Table of Contents
Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash
First Year of Life Versus One Year
The first year of life | One year old | |
Physical |
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Social |
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Verbal & cognitive |
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Second Year of Life Versus Third Year
The second year of life | The third year of life | |
Physical |
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Social |
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Verbal & cognitive |
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Fourth Year of Life Versus Fifth Year
Fourth year of life | Fifth year of life | |
Physical |
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Social |
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Verbal & cognitive |
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Six-to-Twelve Years of Life Versus Older Than Twelve Years
Six-to-twelve years of life | Older than twelve years | |
Physical |
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Social |
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Verbal & cognitive |
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Tanner Stages
The Tanner stages is a scale that measures physical development in children, adolescents, and adults.
Female Tanner stages
Tanner 1:
- Height increases at a basal rate of 5 to 6 centimeters per year
- Breast development; papilla elevation
- Appearance of pubic hair
- Presence of villus hair
- Absence of coarse, pigmented hair
Tanner 2:
- Height increases at a rate of 7-8 centimeters per year.
- Breast buds are palpable, and areolae are enlarged.
- Average age is 10.9.
- Appearance of pubic hair.
- Presence of coarse, pigmented hair specifically on labia.
- Median age is 11.2 years.
Tanner 3:
- Height increases at a peak rate of 8 centimeters per year.
- There is elevation of breast contour; areolae enlarge more.
- Average age is 11.9 years.
- Pubic hair
- Coarse and curly hair appears over the mons pubis
- Axillary hairs appear
- Acne vulgaris
Tanner 4:
- Height increases at a rate of 7 centimeters per year.
- Areolae form secondary mound on the breast.
- Average age is 12.9 years.
- Adult quality hair in pubic area
- Pubic hair does not spread to the junction of medial thigh with perineum.
Tanner 5:
- No further increase in height after 16 years of age.
- Adult breast contours are present.
- Areola recesses to general contour of the breast.
- Adult distribution of hair
- Pubic hair spreads to the medial thigh.
- Pubic hairs do not extend up to linea alba.
Male Tanner stages
Tanner 1:
- Height increases at a rate of 5-6 centimeters per year.
- Testes are smaller than 4 ml.
- No coarse and pigmented pubic hair
- No growth of penis
Tanner 2:
- Height increases at a rate of 5-6 centimeters per year.
- Size of testes in long axis is 2.5 to 3.2 cm.
- Average age is 11.5 years.
- Minimal coarse, pigmented pubic hair is found at the base of the penis at the age of 12.
- There is an earliest increase in length and width of the penis.
Tanner 3:
- Height increases at a higher rate of 7-8 centimeters per year.
- The size of the testes is 3.6 cm longitudinally at an average age of 14.
- Coarse and curly pubic hair seen over the pubis at the age of 13 (average).
- Increased length and width of penis
- Increased muscle mass
- Voice breaks
- Gynecomastia may occur.
Tanner 4:
- Height increases at a peak rate of 10 centimeters per year.
- Pubic hair of adult quality.
- Pubic hair does not spread to the junction of medial thigh with perineum.
- Average age is 13.9 years.
- Continued growth of penis in length and width
- Length of testes is 4.1 to 4.5 cm.
- Axillary hair is present at 14 years of age.
- Voice changes (age 14.1 years).
- Appearance of teenage acne
Tanner 5:
- No increase in height after 17 years of age
- Adult pubic hair distribution (15.3 years)
- Pubic hair spreads to the medial thigh.
- Pubic hair does not spread to linea alba.
- Mature genital size by 16.5 years of age.
- Length of testes is greater than 4.5 cm.
- The appearance of secondary sexual characteristics like facial hair, male physique, the disappearance of gynecomastia
Stages of Development According to Erik Erikson
Erik Erikson has proposed eight stages of development that each person must go through until maturity. This concept is more based on our understanding of psychology and social skills. The following table summarizes the stages of development according to Erik Erikson:
Age | Developmental Task |
Birth to 1 year | Infants usually go into a struggle to whether they should trust or mistrust others. Babies are dependent on others for their basic needs such as nourishment and warmth. The normal developmental milestone by the age of 1 year according to this classification is to trust the caregiver. |
1 to 3 years | The purpose of the different developmental milestones that the child gain by the age of 3 years is to realize autonomy. Therefore, the child will learn to be either self-sufficient in most of the daily activities or the child might develop shame and doubt according to Erik Erikson. |
3 to 6 years | The developmental milestones gained by the age of 6 years make the child more independent from his or her parents. Accordingly, the child might show initiative or feel guilty if he or she does not follow the parents’ rules. |
7 to 11 years | This is a very important developmental milestone according to Erik Erikson. By this age, the child can be either productive and competent or can develop an inferiority complex. If the later happens, the child might eventually become unable to be a productive member of the society. This age was called middle childhood per Erik Erikson’s classification. |
Adolescence | Most of the milestones gained in adolescence serve to answer the big question “Who am I?”. Therefore, adolescents will establish their sexual, ethnic, and career identities. If an adolescent fails in this developmental milestone, he or she will fail to see their future role. |
Young Adulthood | Young adults need to be either intimate with others and develop meaningful relationships or become isolated. Therefore, young adults will usually seek companionship and love. |
Adulthood | Middle-aged adults are expected to be productive and to perform meaningful work. They are also expected to raise a family. Failing in this milestone would result in stagnation and being inactive. |
Mature Adult | Older adults are expected to make sense of their lives and to see life as meaningful. If they fail in doing so, they will go into despair. Therefore, the normal final developmental milestone according to Erik Erikson is to achieve integrity. |
Therefore, Erik Erikson’s point of view on developmental milestones is that they are tools we acquire to resolve certain conflicts that are specific to each milestone. Failing to resolve such a conflict would result in abnormal development. Erik Erikson’s classification covers all the life-span of the person and not only childhood and adolescence.
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