• Children

  Filed under Types of massage
  Nov 15

   

  PERIODS OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS

  Pediatrics is a field of medical science whose object is a growing human organism (from birth to 18 years).

  The intensive growth and development are the processes most accurately characterizing a child’s body and at the same identifying characteristics that distinguish it from adults.

  During growth the child is constantly changing. For each of the age period certain features are inherent. It is therefore impossible to compare the newborn with a baby that has already reached the age of 1 month and so on. The younger the child, the faster it grows, the quicker the body size increases. Only after having familiarized with all developmental stages of a child it can be decided when this development process is running smoothly, and when it is not, timely note a variety of pathological changes occurring in children of appropriate age.

  The following children age periods are distinguished:

  Intrauterine or prenatal period (before birth)

  1) Foetus development (embryo) phase.

  1) Placental development (fetus or fetal) phase.

  Embryogenesis begins with the 3rd week after fertilization (during the first 2 weeks – blastogenesis) and ends in the third month of pregnancy (intrauteris period).

  At this stage, the most important organ rudiments begin. During this period, any violation may result in the death of foetus (embryo) (abortion), or a variety of birth defects (congenital formation of defects of organs or individual parts of the body). Embryo is very sensitive to viruses: rubella, influenza, hepatitis, polio and CMV.

  Pharmaceutical drug embriopathies: sulphonamides, antibiotics (especially tetracycline groups), hormones (corticosteroids, insulin), cytostatics, vitamins, quinine.

  Diabetic encephalopathy: 12% – gut atrophy, heart failure, limb development pathologies, skull and brain formation disorder, anencephaly.

  Fetopathies: Damage of the formed fetal structures or its separate tissues. Often occurs in cases of rhesus-conflict, diabetes, during infections of foetus (chickenpox, herpes, viral hepatitis, congenital syphilis, toxoplasmosis). In cases of such infections appropriate fetal disorders are common: encephalomyelitis, myositis, necrosis, congenital hepatic diseases turning into cirrhosis, neonatal pneumonia. Fibroblastosis, mucoviscidosis, calcinosis, adrenogenital syndrome, children’s cerebral paralysis (CCP), hypertrophy of pilor muscle – and the result of all this -aborts, miscarriages, neonatal health problems or death.

  Neonatal Period

  This stage lasts from the moment of birth to 1 month.

  Since the first breath of the newborn the following begins:

  1) breathing with lungs (they are leveling off, wrinkles vanish);

  2) change in blood circulation system (the small circle of blood circulation);

  3) change in kidney and gastrointestinal activity;

  4) occurrence of self-thermoregulation.

  Neonatal period is a period during which the baby is adjusting to new living conditions. During this period, certain pathological transition reactions are possible: physiological jaundice, physiological weight loss, transient hyperthermia, physiological erythema and so on.

  Neonatal period may reveal fetal development disorders (birth defects, heart failure), as well as the consequences of birth trauma: intra-cranial injury, clavicle fracture, uterine upper limb paralysis, spinal cord injury.

  Disorders occurring during neonatal period:

  Infection of navel cut (omfalitis);

  Skin disorders: pyoderma, neonatal pemphigus, infant flegmona, purulent mastitis, septicemia, jaundice, pneumonia (lung atelectasis – exhalation, aspiration pneumonia).

  Congenital musculoskeletal system deformations:

  1) congenital hip dislocation;

  2) Congenital talipes

  3) Torticollis.

  Chromosome diseases:

  1) Mongolism;

  2) Seresevskij-Turner syndrome.

  Gene diseases:

  1) Phenylketonuria.

  Characteristics of a newborn:
  Data During birth At the age of 1 year
  Weight 2500 to 5000 (approximately 3400 g) Increases three times
  Height Around 50 cm + 25 cm
  Head size 32 – 33 cm + 10 cm
  Chest size 30 – 31 cm + 15 cm

  The child’s body proportions are very different from adults. The head is 1 / 4 of the whole body (of adult – 1 / 8). Skull head is larger than the facial. Cuneiform fontanelle (including the forehead and occipital part) is open and not accreted. Legs are short, the body is comparatively long. Thorax is short, barrel shaped, not brisk. The middle of the body is above the navel (for adults it is at the large femoral trochanter).

  The skin is soft, fragile, slightly puffy with dense vascular network.

  Muscular tissue is weakly developed. Muscle mass comprises 23% of the total body weight (for adults the average is about 43%). A typical bending limb muscle hypertone may occur; for this reason, the newborn stays in a characteristic recovery position: hands clamped to the body and the elbows bent, hands clenched into fists, so the thumb comes above all other fingers of the hand, legs set apart, bent both over knees, and hip joints.

  Nervous system. The cortex of the great hemispheres does not function (rest period). The movements of the newborn are involuntary, chaotic, jerky. Unconditional reflexes are very clear: sucking, swallowing, searching, throat and others. The newborn is alert only for a very short period of time, usually it sleeps (20 – 22 hours per day).

  All children’s organs and their systems have certain features, but we will analyse only the ones that should be known by a masseur – the skin, muscles and nervous system.

  Breast-feeding period

  From 1 month to 1 year.

  Characterized by intensive growth and constantly increasing body weight. The weight may increase three times. The height increases by up to 25 cm. The baby is not growing as fast in any other period. But most importantly, during the first year of life its motor, nervous and mental systems start forming. A transfer from reflex to independent neonatal movements, to the most basic motor development gives a result – independent walking. It is not possible to underrate the importance of this period. Human beings are not born – they become. At the birth of a baby its nervous system, compared to other organ systems is the least mature and insufficiently small. This is where the whole exceptional significance and meaningfulness of a man, as an individual is located. Nervous system is forming slowly and it needs the influence of other (adult) humans. Animals are born much more mature and far more accustomed to their home environments. The lower class the animal belongs to, the better adapted his offspring are born.

  But, nevertheless, the development of these systems, which are still in their formation stages can be influenced; when the brain is already fully formed it is no longer possible to replace what is missed. Example: abandoned children, Maugli.

  In the absence of tactile, visual or acoustic stimuli, the baby’s nervous-psychological reactions slow down (in case of complete isolation from the auditory or visual stimuli, they would grow up deaf and blind). Neonatal brain weight is relatively large – 1/ 8 of body weight, and of adult – 1/ 40 of his body weight. During the first 6 months of the child’s life brain weight increases by 85% (it is important that fontanelle would not be closed too early). From 7 years the brain completely ceases to grow.

  Bends and curves of infant brain are not very sharp. Gray coat of the brain is not yet fully removed from the white. Although the newborn has the same number of nerve cells in large hemispheres as adults, they are still immature and are formed differently.

  Diseases and illnesses of this period:

  I. Gastrointestinal diseases:

  1) dyspepsia (normal, toxic);

  2) chronic eating disorder (hypotrophy).

  II. Respiratory diseases:

  1) Pneumonia AVRI (acute viral respiratory infection);

  2) acute laryngitis (croup).

  III. Diathesis:

  1) exudate-catarrhal;

  2) 2) lymphatic hypoplastic

  3) 3) neuro-arthritic.

  IV. Rickets (spasmophilia).

  VA Infectious diseases:

  1) pertussis;

  2) chicken pox;

  3) diphtheria.

  VI. Nervous system diseases:

  1) encephalopathy;

  2) CCP;

  3) uterine paralysis.

  VII. Support-movement (motor) system (SMS) disorders:

  1) torticollis;

  2) talipes;

  3) hip joint dysplasia.

  Early pre-school age

  From 1 to 4 years.

  Characterized by further growth and development of the child (but growth energy is slightly reduced). The central nervous system dominates. Children become acquainted with the environment. Formation of motor skills (Children learn running, jumping). Language is evolving. Indeed, 2 – 4-years of the child’s life are the first critical period of his mental health formation. Pedagogical correction is particularly important in this period. In order to not disturb the child’s neuro-mental development, it is necessary to constantly explain, read, tell stories a lot.

  During this age period children are very inquisitive, always ask a lot, and the responsibility of an adult is not to suppress this interest. It is called “asking why” age. And all the questions of children must be answered, you cannot just get rid of them by categorically saying “Go away!”. Children need to accumulate experience.

  Diseases of this period:

  I. Gastrointestinal disorders:

  II. ARVI, other infectious diseases: measles, chicken pox, scarlet fever, pneumonia, obstructive bronchitis, croup.

  III. Poisoning by drugs.

  IV. Nervous system disorders, CCP.

  VA Bearings – movement disorders: talipes, torticollis, dysplasia.

  VI. Foreign body access to the nose, ears, lungs, stomach or intestine.

  Pre-school age
  From 4 to 7 years.

  1. The predominant role of the body’s functions and the child’s nervous-mental activity.

  2. Muscles get stronger, bone skeletal derivatives become harder.

  3. Milk-teeth are falling.

  The period of 6 to 8 years is particularly distinguished – it is the second critical and very important period in the child’s age. It is also the best period for child teaching (language, music, some kinds of sport). At this stage, the child must be interested in science, sometimes forced to do so, to foster a responsible attitude and attention to learning, to habituate to help with housework, and etc. If this moment is missed, the child will not be trained diligence, self-regulation, regime and his further education may become very complicated. This is the most important period for child’s training and education.

  Diseases of this period:

  I. Infections: chickenpox, infectious hepatitis, scarlet fever, rubella (as the number of contacts with the environment and children is growing).

  II. Injuries (lack of experience, lack of adult control).

  III. Nervous system disorders (enuresis).

  Junior school age

  The period of adolescence, from 7 to 12 years.

  1. Muscle tissue, bearing-movement system continues to develop (although growth slows during this period).

  2. Teeth are finally replaced by permanent teeth.

  3. The character is formed further and intelligence develops.

  Diseases of this age period:

  I. Injury (1st place, 25 – 45% of cases are cranial trauma).

  II. Heart diseases (rheumatic fever, chorea).

  III. Nervous system disorders (neurosis, enuresis).

  IV. Scoliosis. Osteochondropathies.

  Senior school age
  Sexual maturation period from 12 to 18 years.

  1. The child’s physical and mental development terminates.

  2.The rapid formation of endocrine system. A change in the child’s appearance. Secondary sex characteristics occur (the gonad, the pineal gland, pituitary gland activity get more active).

  3. This period is another “step up”, the legs get apparently longer. The growth of facial and skull head is also occurring. Sharp features emerge. There are no more movements of grace.

  4. Instability is inherent to emotions, frequent changes not only in the mood, but also in feelings. Various efforts to express his or her self.

  There is always a number of problems with children of this age.

  Diseases common to this period:

  I. Endocrine disorders (endocrinopathies).

  II. Vegetative vascular dystonias. Neuroses.

  III. Scoliosis. Ostechondropathies.

  MASSAGE AND GYMNASTICS IN PEDIATRICS

  During the first years of life, massage and physical exercises have significant influence on a child’s development.

  1. Ensures normal child’s development (not only the physical but also mental).

  2. Helps to develop children’s resilience to effects of external factors.

  3. Tempers the body

  The daily regime of a baby during the first year of its life has certain objective features: the child sleeps a lot, its movements are limited because of muscle hypertone and limb constraint by swaddling; respiratory (as well as abdominal) muscles are weak. All this inevitably requires to supplement the child’s day with preventive (hygienic) massage and gymnastic exercises.

  No Comments

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.