The development of individuals can be affected by a number of life factors which include genetic, biological, environmental, socio economic and lifestyle factors. All these life factors have a large variety of influences which will affect individuals and how they develop through the life stages.
The first life factor is the genetics of an individual, a genetic influence which could affect the development of someone could be the predisposition to a particular disease such as Down syndrome. This particular disease is a chromosomal disorder and a genetic condition that typically causes some level of learning disability and a characteristic difference in physical features.
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These typical difficulties which are involved with this disorder affect the everyday life of the individual. With this disorder causing some level of learning disability, this will affect the way the child develops as a young person in regards to their education. This particular condition leads to much impairment in both the cognitive ability of the individual and also the physical growth too. Individuals with Down syndrome can have many different abnormalities which can affect their general health and bodily function.
People with the condition have increased risk of gaining respiratory and hearing problems and epilepsy. With all these increased risks being involved with this condition, it shows in many ways how the condition can affect how individuals develop throughout their life. Their childhood will be difficult due to the teaching they will have, this will therefore affect their adulthood as they won’t have the same life knowledge as other adults. Their adolescence will be different and more difficult for them as they won’t have the same life as a teenager would in regards to developing the relationship side of life and beginning to explore their body in ways young adults do as changes begin.
The long term outlook for an individual with Down syndrome is seen unlikely to be long. This particular condition is seen to slow the individual down and the health problems along with the condition jeopardize their life. This therefore affects the development through the older adulthood life stage as they may not get to this age to experience this.
The next life factor is biological influences that can affect the overall development of an individual as they go through all their life stages. Foetal alcohol syndrome is a biologic condition which can affect the development of a person from the minute they are conceived within the womb. This particular syndrome is a pattern of mental and physical defects that can develop a fetus in association with high levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
This particular condition can stunt the fetal growth or their weight which therefore affects the development of a child into adulthood as they have a stunt of growth. The consumption of alcohol whilst pregnant can damage neurons and the brain structures of the fetus. This therefore affects how the infant develops once born and can reduce the time it takes for the child to learn how to walk and talk. Fetal alcohol syndrome can create a collection of primary cognitive and functional disabilities, some of these including poor memory, attention deficits and impulsive behaviour.
These disabilities can affect the childhood development as the schooling of the individual can become increasingly difficult and take longer, and as a result of trouble with learning at a young age it can affect the way the development throughout the other life stages occurs. As well as the disabilities that can occur above, there are secondary disabilities which can affect the development of a person. Examples of these are mental health problems and drug and alcohol addiction which can affect the development of adulthood as you don’t get to experience having a family and relationships as drug and alcohol addiction will affect the way you live and also your bodily functions which may decrease the chances of having a family.
The appearance of you may also affect your older adulthood as the misuse of alcohol and drugs during your life can make you look older than you and also the long term illnesses may affect your chances of living longer.
Access to employment and income is a potential influence of an environmental factor which can affect the development of people. Individuals who do not have enough income to look after themselves let alone their children still insist on having children. This however is a downfall in today’s society as it leaves an increased possibility for difficulty in family life.
No employment leads to no income in a family home, this can affect the way an infant is brought up in regards to being looked after and being fed. It may also lead to infants being put in care as parents can’t look after them properly and ably which already leaves room for the development of the child to be decreased due to them not having the care from their own parents at a young age. No employment or income can also affect childhood as this is the start of education, with no income families can’t afford to send their child to school and pay for their lunches or their essentials they may need for educational purposes.
With no income it can also affect the way the child is treated at school, they may become a bullied individual as they may not have what other children may have. Adults who live a life with no employment and income can result in depression; this then leads to poor mental health and low self esteem which is the belief that you are inferior to others. Depression and stress can cause a poor diet and also for individuals not to take care of themselves like they should which will result in a lower expectancy of life for older adulthood.
Another life factor is socio economic which could include the education of people. Individuals with few or no qualifications which they should have attained at childhood and adolescence from going to school and higher education are more likely to be unemployed or employed in low paid work. It is said that the education of individuals at childhood depends on the family they grow up in. As families with higher incomes than average usually get better paid jobs than those who live in families with low incomes.
It also depends on the encouragement you get as a child and adolescence to whether you do well in education. Peer pressure is also a tough thing to overcome at adolescence which can interfere with the grades you attain within education. Those who don’t get the qualifications they want usually find adulthood to be difficult as they don’t have the income they would like for them to have a nice house and big family.
This links in with no income or employment and again results in the likelihood of older adulthood to be lower in life expectancy due to not being able to afford a healthy lifestyle due to the failing of not attaining the qualifications within education.
Lastly is the lifestyle of an individual which can affect the development of them throughout their life stages. A particular lifestyle influence could be nutrition and dietary choices individuals all make.
Many people may choose to eat a diet that includes unhealthy fatty, salty or sugary foods. Other people may eat unhealthy foods because of convenience and cost. People with low income will find it harder to travel to supermarkets and stock up on cheaper food. Low income may also push people to choose an unhealthy diet because it can be harder and more expensive to choose a healthy one. This however will cause problems for individuals in the long run. If families have a poor income and therefore don’t choose a healthy diet for their families it results in children having poor diets which can affect the growth development of them as individuals.
But also affect the brain and how it functions which can affect the child’s education. Other families might choose to give their children what they need in regards to nutrition and dietary choices, but not themselves which can cause people becoming obese and therefore affecting their lifestyle and development. If people become obese they usually become lazy and therefore don’t keep healthy and fit, this can affect the lifestyle of older adulthood as unfit and unhealthy elderly people can result in younger life expectancy as illnesses might take over elderly individuals.
Overall it is clearly seen that there are many life factors that can influence the development of individuals and also the life expectancy of these individuals also. This is why it is important to have healthy lifestyles and to do the best you can throughout life to get the best out of it.
