Pediatric Growth and Development
Information Covered:
- Pediatric Anatomical Variations and Assessment
- Head compared to an adult’s
- Compared to the body, the head is proportionally larger in size
- The head contributes a larger portion of the body’s surface area than in adults
- Anterior and posterior fontanelles open
- Implications for the health care provider
- Airway compared to an adult’s
- Chest and lungs compared to an adult’s
- Abdomen compared to an adult’s
- Extremities compared to adult’s
- Skin and body surface area compared to an adult’s
- Thinner with less subcutaneous fat
- Larger surface area to body mass
- Implications for the health care provider
- Respiratory system compared to an adult’s
- Tidal volume of breaths is smaller (10-15 mL/kg)
- Higher oxygen demand per kilogram of body weight (2 times that of an adult)
- Smaller lung oxygen reserves
- Implications for the health care provider
- Nervous system and spinal column compared to an adult’s
- Continually evolves throughout childhood allowing them to develop new abilities
- Brain tissue is more fragile and prone to bleeding from injury
- The subarachnoid space is relatively smaller offering less cushioning to the brain
- The brain requires nearly twice the cerebral blood flow as does an adult’s
- Brain and spinal cord are less well protected by a thinner skull and spinal column
- Spinal column
- Implications for the health care provider
- Head compared to an adult’s
- Metabolic differences compared to an adult
- Infants and children have limited glucose stores
- Infants and children are prone to hypothermia due to increased body surface area
- Newborns and infants less than 1 month are the most susceptible to hypothermia
- Implications for the health care provider
- Growth and Development
- Infancy
- birth-2 months
- Physical development
- Cognitive development
- Emotional development
- Implications for the health care provider
- 2-6 months
- Physical development
- Cognitive development
- Emotional development
- Implications for the health care provider
- 6-12 months
- Physical development
- Cognitive development
- Emotional development
- Implications for the health care provider
- birth-2 months
- Toddler years
- 12-18 months
- Physical development
- Cognitive development
- Emotional development
- Implications for the health care provider
- 18-24 months
- Physical development
- Cognitive development
- Emotional development
- Implications for the health care provider
- Preschool years (2-5 years)
- Physical development
- Cognitive development
- Emotional development
- Implications for the health care provider
- Middle Childhood years (6-12 years)
- Physical development
- Cognitive development
- Emotional development
- Implications for the health care provider
- Adolescence (12-20 years)
- Physical development -- Puberty begins
- Cognitive development
- Emotional development
- Implications for the health care provider
- 12-18 months
- Infancy
- Pediatrics: Specific Pathophysiology, Assessment, and Management
- Respiratory Compromise
- Pathophysiology
- Assessment
- Upper airway obstruction
- Lower airway disease
- Pneumonia
- Foreign body lower airway obstruction
- Pertussis
- Cystic fibrosis
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)
- Chronic lung disease that usually occurs in infants form born prematurely and treated with positive pressure ventilation and high oxygen concentrations
- Recurrent respiratory infections and exercise induced bronchospasm are complications
- Management
- Respiratory Compromise
Content Creator: Joyce Lockwood
CAPCE Course Number: 20-EMTP-F3-6301
NJ Course Number: 141117
Total CE Hours: 1
Level: Basic
EMT-CE uses the NEMSES guidelines as the foundation for every course outline.