HOW OUR BODIES GROW

          The most important forces that cause growth lie inside a living thing from the beginning. These forces are called "heredity". The human body has stages of growth; embryo and foetus, infant, child, youth, mature adult, old age. People's bodies grow faster in the early weeks of life than at any time. Even before the end of the first year,they are growing less rapidly. Through the whole period of childhood, they grow at a moderate rate. Then growth starts to speed up again. All human beings are much alike in their growth, but there are important differences. Boys and girls all follow the same general pathway of growth, but each one follows it in his own way.