Child Development Stages

Children's Development

• Children are vital to a nation's present and future, and families are committed to providing them with every advantage possible to fulfill their potential.
• There are eight stages of life development: prenatal, infant, toddler, preschooler, school age, adolescent, adult, and old age.

School Age Child Development

• School age children are between 6-12 years old, with a global population of around 900 million to 1 billion as of 2022.
• During this stage, children may exhibit observable differences in height, weight, and build, and have smooth and strong motor skills.
• Fine motor skills may vary widely, affecting abilities such as writing, dressing, and performing chores.
• Frequent physical complaints like sore throats, tummy aches, or arm or leg pain may be due to increased body awareness.
• Peer acceptance becomes more important during this stage.

Lifestyle of School Age Child

• The lifestyle of a school age child revolves around attending school, doing homework, participating in extracurricular activities, spending time with family and friends, and engaging in hobbies or interests.
• They need a balance of playtime, rest, healthy meals, and regular exercise to support their physical and mental development.

Factors Influencing Eating Patterns

• Family environment, peer influence, school environment, media and advertising, nutritional knowledge, cultural and societal norms, availability and accessibility of healthy foods, personal preferences, and physical activity levels can shape children's dietary choices and behaviors.
• Parental guidance, encouragement, and modeling of healthy eating behaviors can also impact children's dietary habits and attitudes toward food.

Recent Trends in Eating Patterns

• School age children need healthy foods and nutritious snacks, eating 4-5 times a day, with family, friends, and the media influencing their food choices.
• They are often attracted to convenient, processed, and high-sugar foods, and may exhibit picky eating behavior.

Candy Consumption

• Candies can be used as occasional treats or rewards, but excessive consumption can lead to addiction, unhealthy weight gain, nutritional imbalance, and other negative health impacts.
• Factors contributing to candy addiction include sugar rush, reward system, and peer influence.

Negative Impact of Sweetmeats

• Excessive candy consumption can lead to dental health issues, unhealthy weight gain, nutritional imbalance, energy fluctuations, behavioral issues, addiction, and poor dietary habits.
• Other potential health issues include increased risk of type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, nutrient absorption interferences, poor concentration and learning, disrupted sleep patterns, and increased risk of chronic diseases.

Health Education and Alternatives

• Health education should focus on the health hazards of sweetmeats, including dental health, nutritional imbalance, energy fluctuations, addiction, and gastrointestinal issues.
• Alternatives to sweetmeats include fresh fruits, dried fruits, vegetables, yogurt, homemade trail mix, smoothies, popcorn, whole-grain crackers, and homemade baked goods.