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Summary
As children grow older, they develop in several different ways. Child development includes physical, intellectual, social, and emotional changes.
Children grow and mature at very different rates. It's hard to say what "normal" is. There can be big differences in height, weight, and build among healthy children. Diet, exercise and genes are all factors. Some children begin puberty or are close to it before they are teenagers.
Children start to become more independent from their parents. They may rebel. They also look outward - to their friends, who are usually of the same sex. Peer approval becomes very important. Your child may try new behaviors to be part of "the group." This can also be the time that parents or teachers recognize learning disabilities or behavioral problems in children. These problems can get worse as time goes on, so it is important to get help early.
Latest News
- No Link Between Childhood Lead Levels, Later Criminality (12/27/2017, HealthDay)
- Can Eating Fish Make Kids Smarter? (12/21/2017, HealthDay)
- Think Little Kids Are Safe from Food Ads? Think Again (12/15/2017, HealthDay)
- More News on Child Development
Diagnosis and Tests
- Developmental Screening (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF - In English and Spanish
- Growth Charts (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Physical Therapy (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Speech-Language Therapy (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
Related Issues
- 5 Ways to Promote a Positive Body Image for Kids (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
- A Child Becomes a Reader (National Institute for Literacy) - PDF
- Building Play Skills for Healthy Children and Families (American Occupational Therapy Association) - PDF
- Emotions and Behavior (Nemours Foundation)
- Helping Your Child Deal with Peer Pressure (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- How to Understand Your Child's Temperament (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- Is Your Child Too Busy? (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Magic of Play: How It Inspires & Aids Early Development (Nemours Foundation)
- Managing and Preventing Temper Tantrums (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Nightmares (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Shyness in Children (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- Sleepwalking (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
- What Is a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician? (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- Your Child's Growth (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Videos and Tutorials
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Development of the Young Brain
(National Institute of Mental Health)
Statistics and Research
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First Grade Math Skills Set Foundation for Later Math Ability
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
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It's a Kid's Job: Playing Helps Kids Learn and Grow
(National Institutes of Health)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Child Development
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
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Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Also in Spanish
- KidsHealth (Nemours Foundation)
Children
- Dealing with Peer Pressure (Nemours Foundation)
- Story on Self-Esteem (Nemours Foundation)
Patient Handouts
- Developmental milestones record (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Developmental milestones record - 4 years (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Developmental milestones record - 5 years (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Developmental Screening (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF - In English and Spanish
- Growth chart (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Normal growth and development (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Preschooler development (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- School-age children development (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish