DVT - Physical Development Lesson

 

Physical Development

Newly born infants come armed with a collection of physical and sensory capabilities. They turn their heads toward human voices. They can see clearly only from 8-12 inches away from their faces. They stare at objects that look like human faces longer than at obviously non-human objects. They pay more attention to new stimuli than familiar stimuli. Newborns also exhibit the following reflexes.

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Reflexes begin to fade away and new behaviors take their place. The process of physical development occurs in the same order in all humans, although the timing may vary for some. While the average age to begin walking is 12 months, some humans begin sooner or later, yet all will sit up and begin crawling before walking occurs. This process of development is called maturation.

The human body continues to grow with few major changes until it hits puberty. Menarche occurs in females and the first ejaculation occurs in males; these events mean that a human is now capable of reproduction. While the primary sex characteristics (ovaries/vagina and testes/penis) developed during the prenatal period, during puberty new sexual characteristics occur. During this stage, the development of secondary sex characteristics make the differences between males and females more apparent. In females, breasts and hips begin to increase in size. In males, body and facial hair develops as the voice deepens.

People stop growing within a few years of puberty. Another major change isn't apparent until a female reaches menopause, when her monthly cycles end and she is no longer capable of reproduction. Around age 70, most people note a major decline in abilities, losing some ability to smell, see, and taste at the same time they see a decline in muscle strength and stamina. After age 80, cognitive ability slows.

 

 

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