child development

child development,

the various stages of physical, social, and psychologic growth that occur from birth through young adulthood. See also adolescence, development, growth, infant, neonatal period, psychosexual development, psychosocial development, toddler.

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Patient discussion about child development.

Q. Do environmental factors have a relation to developing ADHD as a child? I have read in a magazine that ADHD is thought to be caused by factors from out environment. Is this true?

A. ADHD has mainly a genetic connection, however some environmental factors due play a role: smoking and drinking alcohol during pregnancy is thought to be one trigger. A systematic review found that removing artificial food coloring had a small effect size on ADHD symptoms. Premature birth is also thought to be one of the risk factors.

Q. What is the most common preventable cause of children developmental delay?

A. Nutritional problems. Mal nutrition is the most preventable yet still has a big death toll and a vast developmental issue all over the world. Vitamin poor nutrition, mineral poor nutrition and in third world countries even protein poor nutrition leads to mental and physical retardation. It can be prevented easily. All it needs is a little sympathy…

Q. What is the most common preventable cause of childhood development delay?

A. The most common cause of severe developmental delay (essentially mental retardation) is genetic abnormalities (or more accurately, cytogenetic abnormalities due to abnormal chromosomes). Other cause include damage during the pregnancy such as infections or serious diseases in the mother, damage (such as choking or insufficient blood supply to the fetus) during labor and metabolic diseases such as PKU or hypothyroididsm that affect young babies.

You may read more here:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/MEDLINEPLUS/ency/article/001523.htm