11.3: Body Growth and Motor Development
- Page ID
- 232871
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- Describe the changes in body size and proportions that occur from birth through toddlerhood.
- Explain how body proportions, particularly head size, affect early motor development.
- Recognize the signs and significance of growth spurts and how they may temporarily affect behavior and feeding patterns.
Proportions
In addition to their large head, infants also have large eyes, a small mouth and nose, and relatively fat cheeks. These features make babies appear cute, causing an attraction to take care of them (Kringelback et. al, 2016). Despite some of the unpleasant aspects of infant care (such as smells, round-the-clock feeding schedules, and bodily fluids), most adults still protect and nurture babies because of the profound effect their facial features have on us.
Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\). Young infant. Image by Nihal Karkala is in the public domain.
Weight and Length
Infants typically double their birthweight by 5 months and triple it by their first birthday (Berk, 2013). During this time, babies also grow in length, increasing about 10 inches, or 50% of their birth length, in their first year. The tremendous physical growth experienced during the first year will never be experienced at the same rate again. By the second year, growth has slowed but remains steady. Two-year-olds are approximately half the height they will be in adulthood. However, while height is highly genetic, the environment still plays a role in reaching its maximum potential (e.g., nutrition, environmental toxins, etc.)
To track the growth of infants and toddlers, healthcare providers use growth charts. These charts compare a child's weight and height to those of others of the same age and sex, helping doctors see if the child is developing at a typical rate. Concerns may be raised if a child's rate of growth changes dramatically from one check-up to the next.
One thing to note, is that while growth charts show growth on a seemingly continuous curve, growth doesn’t happen in a steady, continuous way; instead, babies grow in spurts, meaning they may grow quickly at some times and more slowly at others (Berk, 2013). This is normal and part of how each child’s body develops in its own way. An increase in the infant's appetite or irritability (Robock, 2023), as well as a change in sleep pattern (usually sleeping longer or taking more naps) may signal that a spurt is about to occur.
References, Contributors and Attributions
Kringelbach, M. L., O'Doherty, J. P., Rolls, E. T., & others. (2016). The human orbitofrontal cortex: Linking reward to hedonic experience. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 17(5), 307-318. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2016.28
Robock, K. (2023, 13 June). Signs your baby is going through a growth spurt. Today's Parent. Retrieved from: https://www.todaysparent.com/baby/si...-growth-spurt/