Today, we will talk about the physical development characteristics we expect at the end of the first year and possible problems within the average. Remember that sometimes even two children born on the same day and of the same sex can have serious differences in their physical development. This is the result of the interaction of epigenetic theory, genetic characteristics and environmental factors, which we have discussed before.
Percentile Tables
You can find tables on the internet for average weight and height measurements for different gender and age groups.
These tables give the average height and weight a child should have according to their gender and age group. In the tables, you can compare your child's height and weight with the height and weight of children of similar gender and age. There are different ranges in these tables as 3%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 90% and 97%. It is possible to see if there is a problem with your child's height and weight by measuring your child's height and weight and looking at what range between 0% and 100% in the chart for their gender and age group. What is important here is not only what percentile your child is in and the ratio between height and weight; whether there are sudden changes in these proportions over time. For example, if there are sudden deviations in the percentiles from one period to the next, or if your baby's height or weight is less than the 3rd percentile or greater than the 97th percentile, there may be a problem. If you observe a possible problem, we recommend that you consult your doctor to take the necessary precautions. As we always say, there is nothing more important than taking precautions, especially in the early period.
Of course, some problems are also genetically supported. For example, studies have shown that genetic factors play a role in the formation of obesity by 25-40%. The incidence of this problem may be 2-3 times higher in children of people who are overweight than those who do not. In addition, if both parents are obese, the probability of their child being obese in adulthood increases to 80%. If one of the parents is obese, there is a 40% risk, and 10% if both are normal weight. The rate of being obese in adulthood is 50% in children whose weight is well above normal in childhood (between 3 and 10 years of age). In this period, it will be beneficial for you to follow the development well and take certain precautions if possible, change this course or reduce its effects.
Inadequate Nutrition
Another negative aspect seen in children in terms of weight is due to insufficient nutrition. Causes of loss of appetite or under-eating ways parents feed their babies and habits associated with inadequate or irregular nutrition. In addition to these reasons, systemic diseases such as anemia, intestinal parasites, gastrointestinal system disorders, thyroid dysfunctions, metabolic diseases and infections; movement system problems such as swallowing difficulties; reflux, esophageal problems; Medical conditions such as long hospital stays and surgeries can also cause this problem. (Burklow et al., 1998; Rommel et al., 2003). However, when we look at the statistics, we see that the tendency to be underweight is much less and the tendency to be overweight is much higher in our country.
Try to get your baby used to trying new flavors to support healthy eating habits. If you cannot eat certain vegetables directly, try to give them in soup or in combinations that she may like. Offer your children a choice of foods and encourage them to eat on their own. Have an order that you will enjoy sitting together at the table and try not to disturb this order.
Right Brain-Left Brain
Let's talk about cognitive development, or rather the way our children use their brains. In preschool children, the right brain is more dominant. Therefore, they think without being bound by the rules and say the first thing that comes to their mind or they want to do it. When your child reaches primary school age, he will be able to use his left brain more and develop more logical and regular thinking skills. When they use their left brain more effectively, they speak more rationally, and they also begin to be more successful in perception. It is very important for our children to be able to use both sides of their brains in a coordinated manner. At this young age, it is important to do activities that will make the right and left brain hemispheres work together at every opportunity. The crossing the line movement, which is done by crossing the right and left arms, is important in this respect, especially at young ages.
When your baby is a little older, activities such as playing the piano and drums, touching the right foot with the left hand, or imitating a certain movement and describing a movement will also be beneficial in this sense. It is possible to find many similar activities for different age groups in our application. If you want to learn more by reading a book on this subject, we recommend that you read the book "The Kid with the Whole Brain" by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson, which entered the bestseller list (New York Times bestseller). “The rate at which the brain matures often depends on the genes we inherit,” Siegel and Bryson write in their book. According to the authors, “an integrated brain enables a person to make better decisions, better control of one's body and emotions, better self-understanding, stronger relationships, and success in school. It starts with the experiences that lay the foundation of your health.
The games we have chosen for you for 1 year old and the materials you may need:
Physical Development
Breaking blocks game: Blocks
Drum playing activity: Drums
Car Push Game: Pilates ball or a portable car by size or by size
Passing Through the Tunnel Activity: A tunnel or a road that you can use as a tunnel (can be done with the help of covers and stools)
Cognitive Development
Object Storage: Tactile balls, a small cover
Emotional Development
Baby Cards Activity: Baby stimulation cards
Texture Game: Objects and basket with different textures
Ball Game with Different Textures: Balls with different textures.
Socio-Emotional Development
Baby Cards Activity: Baby stimulation cards
Language development
Book Activity: Baby Book