Define Physiology of Growth and Development

Growth refers to 'increase in size' and development refers to 'maturation of function'. They are generally associated with each other, but there can be exemptions, as in hypertrophy, where there is only increase in size. Growth of various parts of the body does not follow a similar pattern, but there is a comparable relativity to size and shape, adaptability to various situations, responses to different stimuli etc. These would keep changing as the infant grows to adult stage. An adult differs from an infant with respect to the functional maturity. Secondly, the homeostatic mechanisms (the state of sustained equilibrium in which all cells, and all life forms, exist) are not as efficient as one observes in an adult.