What are the general patterns of growth and development in children and adolescents?

The growth and development of children and adolescents mainly have the characteristics of stage, procedure, and uneven speed. It has always been said that "babies turn over at three months and sit up at six months..." However, due to differences in genetics, growth environments, and other factors among different children, there will also be certain differences in the timing and speed of this growth and development, which are all normal.

Growth and development is a continuous process that includes different developmental stages. Based on the characteristics of these stages, coupled with differences in living and learning environments, the growth and development process of children can be divided into several age groups: infancy, toddlerhood, childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood.

Growth and development have a certain sequence, with each stage following the next in turn. The development of one stage lays the necessary foundation for the later stages; any obstacles in the development of any stage will have adverse effects on the later stages.

During the entire reproductive period, the growth rate of individuals is sometimes fast, sometimes slow, and uneven. The growth rate curve is distributed in a wave-like pattern. From fetus to adult, there are continuous growth spurts, with the growth rate accelerating again during adolescence, with an average annual increase in height of 57 centimeters. During the peak of growth rate, it can reach 10 to 12 cm per year.