From the age of 3 to 7 years, children change very much - from chubby babies they suddenly turn into thin, chatting incessantly, having their own position and point of view of boys and girls. How do children change over these 4 years? What are the anatomical and physiological characteristics of preschool children? What is typical for preschoolers and how to recognize pathology?
Three years is a crisis age
Three years is the first difficult age not only for the child, but also for his parents. Of course, crises covered the baby before, but, compared with this age crisis, all of them are likely to be quickly forgotten.
The crisis of three years is not inferior in strength and frequency to the teenage one. Three years is the time of the formation of new relationships with the outside world, the search for active contacts with adults and peers.
Children of this age are active, rapidly developing, gaining new and improving existing skills in all areas - self-care, speech, mental reactions.
Of the anatomical and physiological characteristics of children of primary preschool age, it should first be distinguished:
- insufficient thickness of the skin, which still poorly cope with the thermoregulatory function;
- increased heart rate and low blood pressure;
- insufficient ossification of the skeleton;
- underdevelopment of inhibition systems in the nervous system.
Physiology of Three Years
At the age of three years, children have approximately the following indicators:
- Height: 95 cm + 4.3 cm.
- Number of deciduous teeth: 15-20.
- Weight: 11.5 kg + 2 kg.
- Head circumference: 47 cm.
- Chest circumference: 50.7 cm + 2 cm.
The physiological characteristics of preschool children include a slowdown in growth and weight gain, while the proportions of the body noticeably change. The muscular system is strengthened, the child tends to move more, but control over the movements has not yet been developed, so injuries are characteristic of this age.
Mental development of a younger preschooler
The leading process in the mental development of a three-year-old child is perception. He quickly learns the world in gaming activities. His attention is still not stable, but positive dynamics is noticeable - by 4 years the baby will be able to devote one lesson for about 10 minutes.
The child already analyzes and compares objects and objects of reality, but memory remains involuntary. It is easiest to remember what is accompanied by movement.
The anatomical and physiological characteristics of preschool children are such that at the age of three years, not all sounds are still present in the child’s speech - “c”, “h”, “c”, “w”, “w”, “h”, “u "," l "and" p "will appear a bit later. During this period, speech continues to be dialogic and predominantly situational. The child's vocabulary ranges from 1,500 to 2,000 words. Verbs and adjectives begin to appear in speech. Imagination is still very poorly developed.
4 years - emphasis on physical development
Four years is a new stage in the development of a preschooler. The crisis of three is already behind, the child has learned to cope with some emotions, partially regained his freedom. There comes a calm period when the baby is busy knowing himself and the world.
The main indicator of normal development are weight and height. At 4 years old, the weight ranges from 11-19 kilograms, and the growth is 96-114 centimeters. The child is very mobile, but the anatomical and physiological characteristics of children of early preschool age do not allow him to properly coordinate their movements. Injuries are still common.
Little fidgets should be given to the sports section for general physical training, and if possible, spend as much time as possible in the fresh air. On the street you need to offer your child outdoor games.
The psychological state of a four year old child
The psycho-emotional state of the four-year-old is still very unstable - it is easily susceptible to feelings, it is captured, but it is also easily distracted and forgets.
The spectrum of feelings increases - now the baby is already aware when he feels sadness, shame, resentment or disappointment. The rudiments of empathy are formed - the child reads the mood of a loved one and empathizes with or shares joy with him.
Intelligence, Speech and Motility
Intellectual development is easily explained by the anatomical and physiological characteristics of preschool children. The brain of a four-year-old child has almost reached the brain volume of an adult, but most neural connections are still not formed, and the right and left hemispheres are equally developed.
Leading remains the gaming activity. The child actively learns the world, associative thinking develops. The vocabulary is increasing, dialogical speech is being replaced by monologue - more and more often the child is commenting on his game, humming songs of his own composition.
The development of fine motor skills is closely related to speech. It is still very important to conduct classes on its development - games with cereals, beads, a small designer. You can begin to prepare your hand for writing - at this age, the child must sculpt and draw a lot.
It's time to start short classes in letters and numbers, read to the baby, and solve riddles. The anatomical and physiological characteristics of preschool children still do not allow them to hold their attention for a long time, so such classes should not last longer than 10-15 minutes.
5 years - the heyday of independence
A five-year-old child is no longer a charming three-year-old baby, and not even a hyperactive four-year-old. Five years is the time for the development of the logical and creative abilities of the baby.
A child at this age strives for independence, defends his point of view, argues a lot. Intelligence is actively developing and new neural connections are being formed.
A preschooler eagerly absorbs new knowledge, but the anatomical and physiological characteristics of preschool children are such that they are not able to concentrate on one lesson for a long time. This should be taken into account by teachers when constructing developing classes - they should not exceed 20-25 minutes with a mandatory active physical minute.
Visual and effective thinking is replaced by figurative and fantasy begins to actively develop. At the same time, fears appear - darkness, loneliness, confined space and many others.
Time for sports
The physiological characteristics of the development of preschool children at five years of age imply the development of flexibility, dexterity, coordination of movements, strength and ability to navigate in space. Together with rapid intellectual development, this creates an excellent base for the first test in sports.
At the age of five, the child is already able to learn the rules of team games, listen and hear the coach. Classes in general physical training can be gradually replaced by conscious forms of physical activity - sports or dancing.
The brain structure and skeleton of the child are actively growing and developing. Over the past year, the child gained 2-2.5 kilograms and stretched 5-7 centimeters.
Physiology of a six year old child
Six years is a transitional age in the life of a child. Motor activity is still at the head of its development, while the craving for cognitive activity is increasing.
Anatomical and physiological characteristics of preschool children at 6 years of age imply the active development of the musculoskeletal system, small muscle groups, the differential development of the central nervous system, and the strengthening of the cardiovascular system.
A big leap is taking place in the development of the mental and mental sphere.
Senior preschool age
At six years old, a volitional effort is formed in the child. He can choose a task for himself and keep his attention on it for quite a long time. The imagination continues to develop, the baby begins to better distinguish his fantasies from reality.
The child uses a vast vocabulary in speech, freely uses his native language, knows how to express his thoughts and feelings. He not only recognizes himself as a person with his own desires, but also knows how to measure them with his abilities and capabilities. Despite the increased independence, the preschooler is becoming more flexible and open to dialogue.
When building relationships with a six-year-old child, the anatomical and physiological characteristics of older preschool children should be taken into account. The kid still needs the support of an adult, but his increased physical and mental abilities cannot be ignored. Independence and initiative should be encouraged, the child should be able to communicate with peers and adults - coaches, family friends, teachers and mentors.
From kid to schoolboy
Briefly, the anatomical and physiological characteristics of preschool children can be formulated in the following paragraphs:
- Growth slows down to 5 centimeters, weight gain - up to 2 kilograms per year.
- The pulse rate decreases, blood pressure increases.
- The skin is thickened.
- The final ossification of the skeleton begins. This process will take several years, so it is still necessary to monitor the child’s posture.
- Muscle mass builds up, differentiation of muscle fibers begins.
- The chest takes the form of a cylinder, the ribs occupy the same position as in an adult.
- The respiratory volume of the lungs increases - the need for oxygen in a 6-year-old child is almost twice as much as in an adult.
- The gastrointestinal tract continues to develop - the volume of the stomach and the length of the intestine increase.
- The volume of the eyeball increases, deep vision begins to develop. Acuity reaches the level of an adult.
- The immune system continues its active formation.
- Increased severity of hearing.
- The first gender differences are manifested. This is due to the development of the endocrine system - the pituitary, adrenal gland and thyroid gland.
- There is a big leap in the development of the baby’s nervous system and its mental development. The beginnings of intelligence and thinking are formed.
Pathologies and deviations in the development of preschool children
Under adverse circumstances - moral or physical - the normal development of the child may be impaired, as a result of which various pathologies are formed. They can be physical, social, pedagogical and mental. Unfortunately, not every of these deviations is able to notice or distinguish from character traits even an experienced parent. That is why it is so important to undergo a medical examination in a timely manner.
Focusing on the average indicators of age-related physiological characteristics of preschool children, parents can independently monitor the development of the child, and if a pathology is suspected, consult a doctor immediately. You should be alert if:
- the child fantasizes too much or, conversely, is too primitive in his fantasies;
- demonstrates infantile reactions that are not characteristic of age - screams, cries, falls in hysteria to the floor for any minor reason;
- unable to comply with the ban even in game situations;
- Too aggressively reacts to prohibitions and remarks;
- builds relationships with peers with difficulty;
- does not show interest in knowledge;
- moves a little, is not interested in outdoor games;
- restless and absent-minded.
All these signs may indicate impaired responses of excitation and inhibition in the brain. If you suspect a pathology, you should immediately consult a pediatrician and a pediatric neurologist.