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In this article we will discuss about the internal and external factors affecting growth and development of a child.
Internal Factors affecting Growth and Development of a Child:
The factors which lie within the individual are called internal factors.
These factors include:
1. Heredity factors
2. Biological or constitutional factors
3. Intelligence
4. Emotional maturity/development
5. Social maturity/development.
1. Heredity Factors:
Play their part at the time of conception in the mother’s womb. What is transferred to the offspring from its immediate parents in the form of genes, chromosomes at this time constitute the heredity contribution. This is the real starting point and basis for all the growth and development that take place later in the life of the child.
The height, weight, colour of the eyes and the skin, the characteristics of the hair are all decided by these hereditary influences. The physical structure, nervous system and other things related to one’s constitutional makeup, body chemistry and physical development are decided by hereditary factors.
2. Biological and Constitutional Factors:
A child’s constitutional makeup like somatic structure, physique and body chemistry influence his growth and development throughout his life.
And we have reasons as follows:
a. If a child is physically weak or has internal deformities then his achievement is minimized in terms of growth and development with respect to mental, social and emotional also.
b. The nervous system which controls the body movement affects the growth and development of a child in cognitive spheres.
c. The endocrine or ductless glands are potent factors affecting the growth and development of an individual from his birth.
The chemistry of the body is governed by these glands. Each of these glands secretes its own chemicals known as hormones. These reach the bloodstream and get circulated throughout the body.
Thus they influence body functioning with respect to emotional actions and even thoughts, and therefore, the functioning of the ductless glands exercises a great influence on various aspects as physical, social, mental, emotional and moral of a person’s growth and development.
For balanced functioning of growth and development the normal functioning of these glands are essential. For example, imbalance in pituitary gland may lead to an abnormal increase or decrease in height.
The chromosomal dysfunction may result in defective constitutional makeup like ugly, short stature and any other deformity of the body may give birth to feelings of inferiority in a child making him hard to adjust to social environment resulting in lag behind in the race of growth and development pertaining to “lagardly” aspects of personality.
3. Intelligence:
The intelligence is the ability to learn, adjust and take a significant role at right time in the overall growth and development of a child.
It affects his social behaviour, moral adjustment and emotional growth.
An intelligent person is said to have a reasonable control over his emotions and is found to carry on well his personal and social adjustments.
Thus the physical, social, emotional, moral and language development of a child is greatly influenced and controlled by the level of his intelligence.
We cannot expect problem-solving behaviour, creative, imaginative and inventive ability from a child having subnormal intelligence.
4. Emotional Maturity/Development:
Emotional factors such as emotional adjustability and maturity play a big role in influencing a person’s overall growth and development. A person or child who is found to be with negative emotions like fear, anger, jealousy is adversely affected in his physical, mental, social, moral and language development. If a person cannot exercise a reasonable control over his emotions, he is sure to suffer in terms of his growth and development.
5. Social Maturity/Development:
Socially immature child will have social adjustment problem. He will fail in doing serious mental activities. Ultimately, he may spoil his physical and mental health.
External Factors affecting Growth and Development of a Child:
The factors lying outside the individual in his environment are said to be the external factors influencing his growth and development. These factors begin their role of influencing the growth and development just immediately after the conception through fertilization.
The Environment in the Womb of a Mother:
Whatever is available to the child from the mother’s womb from the time of conception till his birth is quite important from the angle of his growth and development which can be related as follows:
a. The physical and mental health of the mother during pregnancy.
b. Single fetus or multiple fetuses getting nourished in her womb.
c. The quality and quantity of situation received by the embryo within the womb.
d. Normal or abnormal delivery.
e. Any damage or accident to the fetus in the womb.
f. Environment available after birth.
This is whatever a child gets from different conditions and forms of his environment after his birth which influences his growth and development in many ways.
For example:
a. Any accident and incident in life.
b. The type of physical environment, medical care and nourishment.
c. The quality of the facilities and opportunities provided by the social cultural forms.