Physical Development of Children

Your child will grow and change a lot during her life. From the moment she is conceived she begins the growing process. At each age, your child's body will be doing something new and continuing something old--growing, developing new teeth, getting pubic hair and other developments. This is all part of the physical development process. To ensure that your child grows to her full potential, you should make sure she is provided with a balanced diet of nutrients, iron, calcium and vitamins.

Birth to Age 1

• Your child will develop considerably during this age. At 2 months, your child will focus on you when you speak or move. At 4 months, babies can control their head and lift their chest when you put them on their stomach. At 6 months, babies begin rolling from side to back. When your baby is about 8 months old, he will sit up on his own. At 10 months old, he should be able to crawl. When your baby reaches 1 year he will be able to walk on his own, or can be at least starting to walk.

Ages 1 to 3

• At this age your child will learn how to hop, walk, run and crawl onto couches and other surfaces. By the age of 2, your child should be able to run. At age 3, motor skills develop--stair climbing, riding tricycles and balancing on one foot is now common. Your child has developed muscles in her legs and arms that will help her become more balanced, and she will stop falling as much as she used to.

Ages 4 to 6

• At this age your child will grow 3 inches annually. Genetics and nutrition will play a large role in how big your child becomes at this stage. Appetites may become smaller and energy will rise. At this age, you should watch your child's sugar intake and iron. By making sure he gets enough proper nutrients, he will be at the physical level he should be. Vision will also improve--allowing your child to learn to read.

Ages 7 to 10

• At this age, your child will grow 2 to 3 inches per year. Her muscle mass will build--creating a leaner physique. Muscle coordination and balance continues to grow. Baby teeth are replaced with new permanent teeth. Faces begin to form with a new jawline to accommodate new teeth. Light hair may darken and hair textures may change--curly to straight or straight to wavy. In some cases, girls will start early puberty--growing pubic hair and forming breast buds.

Puberty

• Girls reach puberty before boys. At this age, girls begin to form breasts. They will also grow pubic hair. Boys will also grow pubic hair. The average height a child grows during puberty is 8 inches. Girls will start their menstrual cycle between the age of 11 and 13. Your child will enter a growth spurt during puberty and may grow to almost his full height. Males will secrete testosterone, and their voices will become deep due to an increase in muscle development.