Child development refers to the biological and psychological and emotional changes that

occur in human beings between birth and the end of adolescence then through adulthood, as
the individual progresses from dependency to increasing autonomy.

GROWTH refers to a quantitative change. All organisms including the humans increase in
size as they grow older. Their responsive behaviours also increase in number as time passes
on and life situations vary. This is an index of quantitative change and is called growth.
Growth is only one aspect of the larger process of development. There is a physical increase
in the size of the body, increase in weight, height, etc. Also, there is a change in form and
increase in the measured complexity of body parts and their functioning.

DEVELOPMENT refers to a qualitative progressive change during which behavioural traits

emerge in orderly ways and results in acquisition of skill and abilities that are complex. The
changes last for a reasonable period of time. These quantitative changes accumulate to form a
noticeable change of behaviour pattern.

Growth refers to the incremental changes in physical characteristics such as height, weight,
size, etc., while development refers to qualitative changes to growth in an orderly and
meaningful fashion which results in maturity. Growth and development contribute to each
other, are inseparable, and occur simultaneously.

THE MAIN AREAS OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

• PHYSICAL : includes changes to the size and function of the body(weight, height,
muscles, systems, organs), the development of motor skills and a change in
appearance. Childhood and early adolescence are the major periods of physical
development. However, many changes occur well into adulthood. For example,
physical development occurs during pregnancy.

• EMOTIONAL: (extend trusting relationships to other adults and children, show a

strong sense of self as an individual, recognise feelings, label their own feelings).

• SOCIAL : is the way a person expresses emotions, internalizes knowledge and

interacts with others. Parents serve as the primary agents of socialization from birth
until a child enters school. At that point, peer groups impact social development.
Although social development does not typically occur in adulthood, certain situations,
such as entering the workplace, do affect social development and change the way a
person interacts with others. Children enjoy playing alongside other children, but
won’t interact a great deal with them, show awareness of others’ feelings and might
try to give basic help, look to adults for comfort.

• COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT : is the process of learning, reasoning and thinking.

Cognitive development occurs primarily during childhood and adolescence. Parents
play an important role in this process. Children typically learn more reasoning skills
in the home where they are given explanations of abstract ideas. On the other hand,
the school is where children are taught the process of learning new information.

• SPIRITUAL : (concerns the broad search for transcendental meaning that may be as
simple as a young child’s inquiries into how the world came into being)
• INTELLECTUAL : The Sensorimotor Stage: A period of time between birth and age
two during which an infants knowledge of the world is limited to his or her sensory
perceptions and motor activities. Behaviors are limited to simple motor responses
caused by sensory stimuli. The Preoperational Stage: A period between ages two and
six during which a child learns to use language. During this stage, children do not yet
understand concrete logic, cannot mentally manipulate information and are unable to
 take the point of view of other people. The Concrete Operational Stage: A period
between ages seven and eleven during which children gain a better understanding of
mental operations. Children begin thinking logically about concrete events, but have
difficulty understanding abstract or hypothetical concepts. The Formal Operational
Stage: A period between age twelve to adulthood when people develop the ability to
think about abstract concepts. Skills such as logical thought, deductive reasoning and
systematic planning also emerge during this stage.
The human life span has been divided into the stages of :

from birth to 2 years of age, the period of the most

a) Infancy :
rapid growth, the child is totally dependent on the caregiver.
b) Childhood : from 2 to 12 years of age, learns about numbers, colours, shapes and thinking
and interest develops rapidly, reasons for everyday events.

c) Adolescence : from 12 to 18 years of age. Puberty refers to the stage around 11-14 years
of age, when there is a spurt in physical characteristics. Rapid increase in height, growth and
weight and the emergence of secondary sexual characteristics (face hair, pubic hair).
Conflicts due to peer pressure occur, there will be needs for emotional adjustment.

d) Adulthood : 18 years and above, the ability to support oneself economically, adulthood
typically involves working, getting married, settle down, raise family, physical changes are
complete and the person is preparing for ones livelihood.

Growth and development in children is nearly always a sequential process. However,

negative experiences, such as child abuse or witnessing a traumatic event, can delay the
growth and development process.

Significance of Child Development

Child development are the natural changes that occur to a child as he or she grows older and
develops (physically, biologically, mentally, emotionally, socially and more). The first 5 years
are possibly the most critical and extremely important in child development. These are every
child's "foundation years" which shape and impact the child's future in regards to growth,
health, development, happiness, learning ability and more.
Research indicates that while the first five years of a child's life are very important, it' the first
three years that help build and structure the brain the most. While most people think a child is
too young at that age, it's these three years that fundamentally impact how a children
develops learning skills.

PRINCIPLES OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Development does not only see behaviour of any individual child at a particular stage, but
also looks into the involvement of all people concerned with the development of the child. It
is not only that a child grows and changes his behaviour but it is also necessary how other
people around him look at the child’s growing up and reconcile with his behavioural changes
at each stage.

The principles listed below govern all aspects of development—physical, sensory-motor,

cognitive, mental, behavioural development as well as social- emotional development etc.
The following principles will help the adults around the child to perceive him and his
behaviour in the process of development, which at times seem inexplicable to the adults
surrounding him.

➢ Development follows a pattern:

Development occurs in orderly manner and follows a certain sequence. For example, the
human body cuts his molars before his incisors, can stand before he walks and can draw, a
circle before he can draw a square. Even the specific phases of development such as motor,
social and play follows a pattern also. Group play activity follows the self-centered play
activity. The child is interested in himself first before he can develop interest in other
children. He babbles before he talks, he is dependent on others before he achieves
dependence on self.

➢ Development Proceeds Directionally:

“The cephalo-caudal” principle refers to the fact that development (as well as growth) always
proceeds directionally from head to foot. We see this principle demonstrated in physical
growth simply by comparing the changes that take place in the comparative sizes of different
parts of the body. At birth baby’s heads are large in comparison to the rest of their bodies. As
children grow older, the rate of growth increases in the lower extremities of the body. As this
occurs, the head gradually begins to look smaller in relation to the rest of the body.
The other direction in which the body develops is known as “proximo-distal” fashion i.e. it
proceeds from areas closest to the central nervous system outward to the extremities of the
body. Therefore, arm muscles develop before finger muscles.

➢ Development proceeds from general to specific responses:

It moves from a generalised to localised behaviour. This can be observed in the behaviour of
infants and young children. This newborn infant moves his whole body at one time instead of
moving only one part of it. The baby waves his arms in General and makes random
movements before he is capable of such a specific response as reaching out for a specific
object. He makes random kicking with his legs before he can co-ordinate the leg muscles
well enough to crawl or to walk.
When given an unpleasant stimulus on any part of the body i.e. a pin-prick he reacts with the
entire body before he learns to restrict the movement to the particular part of the body which
is stimulated. In the emotional field, the baby first responds to all strange objects with a
general fear. Gradually, his fear becomes specific. He reaches out for the object as a whole
before he can hold its specific parts.

➢ Development Proceeds Qualitatively from Simple to Complex:

Development progresses qualitatively from simple to complex, from reflexive to habit
formation, from unsteady to bold and stable ones. The growth and developmental process
starts at the prenatal stage, as and when a single-celled organism at conception grows and
develops to a highly complex body structure along with variety of functions. The process by
which it takes place is known as development. It continues after the baby is born up to
maturational limit.

➢ Development is a continuous process:

Development does not occur in spurts. Although, it is suggested that there are definite
developmental stages such as ‘gang age’ or ‘adolescence’, yet it is a fact that growth
continues from the moments of conception until the individual’s reaches maturity. It takes
place at a slow regular pace rather than by ‘leaps and bounds’. Development of both physical
and mental traits continues gradually until these traits reach their maximum growth. For
example, speech does not come over-night. It has gradually developed from the cries and
other sounds made by the baby at birth.
The first teeth seem to appear suddenly, but they start developing as early as the fifth fetal
month: they cut through the gums about five months after birth. There may be a break in the
continuity of growth due to illness, starvation or malnutrition or other environmental factors
or some abnormal conditions in the child life.
Other psychologists tried to present some “developmental tasks” of life according to the
chronological sequence. According to Havinghurst, each of the major periods of life involves
some of the important physical, cognitive, social and emotional tasks which are to be
mastered at the proper and accepted developmental stage of the whole life span. Since
development is continuous, what happens at one stage influences all ensuing stages. People
change as a result of maturation and experience. Psychoanalytic theorists have pointed out
great importance of the experiences the child receives in the first year of life.
Particular emphasis has been laid on maternal affection he/she gets at that period, the lack or
loss of which can be expected to exhibit predictable social problems in later stages of
development. It is necessary, therefore, to study the facts of child development in order to
understand the behaviour of the adults.
Although the development is continuous and one stage merges gradually to the next one and
sometimes are overlapping in character, still development sometimes seem to be
discontinuous. This happens because development varies from age to age for any given child.
For some, it is not very smooth and gradual. Sudden spurts in development appear from time
to time, especially during the first two years of life and at puberty. A sudden noticeable
change appears at some stage which is entirely different from the previous stage.

➢ Although Development is Continuous Process, yet the Tempo of Growth it not

Even:
There are periods of accelerated growth and periods of accelerated growth. During infancy
and the early preschool years, growth moves swiftly. Later on it slackens Growth from three
to six is rapid but not so rapid as form birth to three years. In early adolescence it is again
rapid as compared to the period covering eight to twelve years.
 ➢ Different aspects of growth develop at different rates:
Neither all parts of the body grow at the same rate, nor do all aspects of mental growth
proceed equally. They reach maturity at different times. For example, the brain attains its
mature size around the age of six to eight years. It gains much in organisation after that. The
feet, hands and nose reach their maximum devolvement early in adolescence. Similarly,
creative imagination develops rapidly during childhood; it seems to reach its peak during
youth. Reasoning develops at a relatively slower rate.
Rote memory and memory for concrete objects and facts develop more quickly than memory
for abstract and theoretical materials. General intelligence reaches its peak, in most cases,
about the age of 16 years. Children probably learn more new things in the first five years of
life than in all the rest of their lives. Adolescence is marked by the most rapid development of
the genital systems and of certain definite social interests and emotional capacities which is
not so in other stage of development.

➢ All of the aspects of Growth are closely Inter-Related:

There is relationship between different aspects of development, for example: there is a
marked correlation between the rates of physical and mental development. Thus we can
surmise that the developmental stages emerged logically from the principles outlined in
previous section. According to these principles, the child develops in a systematic and orderly
fashion.The concept of the developmental stage becomes most useful when it is used to
describe not just one behaviour, but rather an interrelated and unifying set of behaviours
associated with a given age level.
It is impossible to understand the physical child without understanding him at the same time
as a child who thinks and has feeling. His mental development is intimately related to his
physical growth and its needs. Again, there is a close relationship between his total
adjustment to school and his emotions, his physical health and his intellectual adequacy. An
emotional disturbance may contribute to difficulties in eating or sleeping. A physical defect
may be responsible for the development certain attitudes and social adjustments.

➢ Growth is a Product of the Interaction both Heredity and Environment:

Neither heredity alone, nor the mere environment is the potent factor in the development of
an individual. But it is not possible to indicate exactly in what proportion heredity and
environment contribute to the development of an individual. The two work hand in hand from
the very conceptions. The environment bears upon the new organism from the beginning.
Among the environmental factors, one can mention nutrition, climate, the conditions in the
home, and the type of social organisation in which individual move and live, the roles they
have to play and other.

➢ Each Child Grows in his own Unique Way, There are wide individual
differences:
How much and how little individuals vary one from another has not yet been discovered as
definitely as the fact that they do differ. It is definitely indicated in various studies that the
differences in physical structure are less than the differences in intellectual capacity.
Similarly, it has been found out, that personality differences are far more marked than either
physical or intellectual differences.
Differences in special aptitudes seem to be the most marked of all. Individual differences are
caused by differences in hereditary endowment and environmental influences. Among the
environmental influences, the most important factors are food, climate health conditions,
opportunities for learning, motivation to learn, social relationships, codes of behaviour set up
by the social group to which the individual belongs, and the strength of social approval or
disapproval. Individual differences in rate of development remain constant.
For example, a child may be slow in learning in early childhood. It is wrong to presume that
he will catch up with the average. Evidence shows that the rate of growth is consistent and
those who grow rapidly at first will continue to do so and those who develop slowly in early
years will continue to do so, in later years. This observation is not applicable when the
growth has been regarded by some condition which may be remedied, if the treatment is
given in time.
➢ Growth is both quantitative and Qualitative:
These two aspects are inseparable. The child not only grows in ‘size’; he grows up or matures
in structure and function. E.g. The baby’s digestive tract not only grows in size, but also
changes in structure, permitting digestion of more complex foods and increasing its
efficiency in converting foods into simpler forms which the body can use. The younger the
child, the simpler the emotions. With growth, there is an increase of experiences and these
produce more and more complex emotional reactions to more and more complicated
situations.

➢ Development is Predictable:
It has been seen that the rate of development for each child is fairly constant. The
consequence is that it is possible for us to predict at an early age the range within which the
mature development of the child is likely to fall. But it may be noted that all types of
development, particularly mental development, cannot be predicted with the same degree of
accuracy. It is more easily predictable for children whose mental development falls within the
normal range rather than for those whose mental development shows marked deviation from
the average.
Conclusion :
Though development is a life-long process, but viewed ability-wise, each development -
physical, mental, sensory-motor language, emotional or social etc. which can be measured
quantitatively - ceases as the child reaches certain age level e.g. at the onset of adulthood.
Description of developmental stages are based on the “average” person’s behaviour—that is,
behaviour expected of most people at any given age. Eventually, these behaviours become
age related, i.e. behaviour of the particular age group. Their behaviours designate them as
belonging to a particular age group. Thus infancy, childhood, adolescence etc. are considered
as periods of life i.e. developmental stages. They serve as a kind of concise summation of
what is happening to the individuals at that point in their development.
To summarise, it can be stated that development is unified and cumulative. The child’s
physiological maturing interacts with his experience. Thus, development has been equated
with readiness. Apart from age-related behaviour, maturity can also be rated in statistical
terms, comparing an individual child’s behaviour with the “norm” for his grade as the child
enters school. Maturity gradually changes its concept from age- related to achievement-
related behaviour.
This broadens the concept of maturity and refers to the extent to which the children have
mastered not only educational skills and knowledge of subject matter but also general
competence, social competence, control of emotional behaviour, physical coordination and so
on. The achievement-related maturational concept helps us to understand such facts as “early
maturer”, “physically advanced children for their age”, “late maturer”, “immature children”
and “exceptional and bright children” etc. The extent to which the child exceeds or lags
behind the developmental norms for his age tells us great deal about his behaviour. Norms
refer not only to physical development but also to social and emotional development as well.
FACTORS AFFECTING CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Child development is a stage that every child will go through―this is the process that helps
the child learn how to sit, walk, talk and tie their shoelaces even. The 5 main areas of child
development are:
1. ​social and emotional development
2. ​speech/language development
3. ​cognitive development
4. ​fine motor skill development
5. ​gross motor skill development
Child development is important for the general development of your child―and this is
something that will have an effect on their entire lives. The child's development (biological
and psychological development) are mainly influenced in the first five years of his or her life
and greatly influenced by the child's environment and interactions. Children in order to reach
their full cognitive and social potential, it is necessary that the child is brought up in the best
possible environment where he or she can develop fully.
How children grow and develop depend on both internal and external environmental factors,
some of which we have no control over. Having a good understanding of what children need
at each stage of their growth and development helps us raise them better.
❖ Genes and Environment :
Human development occurs after significant interaction between the body (your
biology/genes) with every experience you go through (this is based on the environment
you're in).
Heredity is the transmission of physical characteristics from parents to children through their
genes. It influences all aspects of physical appearance such as height, weight, body structure,
the colour of the eye, the texture of the hair, and even intelligence and aptitudes. Diseases and
conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, etc., can also be passed through genes,
thereby affecting the growth and development of the child adversely. However,
environmental factors and nurturing can bring the best out of the already present qualities in
the genes.
The environment plays a critical role in the development of children and it represents the sum
total of physical and psychological stimulation the child receives. Some of the environmental
factors influencing early childhood development involve the physical surroundings and
geographical conditions of the place the child lives in, as well his social environment and
relationships with family and peers.
It is easy to understand that a well-nurtured child does better than a deprived one; the
environment children are constantly immersed in contributes to this. A good school and a
loving family builds in children strong social and interpersonal skills, which will enable them
to excel in other areas such as academics and extracurricular activities. This will, of course,
be different for children who are raised in stressful environments.
So this is between nature and nurture. The genes will always play a role with how an
individual responds to the environment; it's sort of like nature via nurture, as opposed to
nature vs. nurture. What this means is that the child's behaviour cannot be blamed on solely
his or her genes, nor can it be blamed on the environment he or she is being raised in. Both of
these factors affect child development equally.
❖ Parenting :
Parenting is important - you want to be a good role model and be able to set down rules and
standards for your children to follow. If they don't know what is expected of them in the first
place, how can they be expected to be what you want them to be? However, it's important to
really construe what good parenting covers. There are good programming programs and then
there are shady programs that claim to speed up your child's development by possibly giving
him or her more than they can chew. This has an adverse effect on your child's development
which is why ample research is necessary to ensure you have the best plan for your child's
development as possible
Families have the most profound impact in nurturing a child and determining the ways in
which they develop psychologically and socially. Whether they are raised by their parents,
grandparents or foster care, they need basic love, care and courtesy to develop as healthy
functional individuals.
The most positive growth is seen when families invest time, energy and love in the
development of the child through activities, such as reading to them, playing with them and
having deep meaningful conversations. Families that abuse or neglect children would affect
their positive development. These children may end up as individuals who have poor social
skills and difficulty bonding with other people as adults. Helicopter parenting also has
negative effects as they render children dependent on the parents even as young adults and
unable to deal with difficulties in life on their own.
❖ Gender :
The sex of the child is another major factor affecting the physical growth and development of
a child. Boys and girls grow in different ways, especially nearing puberty. Boys tend to be
taller and physically stronger than girls. However, girls tend to mature faster during
adolescence, while boys mature over a longer period of time. The physical structure of their
bodies also has differences which make boys more athletic and suited for activities that
require physical rigour. Their temperaments also vary, making them show interest in different
things.
❖ Hormones :
Hormones belong to the endocrine system and influence the various functions of our bodies.
They are produced by different glands that are situated in specific parts of the body to secrete
hormones that control body functions. Their timely functioning is critical for normal physical
growth and development in children. Imbalances in the functioning of hormone-secreting
glands can result in growth defects, obesity, behavioural problems and other diseases. During
puberty, the gonads produce sex hormones which control the development of the sex organs
and the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics in boys and girls.
❖ Culture :
Culture (including family values, practices and norms of other family members) is important
and should be there influencing how your child grows, and it comes from observing how
others in his or her family and environment behave. What do you believe and what do you
practice?It's imperative that parents are aware of what they are showing their children, which
may indirectly push them towards customs that are different from their own, inappropriate or
simply bad for them.
❖ Exercise and Health
The word exercise here does not mean physical exercise as a discipline or children
deliberately engaging in physical activities knowing it would help them grow. Exercise here
refers to the normal play time and sports activities which help the body gain an increase in
muscular strength and put on bone mass. Proper exercise helps children grow well and reach
milestones on time or sooner. Exercise also keeps them healthy and fights off diseases by
strengthening the immune system, especially if they play outside. This is because outdoor
play exposes them to microbes that help them build resistance and prevent allergies.
❖ Nutrition :
Nutrition is a critical factor in growth as everything the body needs to build and repair itself
comes from the food we eat. Malnutrition can cause deficiency diseases that adversely affect
the growth and development of children. On the other hand, overeating can lead to obesity
and health problems in the long run, such as diabetes and heart disease. A balanced diet that
is rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats is essential for the development
of the brain and body.
When considering development of health and disease, early nutrition is essential to your
child's developmental outcomes later in life. However, early nutrition isn't the only factor at
play here, as health outcomes are also a result of different experiences and conditions. The
main key is the duration and intensity of these experiences/conditions which makes the
biggest difference.
Also, it's important to remember that not only is your child's early nutrition essential for his
or her well-being, but parents' nutrition and levels of activity are just as important to
encourage your child leads a healthy life as well.
❖ Early Attachment :
Relationships are extremely important, there's no denying that. Relationships also affect other
relationships, some good some bad, and these are some of the healthy building blocks of
child development. There are quite a few factors within a family (a child's relationship with
him/herself, parents and other family members) that can affect and slow down a child's
development of healthy early attachment between parents and their child. It's important to
remember that each child will react and respond differently, where some children form an
attachment quickly, others don't. The main point however is that regardless of how early the
attachment is formed, later experiences can affect that attachment.
Parents and their children need to ensure they are on the right track towards forming early
attachments with one another, but more than that, they need to be prepared to handle any
difficulties or obstacles which may cut the attachments. So forming an attachment is only one
aspect, it's holding onto it and regaining it after it's lost that makes a huge difference in child
development.
❖ Specialist Services :
Sometimes, a child will need outside help to be able to develop well. This doesn't mean that
you as a parent have not done your job well enough nor does it mean that you or your child is
to blame in any way. Some children simply need extra attention, like children with special
needs.There are some early intervention programs which have proven to be quite effective in
the results area and are also cost-effective.
The implication here is that parents need to be better aware of their children and get them the
help they need as soon as they appear to need it. This increases their chances of recovering
from any issues without any long-lasting or permanent damage.
❖ Geographical Influences :
Where you live also has a great influence on how your children turn out to be. The schools
they attend, the neighbourhood they live in, the opportunities offered by the community and
their peer circles are some of the social factors affecting a child’s development. Living in an
enriching community that has parks, libraries and community centres for group activities and
sports all play a role in developing the child’s skills, talents, and behaviour. Uninteresting
communities can push some children to not go outside often but play video games at home
instead. Even the weather of a place influences children in the form of bodily rhythms,
allergies and other health conditions.

❖ Socio-Economic Status :
The socio-economic status of a family determines the quality of the opportunity a child gets.
Studying in better schools that are more expensive definitely has benefits in the long run.
Well-off families can also offer better learning resources for their children and they afford
special aid if the kids need it. Children from poorer families may not have access to
educational resources and good nutrition to reach their full potential. They may also have
working parents who work too many hours and cannot invest enough quality time in their
development.
❖ Learning and Reinforcement :
Learning involves much more than schooling. It is also concerned with building the child up
mentally, intellectually, emotionally, and socially so they operate as healthy functional
individuals in the society. This is where the development of the mind takes place and the
child can gain some maturity. Reinforcement is a component of learning where an activity or
exercise is repeated and refined to solidify the lessons learned. An example is playing a
musical instrument; they get better at playing it as they practice playing the instrument.
Therefore, any lesson that is taught has to be repeated until the right results are obtained.
❖ The Balance of Risk and Protective Factors :
Risk includes biological, psychological and environmental factors that may end up causing
negative or poor outcomes. Protective factors are all the factors a child develops to respond to
those risks. When a parent hears the word risk, he or she goes straight into Parenting Mode
and wants to protect their child from every single danger. This in itself can be harming the
child's development as it is largely formed by being experienced to enough risks and
protective factors.
If a child is not naturally allowed to experience risk, this is where trouble starts to form by the
time he or she is of an age to go to school. Sometimes a parent has to let go and let their child
understand what a natural risk is otherwise they are at risk of sheltering their children too
much and then releasing them into the world unprepared.
Childhood development is influenced by a wide range of factors, governed by both nature
and nurture. Understanding the factors over which we have some control will help us address
our children’s needs better.

ROLE OF HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT IN DEVELOPMENT

Man is the product of nature and nature i.e. heredity and environment. Both heredity and
environment play important role in the development of the personality. Childhood
development is influenced by a wide range of factors, governed by both nature and nurture.
Understanding the factors over which we have some control will help us address our
children’s needs better.
The distinction between nature versus nurture or even environment versus heredity leads to
the question of: does the direct environment or the nature surrounding the child directly
influence his/her behaviour or is it directly linked to the hereditary traits and genes passed
down from that individual adolescent’s biological parents?
Thus, it is essential to first understand the difference between nature, nurture, environment,
and heredity. Nurture, broken down further into environment, is defined as various external
or environmental factors one is exposed to which can be more specifically broken down into
social and physical aspects. Nature, itself broken down into heredity, is defined as the
genetics and the individual characteristics in one’s personality or even human nature.
Heredity is important to all living organisms as it determines which traits are passed from
parent to child. Successful traits are more frequently passed along and over time can change a
species. Changes in traits can allow organisms to adapt to specific environments for better
rates of survival. Biological factors include such things as genetic influences, brain chemistry,
hormone levels, nutrition, and gender. Genes play a vital role in controlling all of these
processes.
Cells change into different types of cell because of changes in the way their genes work.
Some genes are activated (switched on), and some genes are inactivated (switched off). As a
result, the cell produces a specific set of proteins. Heredity can play a major role in
personality and mental health. As is known that heredity determines the colour of our eyes
and our hair and influences other traits, such as height and susceptibility to certain diseases.
Thus, it suggests that heredity plays a role in the development of that trait.
The Earliest Period of Development
At its very beginning, the development of a child starts when the male reproductive cell, or
sperm, penetrates the protective outer membrane of the female reproductive cell, or ovum.
The sperm and ovum each contain chromosomes that act as a blueprint for human life.
The genes contained in these chromosomes are made up of a chemical structure known as
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that contains the genetic code, or instructions, that make up all
life. Except for the sperm and ova, all cells in the body contain 46 chromosomes. The sperm
and ova each contain only contain 23 chromosomes. This ensures that when the two cells
meet, the resulting new organism has the correct 46 chromosomes.
So how exactly do the genetic instructions passed down from both parents influence how a
child develops and the traits they will have? In order to fully understand this, it is important
to first distinguish between a child's genetic inheritance and the actual expression of those
genes. A genotype refers to all of the genes that a person has inherited. A phenotype is how
these genes are actually expressed. The phenotype can include physical traits, such as height
and color or the eyes, as well as nonphysical traits such as shyness and extroversion. While
your genotype may represent a blueprint for how children grow up, the way that these
building blocks are put together determines how these genes will be expressed.
Whether or not a gene is expressed depends on two different things: the interaction of the
gene with other genes and the continual interaction between the genotype and the
environment.
• Genetic Interactions: Genes can sometimes contain conflicting information, and in
most cases, one gene will win the battle for dominance. Some genes act in an additive
way. For example, if a child has one tall parent and one short parent, the child may
end up splitting the difference by being of average height. In other cases, some genes
follow a dominant-recessive pattern. Eye colour is one example of dominant-recessive
genes at work. The gene for brown eyes is dominant and the gene for blue eyes is
recessive. If one parent hands down a dominant brown eye gene while the other
parent hands down a recessive blue eye gene, the dominant gene will win out and the
child will have brown eyes.
• Gene-Environment Interactions: The environment a child is exposed to both in womb
and throughout the rest of his or her life can also impact how genes are expressed. For
example, exposure to harmful drugs while in womb can have a dramatic impact on
later child development. Height is a good example of a genetic trait that can be
influenced by environmental factors. While a child's genetic code may provide
instructions for tallness, the expression of this height might be suppressed if the child
has poor nutrition or chronic illness.
Genetic instructions are not infallible and can go off track at times. Sometimes when a sperm
or ovum is formed, the number of chromosomes may divide unevenly, causing the organism
to have more or less than the normal 23 chromosomes. When one of these abnormal cells
joins with a normal cell, the resulting zygote will have an uneven number of chromosomes.
Researchers suggest that as many as half of all zygotes that form have more or less than 23
chromosomes, but most of these are spontaneously aborted and never develop into a full-term
baby.
In some cases, babies are born with an abnormal number of chromosomes. In every case, the
result is some type of syndrome with a set of distinguishing characteristics. The vast majority
of newborns, both boys and girls, have at least one X chromosome. In some cases, about 1 in
every 500 births, children are born with either a missing X chromosome or an additional sex
chromosome. Klinefelter syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and Turner syndrome are all
examples of abnormalities involving the sex chromosomes.
Kleinfelter's syndrome is caused by an extra X chromosome and is characterized by a lack of
development of the secondary sex characteristics and as well as learning disabilities.
Fragile X syndrome is caused when part of the X chromosome is attached to the other
chromosomes by such a thin string of molecules that it seems in danger of breaking off. It can
affect both males and females, but the impact can vary. Some with Fragile X show few if any
signs, while others develop mild to severe mental retardation.
Turner syndrome occurs when only one sex chromosome (the X chromosome) is present. It
affects only females and can result in short stature, a "webbed" neck and a lack of secondary
sex characteristics. Psychological impairments associated with Turner syndrome include
learning disabilities and difficulty recognizing emotions conveyed through facial expressions.
The most common type of chromosomal disorder is known as trisomy 21, or Down
syndrome. In this case, the child has three chromosomes at the site of the 21st chromosomes
instead of the normal two. Down syndrome is characterized by facial characteristics including
a round face, slanted eyes, and a thick tongue. Individuals with Down syndrome may also
face other physical problems including heart defects and hearing problems. Nearly all
individuals with Down syndrome experience some type of intellectual impairment, but the
exact severity can vary dramatically.
Although nature contributes much to the growth and development of children, nurture
contributes much more. As mentioned earlier, some of these factors may not be controllable,
and you’ll have to make do with what you have. But there are certain things which can be
definitely ensured for the child. This includes ensuring that the child gets enough rest every
day, because his development is heavily dependent on the amount of sleep he gets. Pay close
attention to the child’s nutritional and exercise levels, as these too play an important role in
promoting the child’s timely and healthy growth and development.
The child’s environment, such as their diet, day to day lives, learning, parental affection, is
one of the major influences on their lives.
➢ Family and Bonding :
The single most important influence on the development of your child is their family.
Irrespective of who they are raised by, be it mother, father, older siblings, or relatives, the
bonding provided within a family home helps nurture and protect them physically and
emotionally. This includes different parenting styles such as disciplinarian, easygoing or
mixed. Any time invested in the child will show in their positive development and growth.
There are several things which can be done to bond better with the child. Parents can make it
a point to read to them regularly, establishing a routine which helps both of you bond with
each other. Playing with the child is important as well, both in establishing a close
relationship as well as in helping them develop their motor skills. You can also simply talk to
them, be it about your day or theirs, showing them that their inputs and opinions are valuable
to you.
In contrast, children who are abused or neglected by their families suffer in terms of their
mental and emotional well being. These things include corporal punishment and verbal
insults, but also indifference. Leaving a child watching TV the whole day without
opportunities for genuine human interactions will prevent them from getting the required
experiences required to develop.
Finally, it is important to ensure that maintaining a good relationship with the child is not
enough. The entire family needs to be cohesive and caring of each other. For instance,
children reared by parents who argue or fight consistently grow up having trust issues with
building friendships and relationships. Similarly, caring for all the children equally and
paying them the same amount of attention will make them develop a sense of fairness.
➢ Physical Environment :
The effect of the environment on child development cannot be understated, including their
physical surroundings. If the living environment is cramped, noisy and filled with aggression,
the child’s personality can be affected. If there are too many people living at home, this could
cause the child to seek out alternative forms of attention, leading to an emotional distance
between them and you. Further, unpleasant surroundings often cause children to block out or
bury the negativity, making them more introverted.
An important factor for kids is their school life, considering how much time they spend there
every day. It is the duty of a parent to identify the school most suitable to your children’s
needs. Further, keep yourself up to date with school activities, meet their teachers regularly,
interact with their peers and their parents. The teacher should also understand the family
situation of the student and can help the student to get better.
Parents can also put them in enrichment courses like martial arts programmes, meditation,
music classes, and so on, depending on your budget. Many communities offer these
programmes at an affordable rate. This is even more important in recent times due to the
dependence on technology and the internet.
➢ Financial Situation :
Money is a deciding factor when it comes to living in this society. It has been well
established that the privilege of wealth is real, and has a great impact on childhood
development. For instance, rich parents can afford to spend more time with their children,
whereas poorer parents need to make ends meet and are too busy to do so. Wealth also helps
secure better academic training, opportunities for travel, tuition classes, and so on.
It is not sufficient to provide for a child; parents have to be deeply involved in their childs’
life. You can start by explaining to them how money and budgets work in a way they can
understand. Tell them that they will always be taken care of even if things are tough.
Children can thrive in a poor family as long as they are loved and wanted. Remember that
children are more influenced by the quality of time you spend with them, not the quantity.
The child will not remember the many times you were too tired to read or play with them, but
they will fondly recall that one time you went flying kites in the park or took them for a
picnic. More than this, you can simply spend your free time with them, such as while eating
meals and so on. Children with a poor financial status may face the problem of poor nutrition,
which limits their ability to succeed.
➢ Health and Nutrition :
Poor families also have less access to nutrition, which can limit the potential of their children.
Nutrition is crucial for the physical and mental growth of a child and is related to important
functional outcomes at later ages. A balanced diet is also required by pregnant women, as
under nutrition can lead to problems like low birth weight, miscarriages, slowed
development, and so on. In children, habits like unhealthy or excessive eating lead to weight
gain, obesity, diabetes, stunted growth, lethargy, and a host of other complications.
Infants thrive on breast milk, the ideal food consisting of carbs, fats, proteins, minerals,
vitamins, antibodies and everything a growing newborn needs. Breastfed babies are less
likely to become obese, have low levels of cholesterol, and improved cognition. After the
first six months, you can complement your child’s diet with solid foods. Ensure that they are
getting the full set of micronutrients such as Vitamin A, iodine, iron, the lack of which can
cause serious problems like vision defects, goitre, cretinism, anaemia and so on. These
problems have been linked with reduced motor skills and social development of toddlers and
young children.

➢ Learning :
In addition to learning at school, make sure that the home environment also stimulates the
child’s mental development. This includes cognitive, linguistic, emotional and motor skills.
The best environment for this is a calm and loving home, allowing your child to focus on
improving their abilities. The absence of such a stimulating environment can have a negative
impact on the child’s language and speech development. Some of these factors include the
absence of stimulation, anxiety, constant shifts in their environment, and so on. Parents
should take the effort in creating opportunities for your child to explore their interests,
especially at home. Instil a sense of curiosity in them, encourage them to question everything
and teach them to find solutions by themselves.
It is the duty of a parent to expose their child to the right kind of environment as it will have a
direct impact on their behaviour, learning, and personality. The key things to remember are
keeping the home environment peaceful and loving, bonding with the children, and providing
them with the necessities required to grow and thrive.
Heredity and environment play an important role in the development of the personality and
other qualities in the child. No person can be born without heredity and genes cannot develop
without proper environment. Each trait and response of an individual depends on his heredity
and environment. All traits depend both on genetic and environmental factors. Heredity and
environment interact to produce their effects. This means that the way genes act depends on
the environment in which they act. A single gene can dramatically affect behavior: it is
clearly a genetically influenced process. Heredity and environment plays a vital role in
determining the character of a child. His learning habits and his mentality is influenced
greatly by heredity and environmental factors.
Clearly, genetics have an enormous influence on how a child develops. However, it is
important to remember that genetics is just one piece of the intricate puzzle that makes up a
child's life. Environmental variables including parenting, culture, education, and social
relationships also play a vital role. While some aspects of development may be strongly
influenced by biology, environmental influences may also play a role. For example, the
timing of when the onset of puberty occurs is largely the results of heredity, but
environmental factors such as nutrition can also have an effect.
Beginning at the influential ages of six to eight when children are meant to be exposed to
caretakers that meet all their needs, mentally, physically, emotionally, and educationally,
some are left wanting. According to Eric Hickey (Author of Serial Murderers and Their
Victims), stress caused by childhood 'traumatizations' may be a trigger to criminal behavior in
adulthood. It is important to understand that most people go through one or more of these
traumatizations with no lifelong effects.
The foregoing discussion reveals that both heredity and environment have their share in
moulding the life and personality of the individual. But as regards the extent of their
influence opinions differ.
Heredity is responsible for all the inborn traits, the instincts, emotions, I.Q, reflex action and
physical traits. Environment is responsible for the growth and development of the physical,
mental and social traits. The two forces heredity and environment are not opposed to each
other, but are complementary like seed and soil. Both of these forces are required for the
same purpose. The heredity is the raw material out of which the object is to be prepared, and
environment in the technique and other material for the manufacture.
Environment is nothing but a process under suitable conditions to change the shape of raw
material just as potter does while making toys of mud. Human behaviour is the product of
heredity and environment. Hence both are equally important. Human behaviour is determined
by interaction of heredity and environment. The individuality of person is characterised by
some inborn traits inherited by the person. The task of the environment is to shape these traits
in a proper form, to give opportunities for unfolding and fulfilment, and to help making
improvements. Thus the personality of the individual is a product of heredity and
environment.
Environment can improve upon the behaviour of a person. Increase the environmental
situation, improve its quality, even though the heredity remains constant, the behaviour will
improve. It was explained above children brought up in nursery and progressive schools or in
good foster homes showed improvement in their intellectual calibre after some time. They
were better than those who were brought up in ordinary environment but were initially of the
same heredity. Two individuals of the same heredity might differ when put in dissimilar
environments. Again two individuals of differing heredity would probably differ inspite of
identical environments.
From the earliest moments of life, the interaction of heredity and the environment works to
shape who children are and who they will become. While the genetic instructions a child
inherits from his parents may set out a road map for development, the environment can
impact how these directions are expressed, shaped or event silenced. The complex interaction
of nature and nurture does not just occur at certain moments or at certain periods of time; it is
persistent and lifelong.
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