stage :(Toddler) The greatest amount of sensual pleasure
for the toddler is obtained from the anal and urethral areas.
The phallic stage (preschool period): The site of greatest sensual
pressure is the genital region. The oedipal stage occurs in the later

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part of the phallic period. During this stage child loves the parent of
opposite sex .
The latency stage (school age ): At the beginning of latency stage
child has resolved or resolving oedipal conflict. During the latency
period children from close relationship with others of their own age
and sex.
The pubescent stage and Adoloscence (twelve years to
adulthood): During puberty secondary sexual characteristicts
appears in both .The same psychosexual conflicts that occur during
the oedipal period are revived.If children resolve the conflicts ,they
are free to enter into heterosexual relationships as adults.
5.Social development:
Socialization or social development means training a child in
the culture of the group. A newborn infant is not a social
being.Children are prepared for their adult roles through a process of
socialization that takes place from birth to adulthood.Children learn
to socialize by meeting and communicating with various ages and by
participating in the activities of family life and in the doings of their
Peer and community groups. A child who adjusts well with adult may

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unable to get with other children.With adult helped the child does
eventually learned to be one of the peer group either a children or a
follower depending on what contribution the child can make to be
group success in a particular activity.The child who can think up
group activities ,”sell” the idea to them and lead them to a successful
culmination of the project is likely to become their leader.As children
become engrossed in activities with the peer group,they do not love
their parents less but dependent on them less for physical care,
emotional support and a system of values.They become self reliant
and learn how to use their resources of their and the community.
6.Development of language and speech:
The term language development refers to the
increasing quantity,range, complexity of language and speech over a
period of time. Language is a complex system of grammatical and
semantic properties. The actual utterence of the language is the
speech. A child is receptive to language when the language is
understood,expressive of language when it is produced.Children are
able to understand the language before they are able to speak it.The
steps of pre lingual specch are the same for all children;Reflex

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vocalization, babbling,imitation of sounds ,and finally verbal
utterance.The rate of language and speech development and the
use of grammatical roles depend on the child’s level of intelligence
and neurological competence. The child’s articulation, or the ability
to pronounce words correctly. Articulation skills require the co
ordination of tongue and lower jaw. Auditary discrimination ,or the
ability to hear the difference between sounds, is also important in
speech development. Sound imitation and word production assists in
the child’s ability to articulate. Children are usually able to recognise
correctly articulated sounds before they can say them themselves.
Misarticulation: Misarticulation may occur in older preschool
children. One sound may be substituted for another, such as “soos”
“shoes”. The sounds blends that are among the last to be masterd are
dr, st,str,and fl. Children may continue to have such difficulties until
seven or eight years of age.
Vocabulary or semantic development: It proprogresses from infancy
throughout life by ten or twelve months the infant usually says the
first word having meaning.Vocabulary development then slows down

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while child is learning to walk.The most dramatic vocabulary takes
place between 18 months and 3 years of age.In general,the first born
child in a family develops language and speech earlier than those
children born later.Probably because of the attention received from
the adults.Girls learn language and speaks earlier than boys,probably
because boys have slower rates of neuro physiological maturation.
Development of language may be impaired or retarded by many
factors :Congenital defects of the oral cavity and nasopharynx
maternal deprivation, deafness ,mental retardation and emotional
problems.Also,children who have respiratory difficulties causing
problems in gas exchange or other illness or injury may use their
minimal energies in eating and breathing rather than speaking.
7.SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT:
It is a relious beliefs is basic to our idealised view of
American family life and is considered to be one of our basic
freedoms.A families religion may be closely tied to its cultural
background. It influences the families and interpersonal relationships
and responsilbilities.

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Summary :
Till now we have discussed about definition of growth and development ,principles , characteristics and stages of growth and
development,factors affecting growth and development,types of growth and theories of development.
Conclusion :
By the end of the class student’s gained knowledge regarding the principles ,characteristics ,stages of growth and development ,and factors
affecting growth and development
Bibliography :
“ DOROTHY MARLOW,S” text book of Pediatric Nursing , South asian edition , page no:101 – 113
“ MANOJ YADAV” text book of child health nursing , second edition , page no : 72 - 77

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