Growth and Development

Growth means the process of growing, and development means gradual growth. Since both terms are used for growth, they seem to be synonymous. They both are related with change. However, for our purposes, the meaning of these two terms is different.
You were born very small; you were a small baby at your birth. And then you grew up. You continue to grow now, and with time, you will become an adult. But you alone do not grow; many other things too happen with your growth. With growing age, you learn many things at family, neighbourhood and school. These are also kinds of changes. As a small baby you could not walk and talk, but as you grew, you have learnt these activities; besides, you have learnt many more activities. All these also form part of the change.

Thus, while your body grows, other changes also occur in you. We classify these changes into two : growth and development.

Meaning of Growth

Growth is the quantitative change. As a baby, you had small hands and feet. Now, you have longer hands and feet. As a baby, you had softer and weak hands and feet. Now, you have harder and stronger hands and feet. As a baby, you drank only a small quantity of milk and nothing else; but now, you eat many types of foods and drink water, milk and other liquids. As a baby, anybody could easily lift you and go about the places. Now, even your mother will find it hard to lift you and go about in the market.

 Thus, growth is that change which can be seen in the body of a person over a period of time. This type of change can be measured with the help of a weighing machine and measuring tape.

Meaning of Development

On the other hand, development is seen as the process of qualitative change. As you grew, you learnt several physical movements, like walking, talking, jumping, holding a pencil and many more. You also learnt other abilities like reading, writing, calculating and many more. You also learn how to behave in with your family members, friends and teachers. You learn which dress will suit which occasion. You learn to be happy over good things and sad over bad things. When you share your things with your friends, you feel elated. When someone takes away your thing forcibly, you feel angry. With growth, you have also leant all these emotions. All these are parts of development.

Growth or Development

You have seen that development talks about all aspects, while growth talks about only quantitative change. So, development is a wider term. Growth is a narrow term. Growth talks about only physical changes, while development talks about all other aspects. Thus, growth is inherent in development. So, these two words are spoken together.

Factors Affecting Growth and Development

Growth and development occur as per certain factors, the important ones of which are as follows :

·         They are continuous. Growth and development occur right from birth to old age. A person keeps changing all his life, and he also keeps learning all his life.

·         Growth and development occur in a uniform pattern. A child first learns how to sit, then stand and then walk. A child first learns how to speak, and then learns how to write and then read.

·         There can be some variation from person to person. A friend of your age can be taller or fatter than you are.

·         A child learns general movements and then he learns specific movements; for example, an infant first learns to move his entire hand and then he learns to move his fingers. Similarly, a child first perceives the whole thing and then he notices its different parts. For example, he first notices a chair, and after many days, observes its different parts separately. This is also the reason that a child is first taught general things. For example, a child is first taught A for apple and B for ball. Then he is taught that these are things. Then he is taught that these are Nouns. Then he is taught that these are Common Nouns. This is done in accordance with your natural growth and development.

·         Different factors work together in growth and development. So, it is a complex phenomenon. When you learn grammar, you also use it in mathematics and science. So, many things mix up together. You are taught to live in harmony with others, but in games, you are taught to compete with others.

·         Different types of development take place in a child cumulatively; for example, his social, educational, mental, emotional, motor and physical development takes place altogether.

·    Heredity and environment too have their influence on growth and development of a child. Heredity means the traits a child inherits from his parents and other family members. Environment means what a child learns in his surroundings, like neighbourhood and school.