Development generally proceeds from head to foot, this principle of development is called _______

Development refers to an increase in structure for better and enhanced functioning of organs. A child develops in an orderly sequence which is almost similar in all children.

Key Points

Predictable Patterns of Development:

• It is one of the most important principles of development that states every individual although exhibit difference in change, they follow the same sequence of change.
• Child development takes place in two directions, one is from the head-to-foot direction and the second is from near to distant  (center of the body to the peripheral).

1. The Cephal-ocaudal Tendency: It exhibits that the development proceeds in the longitudinal direction i.e. from head to foot. That is the reason why a child first gains control over the head before s/he starts walking.
2. The Proximo-distal Tendency: It proceeds from near to the distant and from parts of the body near the center develop first then the extremities. Therefore, the child in the earlier stages of development starts developing the fundamental muscles rather than the smaller muscles or fine motor skills.

Hence, it could be concluded that the above-mentioned principle of development is called 'Cephalo-caudal'.