physical

• infancy= 0-2 yrs
• early childhood= 3-8 yrs
• adolescence= 9-18 yrs
• early adulthood= 19-45 yrs
• middle adulthood= 46-65 yrs
• later adulthood= 65+ yrs
• In H&SC, the stages of life are broken down; the ages attached to each life stage are really only a rough guide to human growth and development.
• Each individual grows and develops in unique ways.
• Growth is variable across different body parts and is a change of size, weight or height which is easy to measure.
• Development is the acquisition of new skills, knowledge and abilities for example, being able to count, write and handle our own feelings.
• During our life there are rapid periods of growth during infancy and puberty these are known as growth spurts.
• Development happens holistically, this means that areas of development are dependent on and influence each other.
• Development starts in the mother’s womb, what the mother does whilst pregnant has a massive impact on the development of their unborn child.
• Liver and liver products have lots of vitamin A in them which can be harmful to an unborn baby.
• raw or undercooked meat shouldn't be eaten whilst pregnant as there's a small risk of getting toxoplasmosis which can cause miscarriage.
• Any unpasteurised cow's milk, goats' milk or sheep's milk is to be avoided whilst pregnant because they may contain listeria- which is a bacteria that causes an infection called listeriosis and can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or make your new-born baby very unwell.
• When women are pregnant it is recommended they take a vitamin supplement which contains folic acid and iron.
• Folic acid is very important because it can help prevent some major birth defects of the baby's brain and spine.
• smoking while pregnant: causes birth defects, low birth weight, tissue damage to lungs and brain, and miscarriage/premature birth.

  ~it can even lead to the child having cleft lip.
• drinking alcohol while pregnant: can cause foetal alcohol syndrome, stunted intellectual and physical development to baby, placenta disruption or miscarriage.
• doing drugs while pregnant: can cause birth defects, the baby becoming addicted and experiencing withdrawal, miscarriage, stillbirth, or premature birth
• Gross motor skills large movements that involve using control and coordination of larger muscles such as arms, legs and torso.

  Children will develop these first and they include sitting up, standing, cruising, walking and running.
• Fine motor skills involve smaller movements that require more precise dexterity and use smaller muscles in the fingers, toes, lips and tongue. These small movements require practice and include holding a rattle, turning pages in a book, buttoning clothing and writing.
• Throughout early childhood children’s gross and fine motor skills continue to develop- they are able to walk, run, jump, throw, catch, ride a bike, and ride a scooter.
• The body reaches full physical maturity between the ages of 18 and 20. In adolescence, bodies will change as they reach sexual maturity.
• During adolescence, young people experience a period of change called puberty- this starts when the brain releases chemicals called hormones.
• In girls, oestrogen and progesterone are responsible for causing the eggs to mature in the ovaries and maintaining he uterus lining.

  The luteinising hormone (LH) stimulate the release of the egg.
• In males, testosterone stimulates sperm production.
• When these reproductive hormones do not work as they should, fertility problems can occur.
• Primary sexual characteristics: the processes that are related to the sex organs that are present at birth e.g. ovaries, vagina, testes, penis and mature when sex hormones are released.
• Secondary sexual characteristics: appear during puberty and are not necessary for reproduction. They develop when sex hormones are released.
• By the age of 19 young adults have reached their full height and strength, their reaction time and manual dexterity are also at their peak.
• There is a gradual decline in physical ability towards the end of early adulthood particularly if the individual has had an unhealthy diet and not taken regular exercise.
• During middle adulthood, physical capabilities begin to decline and muscle tone is not as good, loss of skin elasticity. People feel they have lower energy levels than in early adulthood.
• During middle adulthood, most women go through the menopause (45-55)- women produce less oestrogen and the menstrual cycle eventually stops by the end of this life stage.
• People feel they have lower energy levels in later adulthood.

  Sight and hearing tend to decline Hair becomes greyer and some men lose more hair and can become bald.

  Men also produce less testosterone and live sperm production decreases.
• By a woman’s early forties they gradually begin to make less oestrogen – the ovaries stop producing an egg each month. This is stage is referred to as the perimenopause transition and lasts until menopause.
• During peri-menopause woman will likely experience: irregularity in menstruation leading to an eventual cessation of periods

  Difficulties with becoming pregnant due to irregular ovulation.

  Hot flushes due to hormonal fluctuations which lead to insomnia/sleeping problems.

  Loss of libido/sex drive often due to vaginal dryness/pain during intercourse.
• The menopause (sometimes called the "change of life") is the end of menstruation, caused by a change in the balance of the body's sex hormones, which occurs as you get older.

  It happens when your ovaries stop producing as much of the hormone oestrogen and no longer release an egg each month.
• Making simple dietary and lifestyle changes can often improve your menopausal symptoms.

  For example, eating a healthy, balanced diet and taking plenty of regular exercise can help you avoid putting on extra weight, which can often occur during the menopause.