ATI: Preschoolers Flashcards
What age are preschoolers?
3 to 6 years
Physical Development
- development occurs at a more gradual rate than cognitive and psychosocial development
- evolve from the characteristically unsteady wide stance and protruding abdomen of toddlers to the more graceful, posturally erect, and sturdy physicality
- male preschoolers have a tendency to appear larger with more muscle mass
Weight
gain about 4.5 to 6.5 pounds per year
Height
grow about 6.3 to 9 cm (2.4 to 3.5 inches) per year
Fine and Gross Motor Skills
show an improvement in fine motor skills
>copying figures on paper, scribbling, drawing, and dressing themselves
Cognitive Development: Piaget
preoperational stage
- participate in preconceptual thought (2 to 4 years of age)
- participate in intuitive thought (4 to 7 years)
Preconceptual thought
(2 to 4 years of age)
-makes judgments based on visual appearances
>misconceptions in thinking during this stage include:
-Artificialism: everything is made by humans
-Animism: inanimate objects are alive
-Imminent justice: a universal code exists that determines law and order
Intuitive Thought
(4 to 7 years of age)
-preschoolers can classify and begin to question information and become aware of cause- and - effect relationships
Time Concept
begin to understand the concepts of past, present, and future
-by the end of the preschool years, they can comprehend days of the week
Language Development
- vocabulary continues to increase
- by age 6, contains 8000 to 14000 words
- desires and frustrations are more verbally articulated
- a need to learn information is expressed through questioning
- phonetically similar words (eye and I) are difficult to comprehend
- speak in sentences, identify colors, and enjoy talking
Psychosocial Development: Erikson’s
Initiative vs Guilt
- preschoolers take on many new experiences, despite not having all of the physical abilities necessary to be successful at everything
- when children are unable to accomplish a task, they can feel guilty and believe they have misbehaved
- guide preschoolers to attempt activities within their capabilities while setting limits
Moral Development
continue in the good-bad orientation of the toddler years but begin to understand behavior in terms of what is socially acceptable
Self-Concept
feel good about themselves for mastering skills (dressing and feeding) that allow independence
-during stress, insecurity, or illness, they tend to regress to previous immature behavior or develop habits (nose picking, bed-wetting, or thumb sucking)
Body-image Changes
- mistaken perceptions of reality coupled with misconceptions in thinking lead to active fantasies and fears
- fear bodily harm, the dark, ghosts, animals, inclement weather, and medical personnel
- sex-role identification is typical
Social Developement
-generally do not exhibit stranger anxiety and have less separation anxiety; leads to exploring their neighborhood environment and making new friends
>prolonged separation (during hospitalization) can provoke anxiety; favorite toys and play help ease fears
-pretend play is healthy and allows children to determine the difference between reality and fantasy
Sleep
sleep disturbances are common; problems range from difficulties going to bed to night terrors
>advise parents to:
-assess whether the bedtime is too early for children who still take naps; average about 12 hours of sleep a day; some still require daytime nap
-keep consistent bedtime routine; help children slow down in preparation for bedtime; avoid media use or other stimulation before bed
-use a night light
-reassure children who are frightened
-ensure media content the child views is appropriate and non-violent
Associative Play
play is not highly organized, and preschoolers do not cooperate during play
Age-appropriate activities
- playing ball
- putting puzzles together
- riding tricycle
- pretend and dress-up activities
- musical toys
- painting, drawing, and coloring
- sewing cards
- cooking and housekeeping toys
- looking at illustrated books
- technology (video and computer programs) to support development and learn new skills
Immunizations
-against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, seasonal influenza, and polio
>recommendations change periodically for all children
(4-6: DTap, Polio, MMR, Varicella, Annual Flu)
Nutrition
- preschoolers who are mildly active require a caloric intake of 1200 to 1400 per day
- picky eating remains a problem for some preschoolers, but often by age 5 they become a bit more willing to sample different foods
- age 3 need 13 to 19 g of protein daily
- age 4 to 5 need 25 g of protein
- adequate calcium, iron, folate, and vitamins A and C
Prevention of Bodily Harm
- keep fire arms in a locked cabinet or container
- teach stranger safety
- wear helmets riding a bicycle or tricycle and during other activities that increase head-injury risk
- wear protective equipment (helmet and pads) during physical activity
- remove doors from unused refrigerators or other equipment
- not to walk in front of swings
Prevention of Burns
- reduce the temperature setting on the water heater
- have smoke detectors in the home and replace the batteries regularly
- use sunscreen while outdoors
- not to play with matches
Prevent Drowning
- do not leave unattended in bathtub
- supervise by pool or any body of water
- teach how to swim
Prevent Motor Vehicle-Injury
- sit in forward-facing car seat with a harness for as long as possible, at least to 4 years of age
- sit in back seat away from airbags
- children who outgrow the seat before age 4 should use a seat with a harness approved for higher weights and heights; use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belt fits properly (ages 8 and 12 years)
Prevent Poisoning
- avoid exposure to lead paint
- keeps plants out of reach
- place safety locks on cabinets with cleaners and other chemicals
- keep a poison control number handy or program it in phone
- keep medications in childproof containers
- have a carbon monoxide detector in home
Gross Motor Skills: 3 year old
- ride a tricycle
- jump off bottom step
- stand on one foot for a few seconds
Gross Motor Skills: 4 year old
- skip and hop on one foot
- throw ball overhead
Gross Motor Skill: 5 Year old
- jump rope
- walk backward with heel to toe
- moves up and down stairs easily
