Children are developing individuals, both in terms of physiological anatomy and intellectual development, and have certain characteristics at a certain stage, but they cannot be divided in a clear-cut manner. For the sake of explanation, it is usually divided into seven stages from fetus to youth.
First, the fetal stage from conception to delivery is called the fetal stage
Under normal circumstances, it is about 280 days (about 9 months).
Characteristics: The embryo grows rapidly and can be roughly divided into three processes according to its development. The first 8 months of conception are for the formation of the body, during which it is most likely to be deformed for various reasons; the middle 8 months are for the development of internal organs; the second 8 months are for the growth of the body, at which time the fetus gains weight more rapidly and all the management is dependent on the mother. Therefore, pregnant women should pay attention to health care during pregnancy. Pregnant women should have a regular life, avoid emotional excitement; take more nutritious food; prevent various diseases, especially viral infections, and prevent exposure to various toxic gases and chemicals to prevent various congenital malformations, fetal underdevelopment, premature birth or fetal nutritional deficiencies caused by the lack of certain nutrients in the mother.
Second, the neonatal period from the delivery of the fetus to 28 days after birth is the neonatal period
Characteristics: The fetus depends on the mother for survival in the mother’s body, and the newborn starts to develop gradually to live independently from the mother, which is an important transitional period.
1. The cerebral cortex is not fully developed, the body’s resistance is weak, and the thermoregulatory center and respiratory center are particularly poorly regulated. Especially prone to bacterial infections, such as pneumonia, and often develop into sepsis; imperfect material metabolism, poor digestive capacity, insufficient enzyme activity, and therefore easy to get digestive tract diseases.
2. Weak vitality and high mortality. Newborns because of the significant changes in the living environment after birth, it takes some time to adapt to the environment, so a little negligence in care, that is, life-threatening. Therefore, the mortality rate in this period is particularly high, accounting for about 60-70% of the infant mortality rate. Most of them die within 24 hours after birth. The main causes of death are: immaturity, congenital malformations, birth injuries, congenital and acquired infections, etc. In this period, in addition to attention to the process of delivery of the various precautions, should also strengthen neonatal care, close observation and timely detection of various anomalies, and carefully handled, such as umbilical cord infection, stomatitis, red buttocks, jaundice, etc. should not be ignored.
Third, the lactation period or infant period from 28 days after birth to 1 year old for the lactation period
Features: rapid growth and development, high nutritional needs, poor immunity, easy spread of disease.
1, the most rapid and vigorous growth and development of the stage. Weight increases more than two times than at birth, and length increases by half of that at birth. Brain development is also very rapid. From only lying on their backs and crying, to being able to stand up and walk, to recognizing relatives and speaking simple language; from sucking milk, to eating adult meals. At this time, such as insufficient intake will easily cause malnutrition, anemia, rickets and other nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, in this period should be more careful care, attention to feeding, more children in the outdoor exposure to sunlight and air, physical exercise.
2, high demand for nutrition, but the gastrointestinal tract digestive function is weak, easy to cause digestive disorders or nutritional disorders. Therefore, during the breastfeeding period, especially before and after artificial feeding and weaning, protein, calcium and iron are easily lacking, so more attention should be paid to the addition of supplementary food.
3. The innate immunity gradually disappears and the acquired immunity is not yet perfected, so they are easily infected with various acute infectious diseases. Moreover, the disease is poorly confined and easily spreads to the whole body, with symptoms of poisoning. Therefore, all vaccinations must be done on schedule to prevent the occurrence of acute infectious diseases.
4. The cerebral cortex develops rapidly, and the cortical regulation center gradually takes the main position, but the excitation and inhibition process of the brain is easy to spread, and once the disease occurs, symptoms such as coma or convulsions will easily appear.
Fourth, early childhood 1 to 3 feet old for the early childhood period
Features: rapid development of intelligence, increased exposure to the outside environment, susceptible to infectious diseases.
1, physical development is relatively slow, while the movement and language development is particularly rapid; digestive function is further developed, so there should be sufficient nutrition supply. Early education should start at this stage.
2, the cerebral cortex activity is enhanced, and can begin to interact with adults and children. The action is imitative and the personality is plastic, so more attention should be paid to their age-appropriate early education.
3, prone to nutritional disorders and acute infectious diseases. Because of the start of toddler, the range of activities significantly expanded, so the opportunity for contact with infection increased, prone to bacillary dysentery, whooping cough, scarlet fever and epidemic meningitis and other infectious diseases, and intestinal worms, urinary tract infections and accidental injuries.
V. Preschool period from 4-6 years old for preschoolers
Features: rich thinking and imitation ability, and begin to form memory and some habits.
The incidence of intestinal worms and dental caries increases gradually. At the same time, scarlet fever, mumps and other infectious diseases are more frequent because of the wide contact with the outside world, so we should pay special attention to prevention during the epidemic season.
Sixth, school age after 7 years of age is the school-age children period
In the 7-12 years of age is the elementary school children; 12-17 years of age is the secondary school children period.
Characteristics: The cerebral cortex is more developed, social activities are gradually increasing, and physical and intellectual development is flourishing. Secondary school children are at the stage of puberty, their sexual development is gradually starting to mature, and their physical growth is gradually approaching that of adults. Their personalities are volatile and their emotions are unstable.