2. Fetal stage: Fetal health issues can have
detrimental effects on postnatal growth. One-third
of neonates with intrauterine growth retardation
might have curtailed postnatal growth.[1] Good
perinatal care is an essential factor in promoting
fetal health and indirectly postnatal growth.
3. Postnatal stage: The process of postnatal growth and
development happens together but at different rates. The
growth occurs by discontinuous saltatory spurts with a
stagnant background.[2] There are five significant phases in
human growth and development,
4. Psychosocial Development
Erikson has postulated eight stages of psychosocial development.
Trust and mistrust in infancy (< 1 year): Infants develop trust
with a warm response from the caretaker.
Autonomy and doubt in the toddler age group ( one to three
years): Children feel autonomous if caregivers encourage
independence. Otherwise, they will doubt their abilities.
5. Initiative and guilt in the preschool age group (three to six
years): By imaginative play, kids experiment with their ambitions.
If parents do not encourage their initiative, the kids will feel guilt.
Industry and inferiority in early school years: In school,
children learn to work as a group. They will have inferiority feelings
if the peer environment is hostile.
Identity and role confusion in adolescence: Self-identity is a
significant development during adolescence
6. Intimacy and isolation in early adulthood: Those who cannot
establish relationships or intimacy are prone to be socially
isolated.
Generativity and stagnation in middle adulthood: Parenting is
the best example to guide the younger generation.
Ego integrity and despair in late adulthood: People who are
not satisfied with what they did during their lifetime will be in
despair.
8. Genetic factors play a primary role in growth and
development. The genetic factors influencing height is
substantial in the adolescence phase.[4] A large longitudinal
cohort study of 7755 Dutch twin pairs has suggested that
the additive genetic factors predominantly explained the
phenotypic correlations across the ages for height and
body mass index.[5]
9. Fetal health has a highly influential role in
achieving growth and development. Any
stimulus or insult during fetal development
causes developmental adaptations that
produce permanent changes in the latter part
of life
10. Genetic and environmental factors influence the growth and
development in a perplexing interrelated pathway. Genetic
and environmental risk factors are not mutually exclusive.
Plasticity is the potential of a specific genotype to bring out
diversified phenotypes in response to diverse environmental
factors.[10] The developmental plasticity can happen from
the embryonic stage to adolescence and can be passed onto
the next generation.
11. Nutrition
Malnutrition plays a detrimental role in the process of growth
and development.
Deficiencies of trace minerals can affect growth and
development.[8] Iron deficiency usually affects psychomotor
development and does not affect growth. Zinc deficiency might
cause growth retardation and developmental delay. Selenium,
iodine, manganese, and copper also play a significant role.
![Fetal stage: Fetal health issues can have
detrimental effects on postnatal growth. One-third
of neonates with intrauterine growth retardation
might have curtailed postnatal growth.[1] Good
perinatal care is an essential factor in promoting
fetal health and indirectly postnatal growth.](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)