A fundamental knowledge of normal child and adolescent development is essential to providing a developmentally appropriate sports experience for the child, and to providing guidance to parents regarding their child's sport participation. This article reviews neurodevelopment, normal child and adolescent development relevant to sport participation, and developmental readiness to participate in sports. Neurodevelopmental maturation is a complex, continuous process. The sense of social comparison is not achieved until after 6 years of age, and the ability to understand the competitive nature of sports is generally not achieved until 9 years of age. By about 12 years of age, most children are mature enough to comprehend the complex tasks of sports and are physically and cognitively ready to participate in competitive sports with appropriate supervision. Content of the article: • Definition of neurodevelopment • Physical growth and motor development • Cognitive development • Visual-motor and auditory development • Perceptual motor development • Implications for sport participation • Neurodevelopmental readiness • The infant and the toddler • The preschool years • Physical growth and motor development • Cognitive development • Language development • Social and emotional development • Visual development • Auditory development • Perceptual motor development • Implications for sport participation • Middle childhood • Physical growth and motor development • Cognitive development • Language development • Social and emotional development • Visual and auditory development • Perceptual motor development • Implications for sport participation • The adolescent years • Early adolescence • Physical growth and development • Cognitive development • Psychosocial development • Implications for sport participation • Middle adolescence • Physical growth and development • Cognitive development • Psychosocial development • Implications for sport participation • Late adolescence • Physical growth and development • Cognitive development • Psychosocial development • Implications for sport participation • Growth, development, and training • Neurodevelopment and injuries • Conclusion • References (Full text - if registered - under http://www.pediatric.theclinics.com/article/S0031-3955(02)00003-2/fulltext)
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