Page "Continuity (fiction)" Paragraph 29

The practice of accelerating the age of a television character ( usually a child or teenager ) in conflict with the timeline of a series and / or the real-world progression of time is popularly known as Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome, or SORAS.

Children unseen on screen for a time might reappear portrayed by an actor several years older than the original.

Usually coinciding with a recast, this rapid aging is typically done to open up the character to a wider range of storylines, and to attract younger viewers.