Lifespan Human Growth

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Lifespan Human Growth Development

• A study of the maturation changes within the
  human body and some associated health issues
  across the lifespan
• Dr Graham Dodd
• School of Health Sciences

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Lecture - References

• Santrock JW (2007), 3rd Ed., A Topical Approach
  to Life-Span Development, McGraw-Hill, Sydney
• Berk LE (2004), 3rd Ed., Development Through the
  Lifespan, Pearson Education, Sydney
• Broderick PC, Blewitt P, (2006), The Life Span
  Human Development for Helping professionals,
  Pearson Education, Sydney
• Feldman RS, (2006), Development Across the Life
  Span, Pearson Education, Sydney
• Craig GJ, Dunn WJ, (2007), Understanding Human
  Development, Pearson Education, Sydney
• Gallahue DL, Ozmun JC, (2006), 6th Ed.,
  Understanding Motor Development, McGraw-Hill,
  Sydney
• Gabbard CP, (2004), 4th Ed., Lifelong Motor
  Development, Pearson Education, Sydney.

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Life-span Perspective

• To examine only isolated segments of the life
  span is equivalent to studying isolated scenes
  from a film or play Hughes Noppe (1991)

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Human Growth Developmentalists Aim to

• Determine the common characteristic changes in
  behavior, function appearance across the
  lifespan
• establish when these occur
• describe what causes them
• determine if they can be predicted
• identify whether these are individual or universal

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TRANSACTIONAL MODEL OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
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Human Development

• Factors within the individual, the environment
  and the task affect the process of development
  throughout the lifestyle.

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Terms used by Developmentalists

• Because it is a multi-disciplinary Study many
  general terms are used to describe events,
  changes or phenomena
• The terms in some cases are used to refer to
  quite specific things

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HEREDITY

• 23 Pairs of chromosomes carry 1000s of genes
  that influence our muscle fibre type, hair color,
  eye color, personality, body build..
• Phenotype - what we see
• Genotype - genes and locations we get

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MATURATION

• Usually describes the successive tissue changes
  taking place until a final form is achieved

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GROWTH

• Refers to a change in quantity - an increase in
  body size

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DEVELOPMENT

• Process of change in the individuals level of
  functioning

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Other Developmental Terms

• Cephalocaudal - development from the head down
• Proximodistal - development from the centre out
• Differential - gradual refining of function
• Integration - neural integration to allow
  organisation
• Ageing - diminished capacity to regulate the
  internal environment (reducing the probability of
  survival)

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Observations of Human Growth Development

• Heredity, environment task requirements play
  interactive roles in development
• Stage-like development is more likely to be based
  on continual, cumulative changes

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Observations of Human Growth Development

• Development follows a definite and predictable
  pattern
• Development is aided by stimulation
• Although there may be certain critical periods,
  the human body has a unique ability to overcome
  adverse experiences or lack of any

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Growth Development Observations

• Early foundations are critical
• Social expectations exist for every stage of
  development
• All individuals are different

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Periods of Lifespan and Phases of Development

• There is a complex interrelationship between the
  periods of human growth and the phases of
  development across the lifespan

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PERIODS OF LIFESPANPrenatal

• Significant stages of this period are the
  embryonic (up to 8 weeks) the fetal (8 weeks to
  birth) periods

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Development in the Pre-natal Environment

• A great variety of factors affect the normal
  course of human growth and development
• Many risk factors have been either suspected or
  proven to affect pre-natal development in a
  negative way
• These also affect motor behavior

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Embryonic Period

• 2nd to 8th week after conception
• Organogenesis - every major organ takes shape in
  its primitive form at least
• Placental barrier allows only small molecules
  (some are dangerous) to pass but not large blood
  cells of embryo and mother to mingle

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Fetal Period

• From 9th week until birth
• Organs formed earlier continue to grow and can
  suffer major malformations by harmful agents -
  but they can stunt growth and interfere with
  neuron developments and dendritic attachments

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Critical periods of pre-natal development
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Infancy (birth-2 years)

• A time of extensive dependency on adults
• A vital time for the beginnings of motor
  psychological behaviors

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Early Childhood (2-6 years)

• Time in which child begins independence and
  attends kindergarten and starts school
• An essential time for the acquisition of a wide
  range of fundamental motor skills through rich
  experiences

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Assessing Predicting Height
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Rate of increase in height

• Rapid growth 0-1yr
• More linear growth to puberty
• Growth spurt at puberty
• Boys generally a little taller than girls

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Later Childhood (6-12 years)

• A period of plateauing of physical growth
• Very little gender differences in performances
  and physical characteristics

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Adolescence (12-18 years)

• A period of rapid change - particularly the
  secondary sexual characteristics, height and
  weight
• Also an important time for the establishment of
  identity and independence

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Adulthood and Older Age (18 years and over)

• Young Adulthood (18-40 years)
• Middle-Age (40-60 years)
• Older Adulthood (60 years and over) An
  increased focus on older adult characteristics
  and behavior

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Height and Aging
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Physiological Peaking and Lifestyle
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Dose Response Relationship
Doing some physical activity is better than doing
none at all. A little is better than none, and
to a degree, more is better than less. Exercise
recommendations can emphasize the accumulation of
30 minutes of activity over the day as sufficient
to have important functional benefits.
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Dose-response Curve
Benefit
Activity Status
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Dose-response Curve
Benefit
Very Fit
Activity Status
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Dose-response Curve
Benefit
Moderate
Very Fit
Activity Status
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Dose-response Curve
Benefit
Sedentary
Moderate
Very Fit
Activity Status
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Summary
1. Caloric expenditure and total time of physical
activity are associated with reduced
cardiovascular disease incidence and
mortality 2. There is a dose response
relationship for this association 3. Regular
moderate physical activity may provide
substantial health benefits 4. Intermittent
bouts of activity, as short as 8 to 10 minutes,
totalling 30 minutes or more on most days provide
beneficial health and fitness effects.
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Health Status and Age
Excellent Good Adequate Poor Morbidity
General Health Status
Age
Sedentary lifestyle
Mid-adult onset training
Life-long training
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The Circle of Life