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Human Life Cycle

Various Stages of Human Life

Human life cycle is the cycle that occurs in human beings and involves a time period for different stages of life. The ideal nutrition and physical well-being ensures prosperity of each stage and helps humans to live more. The major six stages of the human life cycle are known that starts with the prenatal stage where fertilisation takes place and foetal development occurs inside a mother and then ends with the death of human beings. Therefore, old age is the final stage of the life cycle and death is the end of the human life cycle.

Human life cycle biology chapter is there in the books for students and it is easy to understand. In this we’ll talk about the human life cycle and the various stages of the human life cycle. 

What are the Six Stages in the Human Life Cycle?

The Human Life Cycle consists of various stages that include foetus, baby, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and elderly; these are discussed in detail as follows:

Foetus- It is a creation called zygote with the fusion of an egg from the mother and a sperm from the father. Zygote looks like a bundle of cells that divides rapidly and turns into an embryo after about 2-4 weeks inside the mother’s womb. It takes about 8 weeks for the embryo to turn into a human body shape and it is called the foetus.

Baby- After nine months in the mother’s womb, a baby is born. Babies under 1 year of age are called infants and are fed on mother’s milk. Newborn babies are able to suck, breathe, swallow and cry when they feel hungry/cold/hot or any other uncomfortable situation. This is the way of expressing themselves as they cannot talk at this stage.

Childhood- This among the various stages of human life can be divided into 3 sub stages, namely-

Toddler: It is a child who is a grown up baby and is between the ages of 1-3 years. Here, a child slowly learns crawling, walking, talking, running, jumping, identifying things and eating by themselves.

Preschooler: It is a child who is between the ages of 3-5 years. At this sub-stage of childhood, the child can communicate properly, read, write, make friends and indulge in various childhood activities. 

Primary School Kid: It is a child who is between the ages of 5-12 years. At this stage, a child or primary schooler has developed good muscle control and coordination, eye-hand coordination, personal habits, thinking patterns, awareness of safety issues and personal habits and choices.

Adolescence- In this human life cycle stage, a child grows into an adolescent through puberty period. Puberty is the process of physical changes where a child's body matures into an adult body that is capable of sexual reproduction. It starts from the age of 13 years and continues up to 19 years of age. Adolescents are also called teenagers as they belong to thirteen to nineteen years of age range. Many hormonal changes in the body take place that appear externally too. Some of the changes taking place in boys and girls include turning taller, heavier and stronger, getting hair under arms, on arms and legs and around genitals, oily skin and more sweating. Boys' specific changes are deep and rough voice, hair on face, broader chests, shoulders and muscles and girls’ specific changes include development of breasts, bigger hips and start of menstruation cycle. It is considered that the adolescence stage is difficult to manage for parents as there are behavioural and attitudinal changes in teenagers and they find more comfortable in being independent in their day-to-day activities. 

This stage comprises people who fall in the range of ages between 20 -65 years and they are called adults. This is the right age for the process of reproduction and making babies. Adults can be young adults i.e. 20-36 years, middle-aged adults i.e. 36-55 years and older adults i.e. 55-65 years. 

A person who reaches 65 years of age generally belongs to the elderly group. The average life expectancy of a person can range from 70-85 years. It also depends on the overall health and fitness of a person. The healthier a person is, their life expectancy is more. 

So, these were the six different stages of the human life cycle explained above that include fetus (pregnancy), birth of a baby (infant), toddler or preschooler, teenager, adult man/woman and old person.

Characteristic Developmental Features

In all the six stages of the human life cycle, the developmental period shows certain peculiar features of internal growth and external social skills. These are stated below:

The Neonatal stage

In these first few weeks of life, a new born adjusts to the outside world. The head of the neonate is disproportionately larger than the rest of its body. All other body parts are small, soft and tender.

During this short period, the baby spends most of its time asleep., which is broken by short waking periods  (usually every 2-3 hours) on account of any discomfort or for feeding.

They lack neuromuscular control and have underdeveloped organ systems. Their tender bodies and an absolute lack of defense mechanisms make it imperative to closely protect the neonate at this stage.

They are highly vulnerable to diseases and improper nutrition or unhygienic conditions can quickly elevate the susceptibility.

The Infancy period

This is the stage of one of the most rapid periods of growth in the human life cycle.

The metabolic activity increases; there is a higher rate of neuromuscular development. The infant gains some muscle control and shows several body movements such as movement of the eye, swallowing, smiling, moving arms and legs, etc.

It is during this period the child learns to sit and then starts crawling, creeping, standing and finally is able to walk (first with support and then on its own).

They also show psychological development. They can recognise family members and differentiate them from strangers. Withdrawal from strange people, places and things is usually seen.

Finally it gains the concept of “Object permanence” (that is, objects do exist even after they are removed from immediate view sight).

The Childhood period

The childhood years can be further divided into early childhood and late childhood. During this transitional period from infancy, the growth rate slightly slows down. Now the child mainly grows in height and weight relative to each other.

The child shifts from solitary play to parallel play and seeks companionship from children of the same age. They often engage in cooperative play and like to imitate people and their behaviour.

Their vocabulary skills increase and become curious, often asking many questions to their caretakers. They also seek active approval of parents and adults around them

By the age of 9 or 10, girls show rapid growth than boys. In their late childhood, both boys and girls show separate interests which may be common in earlier stages.

The Adolescence

This is again one of the rapid growth periods. They will reach their adult height. Girls often reach their maximum height by their menarche.

Secondary sexual characteristics develop in both boys and girls.

Psychologically, adolescents enter into a period of identity crisis, where they actively seek their purpose in life and develop ideas and beliefs around who they are. They seek individuality as well as approval and being part of a peer group.

There is moral and psychosocial development and proper timely counselling becomes necessary to understand and appreciate their growth.

The adolescent has now transitioned into a full grown adult. There is a marked difference in the understanding of the self and world around them.

They now establish themselves through their careers and relationship with other beings. 

They now seek a marriage partner, build a family and gain status in the society.

Late Adulthood/ Old age (Senescence)

There is loss of several bodily functions gradually

The adult has now retired from its social responsibilities and challenges fully or partially. They however seek delight in helping their children by co-parenting their grandkids.

Sometimes they may feel lonely as children move away for educational and professional reasons. They may find themselves frustrated for being unable to execute many day to day activities without assistance.

Health declines and one may be plagued with many metabolic disorders.

They seek solace in the younger generation or in divine activities (prayers, pilgrimage, etc.).

FAQs on Human Life Cycle

1.  What is Adolescence?

Adolescence is one of the various stages of the human life cycle where a growing child turns to the age of thirteen years and it continues till the age of nineteen years. During this time, a growing child undergoes puberty and develops physical changes such as hair growth, strong muscles, voice cracking, breast development (in girls) and so on.

2. What is Important for Proper Sustenance of the Human Life Cycle?

Personal and community resources are the most important factors that help sustain various stages in the human life cycle. Personal/ Family resources include skills and knowledge, family income, savings and assets, while community resources are the various public institutions (schools, hospitals, parks) and groups set up to create a sense of belonging and overall growth of an individual. They guide, protect and help one flourish when used judiciously.

3. What is the difference between a neonate and an infant?

Both neonates and infants are in their very early stages of human life cycle. However they differ in their developmental stages. A neonate is a newborn who has just begun to adjust in its surroundings. They lack social skills, have difficulty recognising the family members other than the primary caregiver (mother) and spend most of their time asleep. Infants on the other hand are older than neonates and show significant development, especially of the neuromuscular and sensorimotor skills.

4. What are the characteristic features of late adulthood? What is geriatric disease?

The period of late adulthood is primarily characterized by gradual loss of bodily functions. Health is in a constant state of decline and leads to development of one or more nutrient deficiencies. These disorders arising due to old age are known as geriatric disorder. The common geriatric disorders are Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, decline in kidney and liver functions (which can lead to partial or complete dependence on dialysis), etc. There may be chewing difficulties, which further disturbs the amount of available nutrition to the body. This can cause unwanted fatigue, loss of focus and a general sense of frustration.

5. What is peer pressure? In what stage of the human life cycle does an individual is under most influence of peer pressure?

Peer pressure is an effect observed in people of the same age group, where they subliminally influence the behaviour and choices of their mates. This is due to an inherent desire to seek approval, be accepted and be seen as a part of the group (of friends, colleagues and coworkers). While peer pressure may be experienced in all stages of life cycle post infancy, its effect is maximum in the adolescent stage, where adolescents have even been known to fall for dangerous behaviors such as rash driving, smoking/ drug addiction, etc., simply to seek approval of their friends.

Biology • Class 10

• Biology Article

Human Life Cycle

Introduction.

Human beings are culture species that fall under the genus Homo and the family Hominidae. In appearance, human beings are physically similar to apes. Earlier, only human beings were the species exclusive to the family Hominidae. But a recent study suggests that chimpanzees are more closely related to humans than gorillas and the last mutual ancestor between humans and chimpanzees, lived about 6 to 7 million years ago.

A human body consists of four limbs; which are two arms and legs, and a head and neck attached to the torso. The shape of the human body is formed from a strong skeleton which is made of bone and cartilage, covered with fat, muscle, organs, tissue and so on.

A huge difference between apes and humans is that humans have a more developed or evolved brain. The body structure of human beings is erect and showcases movable hands. Apes also show great cognitive talent which was earlier unknown to humans.

The human body undergoes numerous changes and developments since conception. The food humans eat, helps them to develop. If we look at this historical trail of human evolution, there are many highlights to be looked upon. But for now, let’s look at the life cycle of a human being to get a better understanding.

Life Cycle of Human

The following are the different stages of development in the human life cycle

The sperm from the adult male human and the egg from the adult female human form a zygote inside the uterus of the female. Over time, the zygote develops and forms an embryo. Initially, the embryo looks like a cluster of cells, but after eight weeks, the embryo resembles the human body and is called a foetus. During this stage, the foetus is entirely dependent on the female for breathing, eating and other kinds of resources.

2) Infancy:

After around nine months, the foetus is fully developed to be born. This stage in human development marks the period from birth to age one. Infancy is the earliest part of childhood, where the infant grows in size and shape. During this stage, infant requires a lot of attention as they are completely dependent on their mothers. Infants develop their behaviour, physiology and cognition. Gradually, the infants learn to suck, swallow and cry if they are in an uncomfortable situation. Since infants are unable to speak, crying is their way of communicating. The mother tends to breastfeed her infant during this stage.

3) Toddler years:

The term ‘to toddle’ means to walk unsteadily and the child has a clumsy walk during this period. This stage marks the end of early childhood. During this period, the child ages two to three years old. This stage in a child’s life is where they undergo immense cognitive, emotional and social development.

4) Childhood:

Here, a child is of age three to six years and is crawling for mobility. In this stage, the child crawls and eventually learns to walk, talk, eat independently, and become more aware of their surroundings. The child is more social and active during this period and intrigued to learn new things.

5) Adolescence:

Here, the child is of age from nine to thirteen years and this period marks the beginning of adolescence. In this stage, the child grows into an adolescent, through a period called puberty. Puberty occurs during the initial stages of their teenage years, and that’s why adolescents are also called teenagers. In this stage, the teenager grows rapidly and physical changes begin to appear. These changes include hair growth, structural changes in body shape, voice cracking in adolescent males, breast growth in adolescent females and so on.

The behaviour pattern also changes, as they are more independent in performing daily tasks.

6) Adulthood:

Human beings who are between the age of 20 to 60 years are known as adults. Here, human beings are sexually mature and capable of reproducing. The body is fully developed by now, and the adult gains experience and responsibility. Adults have full mental and social development by this stage.

7) Middle age:

This is the time period of adulthood between the age of 30 to 50 years.

8) Old age:

When an individual reaches 60 or 65 years of age, they are called old people. This period starts from 65 years of age, until the end of their lives. During this stage, the intestine absorbs fewer nutrients from food sources. The physical capabilities of doing tasks are also reduced and they again depend on external support to do things.

The behaviour of old people in this stage varies, depending on the immunity and lifestyle of the human. The average life expectancy of human beings varies from 70 to 85 years. But this also changes depending on their lifestyle.

A human being’s body undergoes several changes and developments throughout their life span and food acts as the fuel needed for all these changes. Proper nutrition, exercise and a friendly environment ensure a healthy human beings in all stages of their life. Some basic nutrients required for human growth are carbohydrates, essential amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals in order to sustain a healthy lifestyle.

Frequently Asked Questions on Life Cycle of Human

What are the six stages of the human life cycle.

The six stages of human development include the foetus, infancy, toddler years, childhood, puberty, adolescence, adulthood, middle age and senior years.

What are the characteristics of human development?

The growth of different characteristics that occur is body structure, aptitude, intelligence, height, weight, hair colour, and sexual orientation.

What are the main objectives of human development?

The main objectives of human development include health, education, physical development and freedom. The objectives should also include human rights and social, economical and political freedom.

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• Essay on Elderly

Life Cycle Essay Example

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Elderly , Vitamins , Food , Diet , Age , Nutrition , Body , Milk

Published: 11/30/2022

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Old age is one of the most challenging stages of the life cycle as persons within this age group face the harsh realities of growing and becoming unwanted by many persons in their lives. The diet plan for the group is important as the elderly faces physical, mental and emotional stressors that affect their eating habits and in turn lower the level of nutrients in the body. Dietary care for the elderly is especially important as it is “the final stage of the normal life span” (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2016). The definition for this group of persons differs because of demography, including morbidity and mortality, sociology and employment and retirement. But, the common age boundaries for the elderly are defined as 60 or 65 years of age or older (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2016). This period marks the final stage of the life processes. According to nutritionist, Ivy Morris nutritional problems in the elderly results in complications that weaken the immune system and lower the level of energy in the body and further cause chronic health problems in these persons. Therefore, it is necessary to create diets that will change the intake of calories and other nutrients so that the elderly can have a balanced diet that will foster proper growth and development. Persons who care for the elderly and plan their diets must be cognizant of the daily nutrients that the elderly need in order to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. The diets of the elderly must include foods that are rich in magnesium, vitamins A, C, D and B12. Additionally, foods that are high in fiber, green leafy vegetables, low fat and non-fat milk, whole grains, and milk products are more important to the diets of the elderly as these products will help to replenish the lost nutrients. The elderly should avoid salt and instead eat foods that are seasoned with olive oil and herbs. The elderly often have a strong craving for sweet. This craving should not be ignored, but instead of allowing elderly persons to consume artificial sweeteners, the elderly should be encouraged to eat foods that contain natural sweeteners such as fruits and foods that are cooked using sweet peppers. Finally, the elderly are often dehydrated and therefore, it is recommended that the elderly should be encouraged to consume at least 1.7 liters of liquid daily. Liquids often vitally important as the chronic medical conditions and medication lead to dehydration. Those who are conscious of overactive bladders become attuned to being thirsty and will avoid drinking water. But, dehydration leads to constipation, kidney failure, heat injuries and headaches and dizziness among others. In concluding, the elderly require carefully prepared meals as the right balance of nutrients, liquids and vitamins in the body will help to alleviate common medical conditions. Green leafy vegetables and regular intake of water help to relieve constipation, headaches and dizziness. Milk and its by-products replenish the calcium that the body needs to maintain active bones structure. With this in mind, those who plan meals for the elderly must be aware of the nutritional needs of their patients and carefully plan these meals for the elderly. Simple Diet Plan for the Elderly

Morris, Ivy (2016) Nutrition Problems in the Elderly, Healthy Eating, Demand Media, Retrieved The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, (2016) Old age, Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/science/old-age 19 Feb 2016

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