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CHILD GROWTH: CONCEPT ANALYSIS

CRECIMIENTO DE LOS NIÑOS: ANÁLISIS DE CONCEPTO

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to analyze the concept of child growth by identifying the attributes and consequences that make up the phenomenon. The concept analysis was supported by 41 studies and based on the evolutionary analysis model and integrative literature review. Five databases, Scopus, CINAHL, LILACS, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library were searched to select articles. The search found that growth has presented different connotations, including social and physiological aspects, which are part of the physical domain of child development. Attributes, antecedents, and consequences identified provide an overview of the phenomenon analyzed, because these point out several aspects previously related to other studies on child growth. The theoretical understanding about child growth can offer nurses in-depth knowledge about factors involved in this process, facilitating intervention-based decision-making.

DESCRIPTORS:
Growth and development; Infant; Preschool child; Nursing; Concept formation.

RESUMEN

El objetivo fue analizar el concepto de crecimiento infantil mediante identificación de elementos atributos y consecuencias que componen el fenómeno. Para análisis de concepto que fue basado en 41 estudios, se utilizaron el modelo de análisis evolutivo y la revisión integradora de la literatura. Para selección de las producciones, se buscaron las bases de datos Scopus, Cinahl y Lilacs, el portal de PubMed e la biblioteca Cochrane. El crecimiento se ha presentado diferentes connotaciones, incluyendo aspectos sociales y fisiológicos como parte del dominio físico del desarrollo del niño. Atributos y consecuencias identificadas traen amplia percepción acerca del fenómeno analizado, teniendo en cuenta que vinculan diversos aspectos relacionados con otros estudios sobre crecimiento infantil. La comprensión teórica del desarrollo infantil puede proporcionar a enfermeros conocimiento en profundidad sobre los factores que implican este proceso, facilitando decisiones a través de medidas de intervención.

DESCRIPTORES:
Crecimiento y desarrollo; Lactante; Preescolar; Enfermería; Formación de concepto.

RESUMO

Objetivou-se analisar o conceito do crescimento infantil por meio da identificação dos elementos atributos e consequentes que compõem o fenômeno. Para análise do conceito, subsidiada por 41 estudos, utilizou-se o modelo de análise evolucionária e a revisão integrativa da literatura. Para a seleção das produções, buscou-se as bases de dados Scopus, CINAHL e LILACS, o portal PubMed e a biblioteca Cochrane. Identificou-se que o crescimento tem apresentado diferentes conotações, incluindo aspectos sociais e fisiológicos, fazendo parte do domínio físico do desenvolvimento infantil. Os atributos e consequentes identificados trazem uma ampla visão sobre o fenômeno analisado, tendo em vista que apontam diversos aspectos já relacionados com outros estudos acerca do crescimento infantil. A compreensão teórica acerca do crescimento infantil pode oferecer aos enfermeiros conhecimento aprofundado sobre fatores que envolvem este processo, facilitando sua tomada de decisão por meio de medidas de intervenção.

DESCRITORES:
Crescimento e desenvolvimento; Lactente; Pré-escolar; Enfermagem; Formação de conceito.

INTRODUCTION

Academics support the idea that growth refers to a concrete and measurable process that comprises formation, increase in mass, and renewal of tissues. Childhood is the stage where global increase of the body starts.11. Lima GGT, Silva MFOC, Costa TNA, Neves AFGB, Dantas RA. Registros do enfermeiro no acompanhamento do crescimento e desenvolvimento: enfoque na consulta de puericultura. Rev Rene. 2009 Jul-Set; 10(3):117-24.

In a broader view, growth involves increase of the body mass followed by the process of morphological remodeling and functional maturation that defines the child's physiological characteristics and differentiates them from adults.22. Travé TD, Torres G, Olascoaga JH. Estudio longitudinal del crecimiento em Navarra (1993 a 2007). An Pediatr (Barc.). 2009 Jun; 70(6):526-33. Still in this context, growth is considered to be one of the best health indicators for children due to its close dependence on environmental/extrinsic factors, including eating habits, diseases, and general and personal care, in addition to proper housing and basic sanitation conditions that reflect the child's past and current health status.33. Ministério da Saúde (BR), Departamento de Atenção Básica. Saúde da criança: acompanhamento do crescimento e desenvolvimento infantil. Brasília (DF): MS; 2002.

Growth is also perceived as part of the child's development, and both constitute one single phenomenon. However, child growth and development processes involve different phenomena in their physiological concept; these phenomena follow in parallel paths but are associated in their meanings.44. Marcondes E, Setian N, Carraza FR. Desenvolvimento físico (crescimento) e funcional da criança. In: Marcondes E, Vaz FAC, Ramos JLA, Okay Y. Pediatria básica. 9ª ed São Paulo (SP): Sarvier; 2002. p. 23-35.

Because of such a diversity of concepts related to the phenomenon of growth in the context of nursing care, nurses have reported difficulties in assessing child growth. This difficulty is found in basic health care, where nurses are consistently assessing child growth. In this context, brief contacts with primary health care workers show situations that are investigated only regarding anthropometric parameters and eating habit characteristics, disregarding the assessment of an infant's motor activity.

In addition, there is a wide range of controversies regarding the use of this phenomenon jointly with child development. An example is the use of nursing diagnoses according to the NANDA-I taxonomy55. North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA Internacional). Diagnósticos de enfermagem da NANDA: definições e classificação 2012-2014. Porto Alegre (RS): Artmed; 2013. that pools several phenomena under one single diagnosis, hindering nurses from selecting proper and specific interventions.

Thus, the phenomenon of growth is complex and lacks consensus about its concepts and what it effectively intends to measure, in in this way justifying the need to analyze the growth concept by focusing specifically on children. In this sense, concept analysis is widely used to clarify core characteristics of the concept of interest, or concepts that are overused or extremely vague and prevail in nursing practice.66. Walker LO, Avant KC. Concept Analysis. In: Walker LO, Avant KC. Strategies for theory construction in nursing. 4ª ed. New Jersey (US): Upper Saddle River; 2005. p. 63-80.

In an effort to clarify this language among health professionals, notably nurses working directly with periodic evaluation of children's health, this study analyzed the child growth concept through the identification of concepts found in the literature, and the attributes and consequences that make up the phenomenon.

METHOD

The analysis of the material concept is grounded on the evolutionary method,77. Rodgers BL. Concept analysis: an evolutionary view. Concept development in nursing: foundations, techniques and applications. 2ª ed. Philadelphia (US): W.B. Saunders; 2000. and the method of integrative review of the literature was used to identify bibliographic material that grounded the analysis of the child growth phenomenon concept.8 The study comprised the following stages of the evolutionary method:77. Rodgers BL. Concept analysis: an evolutionary view. Concept development in nursing: foundations, techniques and applications. 2ª ed. Philadelphia (US): W.B. Saunders; 2000.

1) Identify the concept of interest and associated expressions through written or oral language including substitute terms:77. Rodgers BL. Concept analysis: an evolutionary view. Concept development in nursing: foundations, techniques and applications. 2ª ed. Philadelphia (US): W.B. Saunders; 2000. in this stage, the following where the guiding questions: How is growth defined? How is it characterized? After reading the scientific production analyzed and supplemented by books, several concepts of the growth phenomenon were found.

2) Identify and select the proper domain (scenario and sample) for data collection:77. Rodgers BL. Concept analysis: an evolutionary view. Concept development in nursing: foundations, techniques and applications. 2ª ed. Philadelphia (US): W.B. Saunders; 2000. the scenario refers to the period of time to analyze literature, as well as subjects or other kinds of literature comprising the analysis. Literature research can be classified into the following categories: title; summary; key words; or some combination of these search processes. The method of integrative literature review was used in this stage, through an exhaustive search of material, to subsidize the analysis of concept about the phenomenon of growth.

An integrative literature review is a comprehensive analysis of literature that contributes to deeply understanding a given object of study. To that end, it should comprise the following stages: identification of the topic and selection of the search hypothesis; definition of criteria to include and to exclude studies; selection of information to be extracted from the studies selected and categorization of studies; evaluation of studies included; interpretation of results; and presentation of knowledge review/summary.88. Mendes KDS, Silveira RCCP, Galvão CM. Revisão integrativa: método de pesquisa para incorporação de evidências na saúde e enfermagem. Texto Contexto Enferm. 2008; 17(4):758-64.

The review set the following inclusion criteria: scientific studies electronically available at the databases or journals provided by the portal of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, regardless the method of research; in English, Spanish or Portuguese; and that approached the growth phenomenon of child growth by age, including infants, children beginning to walk, and preschool children, according to the age classification established in axis V of NANDA-I.55. North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA Internacional). Diagnósticos de enfermagem da NANDA: definições e classificação 2012-2014. Porto Alegre (RS): Artmed; 2013. Following were the exclusion criteria: publications in duplicate on databases; and scientific studies that were not available in full.

Studies were searched for on the Scopus, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), the Latin-American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information (LILACS) databases, the National Library of Medicine (PubMed), and the Cochrane Library, with the following terms: crescimento e desenvolvimento; pré-escolar; lactente; crescimento; desenvolvimento infantil; growth and development; preschool; infant; crecimiento y desarrollo; preescolar; and lactante.

Controlled descriptors were crossed with Boolean operators AND and OR, as follows: Scopus: growth and development AND child; preschool OR infant; the search was restricted to studies published from 2006 to 2015. PubMed: growth and development AND child; preschool AND infant; the search was restricted to studies published in the last ten years. CINAHL: growth and development AND child; preschool OR infant. The search was restricted to studies published within the last ten years. For LILACS, the terms were: growth and development AND child; preschool AND infant, with no delimitations. For Cochrane, the terms were: growth and development AND child; preschool OR infant, with no delimitations.

3) Gather relevant data to identify concept attributes and the contextual grounds (antecedents, consequent; socio-cultural, and temporal variations): the concept attributes are a real definition against a nominal or dictionary-based definition that just replaces an expression with its synonym. Substitute terms are meanings that express the concept or another word or expression selected by researchers in the study.77. Rodgers BL. Concept analysis: an evolutionary view. Concept development in nursing: foundations, techniques and applications. 2ª ed. Philadelphia (US): W.B. Saunders; 2000.

Recognizing that attributes are important elements because these define characteristics inherent to concepts, we aimed here to answer the following guiding question: Which attributes make up growth? The search for consequences in the literature was based on the following guiding question: Which consequences make up growth?

It is worth highlighting that this study did not seek the antecedents of the phenomenon, because the previous analysis of concept would be a core theoretical support to build a nursing diagnosis in the health promotion category, waiving the use of antecedents or related factors that preceded the phenomenon of growth.

4) Analyze data regarding the concept characteristics. In this phase data are organized and adjusted and,77. Rodgers BL. Concept analysis: an evolutionary view. Concept development in nursing: foundations, techniques and applications. 2ª ed. Philadelphia (US): W.B. Saunders; 2000. as such, the study articles were subjected to evaluation to be included in the concept analysis. In principle, the analysis focused on evaluating the title, abstract, and descriptors that approach the phenomenon of growth, according to the number of publications described in the databases: Scopus (169); PubMed (100); CINAHL (26); LILACS (9); and Cochrane (3). This stage included a process of organization/reorganization of ideas and essential information extracted from the literature that became important to guide the researchers in how to define and measure each core characteristic that comprised the phenomenon.

Further, it focused on extracting the essential characteristics: conceptual and operational definitions; attributes; and consequences regarding the phenomenon of growth through the concept analysis method.77. Rodgers BL. Concept analysis: an evolutionary view. Concept development in nursing: foundations, techniques and applications. 2ª ed. Philadelphia (US): W.B. Saunders; 2000. The essential characteristics, including attributes, antecedents, and consequences, were analyzed regarding cohesion and coherence, providing sense to the information gathered. To that end, the aforementioned number of publications was refined, resulting in 41 studies that were then analyzed. The literature reviewed was not sufficient to answer the search questions and other bibliographic sources were consulted, among which were handbooks issued by the Ministry of Health and five textbooks specific to the field of children's health.3-4, 9-13

5) Identify hypotheses and implications of the concept development:77. Rodgers BL. Concept analysis: an evolutionary view. Concept development in nursing: foundations, techniques and applications. 2ª ed. Philadelphia (US): W.B. Saunders; 2000. this process identified the consensus of the state of the art of the concept, providing an important ground considered to be crucial for further research.

RESULTS

Were selected 41 studies to support the analysis of the concept of child growth. Table 1 shows the different definitions found in the literature.

Table 1
Definitions extracted from literature regarding the concept of child growth. Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, 2013. (n=41)

Investigation has identified different attributes to the phenomenon of growth that are related to terms involved with body measures: weight and length. These are: maturation; physical, linear, longitudinal, physiological, motor growth; growth standard; weight gin; length speed.1212. Boyd D, Bee H. A criança em crescimento. Porto Alegre (RS): Artmed; 2011.-1313. Papalia DE, Olds W, Feldman RD. Desenvolvimento humano. 8ª ed. Porto Alegre (RS): Artmed; 2006.,1616. Sudfeld CR, McCoy DC, Danaei G, Fink G, Ezzati M, Andrews KG, et al. Linear growth and child development in low-and middle-income countries: a meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2015 May; 135(5):e1266-75.

17. Lundeen EA, Stein AD, Adair LS, Behrman JR, Bhargava SK, Dearden KA, et al. Height-for-age z scores increase despite increasing height deficits among children in 5 developing countries. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014; 100:821-5.

18. Park H, Bothe D, Holsinger E, Kirchner HL, Olness K, Mandalakas A. The impact of nutritional status and longitudinal recovery of motor and cognitive milestones in internationally adopted children. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2011; 8(1):105-16.

19. Sawada A, Ikeda H, Kimura-Ohba S, Matsuzawa S, Awaya T, Shiotani Y, et al. Head growth evaluation in early childhood, from the Japan Children's study. Pediatr Int. 2010; 52(3):343-6.

20. Tikotzky L, DE Marcas G, Har-Toov J, Dollberg S, Bar-Haim Y, Sadeh A. Sleep and physical growth in infants during the first 6 months. J Sleep Res. 2010; 19(1):103-10.

21. Tripathy V, Gupta R. Growth among Tibetans at high and low altitudes in India. Am J Hum Biol. 2007; 19(6):789-800.

22. Sachdev HPS, Gera T, Nestel P. Effect of iron supplementation on physical growth in children: systematic review randomized controlled trials. Public Health Nutr. 2006; 9(7):904-20.

23. Cheung YB, Ashorn P. Continuation of linear growth and it association with cognitive ability are not dependent on initial length-for-age: a longitudinal study from 6 months to 11 years of age. Acta Paediatr. 2010; 99:1719-23.

24. Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Shakiba M, Eftekhari MH, Fatehi F. Effects of zinc supplementation on physical growth in 2-5 years old children. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2009; 128(2):118-27.

25. Van Dijk CE, Innis SM. Growth-curve Standards and the assessment of early excess gain of weight in infancy. Pediatrics. 2007; 123(1):102-23.

26. Yokoyama Y, Sugimoto M, Silventoinen K, Kaprio J. Weight growth charts from birth to 6 years of age in Japanese Triplets. Twin Res Hum Genetics. 2008; 11(6):641-7.

27. Marques RC, Dórea JG, Bernardi JV, Bastos WR, Malm O. Maternal fish consumption in the nutrition transition of the Amazon Basin: growth of exclusively breastfed infants during the first 5 years. Ann Hum Biol. 2008; 35(4):363-77.

28. Uauy R, Casanello P, Krause B, Kuzanovic J, Corvalan C. International Fetal and Newborn Growth Consortium for the 21st Century (INTERGROWTH-21st). Conceptual basis for prescriptive growth standards from conception to early childhood: present and future. BJOG. 2013; 120(2):3-8.

29. Hui LL, Leung GM, Cowling BJ, Lam TH, Schooling CM. Determinants of infant growth: evidence from Hong Kong's "Children of 1997" birth cohort. Ann Epidemiol. 2010 Nov; 20(11):827-35.

30. Azcorra H, Dickinson F, Rothenberg SJ. Family migration and physical growth in Merida, Mexico. Am J Hum Biol. 2009; 21(3):398-400.

31. Gray S, Akol HA, Sundal M. Mixed-longitudinal growth of breastfeeding children in Moroto district, Uganda (karamoja subregion). A loss of resiliency? Am J Hum Biol.2008; 20(5):499-509.

32. Cohen NJ, Lojkasek M, Zadeh ZY, Pugliese M, Kiefer H. Children adopted from China: a prospective study of their growth and development. J Child Psycol Psychiatry. 2008; 49(4):458-68.

33. Botton J, Heude B, Maccario J, Borys JM, Lommez A, Ducimetière P, et al. Parental body size and early weight and height growth velocities in their offspring. Early Hum Develop. 2010 Jul; 86(7):445-50.
-3434. Johnson DE, Guthrie D, Smyke AT, Koga SF, Fox NA, Zeanah CH, et al. Growth and associations between auxology, caregiving environment, and cognition in socially to foster vs ongoing institutional care. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2010; 164(6):507-16. Basically, it refers to anthropometric changes expected to the child's age.

Table 2 below presents the consequences of child growth, according to specific literature.

Table 2
Consequences of child growth. Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, 2013. (n=41)

Evaluating the consequence "gain of weight" demands the identification of the variables of age, stature, and weight.1919. Sawada A, Ikeda H, Kimura-Ohba S, Matsuzawa S, Awaya T, Shiotani Y, et al. Head growth evaluation in early childhood, from the Japan Children's study. Pediatr Int. 2010; 52(3):343-6.,3535. Beyerlein A, Ness AR, Streuling I, Hadders-Algra M, Von Kries R. Early rapid growth: no association with later cognitive functions in children born not small for gestational age. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010; 92(3):585-93.,4141. Jomaa LH, Mcdonnell E, Probart C. School feeding programs in developing countries: impacts on children's health and educational outcomes. Nutr Rev. 2011; 69(2):83-98.

42. Xiong X, Wightkin J, Magnus JH, Pridjian G, Acuna JM, Buekens P. Birth weight and infant growth: optimal infant gain of weight versus optimal infant weight. Matern Child Health J. 2007; 11(1):57-63.
-4343. Mulder PJ. A concept analysis of effective breastfeeding. JOGNN. 2006; 35(3):332-9.,4949. Hill AS, Nguyen H, Dickerson KL. Catch-up growth for the extremely low birth weight infant. Pediatric Nurs. 2009 May-Jun; 35(3):181-7. The consequence of child growth "expresses anthropometric measures within the patterns of normality" comprises measures of weight, length, cephalic, and brachial circumferences, triceps, and subscapular skinfold thickness.33. Ministério da Saúde (BR), Departamento de Atenção Básica. Saúde da criança: acompanhamento do crescimento e desenvolvimento infantil. Brasília (DF): MS; 2002. The consequence "adequate anthropometric indexes according to the child's age and sex established through growth curves" comprises combinations of indexes that allow describing the child's anthropometric condition.33. Ministério da Saúde (BR), Departamento de Atenção Básica. Saúde da criança: acompanhamento do crescimento e desenvolvimento infantil. Brasília (DF): MS; 2002.

As regards motor skills, the following consequences are identified: "performs general motor skills in accordance with the age pattern" and "performs refined motor skills in accordance with the age pattern."1313. Papalia DE, Olds W, Feldman RD. Desenvolvimento humano. 8ª ed. Porto Alegre (RS): Artmed; 2006.

The consequence of child growth "adequate initial sensorial capacities" refers to the child's ability to properly respond through primary sensorial areas of the cortex - touch, smell, taste, sight, hearing, and primitive reflexes.4646. Harada MJCS, Waksman RD, Pereira SR. O brinquedo, a criança e a segurança. In: Brêtas JRS. Cuidados com o desenvolvimento psicomotor e emocional da criança: do nascimento a três anos de idade. São Paulo (SP): Iátria; 2006. p. 219-25.

Growth is also contemplated through the consequence "develops active and non-structured games that increase the child's capacity of controlling movements," which expresses a playful moment using physical and social movements; there is both linear and intellectual growth as the child develops.1212. Boyd D, Bee H. A criança em crescimento. Porto Alegre (RS): Artmed; 2011.

Based on these findings, the study concluded that growth and development phenomena are related, and thus considered that growth bears a quantitative connotation as part of a child development domain named "physical."

DISCUSSION

As regards the identification of concepts related to child growth, controversies abound in relation to which aspects should be investigated, considering that the literature presents the phenomenon dissociated from or aggregated to the child development phenomenon. In addition, it shows that when studies attach priority to the physical domain they list it as the only one to be analyzed in order to investigate child growth, in their evaluation, just the checking of anthropometric measures when they use scales.

The studies analyzed identified situations unique to the phenomenon of child growth where the physiological aspects are highlighted. In this way, we observed the relation between this phenomenon and changes in size and form, referring to body measurements and specifically approaching it as something that can be quantified or measured, denoting the physical character of this phenomenon.

Particularly, growth is expressed as a physical domain belonging to child development. It is related to the increase of the body and brain, sensory capacities, motor skills, and health, mainly including physical development.1212. Boyd D, Bee H. A criança em crescimento. Porto Alegre (RS): Artmed; 2011.

However, in another study,44. Marcondes E, Setian N, Carraza FR. Desenvolvimento físico (crescimento) e funcional da criança. In: Marcondes E, Vaz FAC, Ramos JLA, Okay Y. Pediatria básica. 9ª ed São Paulo (SP): Sarvier; 2002. p. 23-35. the definitions of child growth are focused on other aspects such as sensory capacities and motor skills, evidencing the relative integration of the concepts of growth and development in its meaning. In this sense, the authors state that growth and development phenomena include different comprehensive aspects, but present specificities through which they are integrated.44. Marcondes E, Setian N, Carraza FR. Desenvolvimento físico (crescimento) e funcional da criança. In: Marcondes E, Vaz FAC, Ramos JLA, Okay Y. Pediatria básica. 9ª ed São Paulo (SP): Sarvier; 2002. p. 23-35. Generally speaking, the phenomenon of growth is included in child development and both result from a complex evaluation of the child that involves the influence of genetic and environmental factors.

The attributes found relative to the growth phenomenon emphasize the physical domain. Moreover, there are attributes related to the phenomenon of evolutionary process, such as length speed and growth performance. The evaluation of child growth is directly related to the monitoring of physical measures, because the combination of these measures produces indexes that allow interpreting growth.5050. Oliveira MMC, Almeida PC, Cardoso MVLML. Growth of premature children with very low weight coming from the neonatal unit - a descriptive study. Online Braz J Nurs [Internet]. 2009 April [cited 2015 Jul 16]; 8(1). Available from: http://www.objnursing.uff.br/index.php/nursing/article/view/j.16764285.2009.2256/472
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The physical measures required to evaluate a child's growth are as follows: weight; length; and circumference. We emphasize that the monitoring of weight and length measures is important to the nutritional diagnosis and also enable evaluating the growth speed.5151. Rocha ACD, Pedraza DF. Child growth monitoring in family health basic units in the municipality of Queimadas, Paraíba, Brazil. Texto Contexto Enferm [Internet]. 2013 [cited 2015 Jul 16]; 22(4):1169-78. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-07072013000400036&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en
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The term "maturation," which is considered to be a critical attribute of child growth, deserves special attention. In this regard, many studies9,12-13 state that child development is related to the process of maturation of organs and systems that have gained more efficiency and ability throughout human evolution. In this peculiar situation it is observed that this term was found in a study about child growth1212. Boyd D, Bee H. A criança em crescimento. Porto Alegre (RS): Artmed; 2011. corroborating with others when it refers to growth as part of child development.

The consequences the child growth phenomenon identified in the studies focus on situations resulting from child growth considered to be adequate. In this way, the child growth result is represented by variations on weight, length, and other body measures. Usually the expected growth evaluation observes the indexes of measurements of head circumference jointly with body weight and length in the early years of life.4949. Hill AS, Nguyen H, Dickerson KL. Catch-up growth for the extremely low birth weight infant. Pediatric Nurs. 2009 May-Jun; 35(3):181-7. The same authors add that growth patterns are described as fluctuations on the growth path evidenced by acceleration and deceleration in daily gain of weight.4949. Hill AS, Nguyen H, Dickerson KL. Catch-up growth for the extremely low birth weight infant. Pediatric Nurs. 2009 May-Jun; 35(3):181-7.

In relation to the consequence "gain of weight; relations: weight/age, weight/stature, stature/age," the relation weight/age presents the meaning of weight variations in relation to age, reflecting any deterioration or improvement in the child's status. The relation weight/stature, in turn, is important to find recent weight deficiencies (acute malnutrition) and the stature/age relation is important to the linear monitoring of the child.33. Ministério da Saúde (BR), Departamento de Atenção Básica. Saúde da criança: acompanhamento do crescimento e desenvolvimento infantil. Brasília (DF): MS; 2002.

Based on the consequence "expresses anthropometric measures within the patterns of normality," a study shows that anthropometric indexes are important tools to evaluate growth because these allow better estimating the child growth pattern.3 Such measures can be used jointly with weight relations referring to sex and age, predicting the child's nutritional situation.5252. Barbosa Filho C, Lopes AS, Fagundes RR, Campos W. Anthropometric indices among schoolchildren from a municipality in Southern Brazil: a descriptive analysis using the LMS method. Rev Paul Pediatr. 2014; 32(4):333-43.

The analysis of growth curves based on the anthropometric indexes of weight and stature (length or height) is evidenced as a growth measure, as this phenomenon is closely related to genetic heritage and environmental factors; the interaction of these factors will either allow or not allow reaching this biological goal: increase in body size (cephalocaudal, proximodistal), justifying the consequence "adequate anthropometric indexes in accordance with the child's age and sex established through growth curves".33. Ministério da Saúde (BR), Departamento de Atenção Básica. Saúde da criança: acompanhamento do crescimento e desenvolvimento infantil. Brasília (DF): MS; 2002.

As regards the consequences "performs general motor skills according the age pattern" and "performs refined motor skills according the age pattern," the authors1313. Papalia DE, Olds W, Feldman RD. Desenvolvimento humano. 8ª ed. Porto Alegre (RS): Artmed; 2006. affirm that when the central nervous system, muscles, and bones are ready and the environment offers proper opportunities for exploration and practice, children surprise adults with their new motor capabilities.

Motor development is characterized by changes in motor skills throughout life, resulting from the interaction between genetically defined biological processes and environmental processes. Moreover, this development follows a chronological sequence mainly regarding postural control and antigravity movements.5353. Maia PC, Silva LP, Oliveira MMC, Cardoso MVLML. Motor development of preterm and term infants-using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale. Acta Paul Enferm. 2011; 24(5):670-5.

In this way, changes in body size, including the format of the torso as well as the maturation of the central nervous system gradually contribute to the child's acquisition of new skills related to the balance of the torso and lower limbs. These skills facilitate standing up, walking, running, jumping, as well as the coordination of the upper limbs to accurately perform manual tasks such as catching objects, transferring these from one hand to the other, and throwing them.2929. Hui LL, Leung GM, Cowling BJ, Lam TH, Schooling CM. Determinants of infant growth: evidence from Hong Kong's "Children of 1997" birth cohort. Ann Epidemiol. 2010 Nov; 20(11):827-35.,3333. Botton J, Heude B, Maccario J, Borys JM, Lommez A, Ducimetière P, et al. Parental body size and early weight and height growth velocities in their offspring. Early Hum Develop. 2010 Jul; 86(7):445-50.,5454. Datar A, Jacknowitz A. Birth weight effects on children's mental, motor, and physical development: evidence from twins data. Matern. Child Health J. 2009 Nov; 13(6):780-94.

55. González MA, Pino JLV. Estudio comparativo de las curvas de crescimiento NCHS/OMS: evaluación del estado nutricional e implicancias en un centro de salud familiar. Rev Chil Nutr. 2010 Jun; 37(2):169-77.
-5656. Weaver LT. How did babies growth 100 years ago? Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011 Jan; 65(1):3-9.

Regarding the consequence "adequate initial sensorial capacities," the child's brain and response behavior act in harmony thanks to the network of peripheral nerves that stretch over all parts of the body, and through that network sensory messages reach the brain and motor commands are sent back.1313. Papalia DE, Olds W, Feldman RD. Desenvolvimento humano. 8ª ed. Porto Alegre (RS): Artmed; 2006. According to the same authors,1313. Papalia DE, Olds W, Feldman RD. Desenvolvimento humano. 8ª ed. Porto Alegre (RS): Artmed; 2006. touch is the sense that seems to have faster development; an example is when you caress the cheek of a hungry newborn and he responds by trying to find the mother's nipple, expressing his sensitivity to touch.

In line with the consequence "develops active and non-structured games that increase the child's capacity to control movements," one study4646. Harada MJCS, Waksman RD, Pereira SR. O brinquedo, a criança e a segurança. In: Brêtas JRS. Cuidados com o desenvolvimento psicomotor e emocional da criança: do nascimento a três anos de idade. São Paulo (SP): Iátria; 2006. p. 219-25. highlights that the act of playing involves building future behaviors and the reproduction of everyday situations that allow children to assimilate the roles played by the parents and/or caregivers.

In a broader sense, children in early age, when using their tinker toys, feel stimulated to the activity of "doing," not minding about the product resulting from the toy. In this way, this process takes place because playing is not a static activity; it develops and changes as the child grows, acquiring or improving motor (physical), cognitive, and psychosocial skills.5757. Fulgencio L. O brincar como modelo do método de tratamento psicanalítico. Rev Bras Psicanálise. 2008; 42(1):124-36.

CONCLUSION

Child growth as investigated in the literature is still very controversial, as the literature presents it as a phenomenon dissociated from or aggregated to child development. The growth phenomenon comprises different connotations including physiological and social aspects. Physiological aspects are related to changes in size and form, referring to body measures and specifically addressed as something that can be quantified or measured. Social aspects are seldom identified in the definitions found for child growth. On the other hand, some definitions of child growth are focused on other aspects such as sensory capacities and motor skills, evidencing the relative integration of the concepts of growth and development in their meaning.

The attributes and consequences identified in the literature provide a broad view of the phenomenon analyzed, considering that these comprise the establishment of physical parameters; the consequences, in turn, comprise both physical and social/behavioral aspects.

This concept analysis brings a comprehensive theoretical structure referring to the child's growth that can provide nurses with a deeper understanding of factors involving this phenomenon, thus facilitating their decision-making through intervention measures regarding children care. In addition, this theoretical literature survey can serve as input to other studies, mainly those of specific methodological type, to formulate new diagnosis proposals attached to the NANDA-I taxonomic classification.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    2016

History

  • Received
    16 Oct 2014
  • Accepted
    12 Feb 2015
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