Chapter 20: Caring for the Developing Child (Early childhood/preschooler) Flashcards
Age for Early Childhood/ Preeschooler
3 to 6 years
Physical Development
- come in various sizes, shapes, and body types
- preschooler begins to grow taller and thinner
- abdomen will flatten as she grows
- abdominal muscles strengthen, and the pelvis straightens
- growth rate slow but steady
- average weight gain= 5 lbs
- average growth= 2.5 to 3 inches per year (6.3-7.6 cm)
- by age 4, posture straightens and able to move around in a more balanced fashion
- muscles become more developed, becomes stronger
- face narrows, nose enlarges, and skin becomes more adult-like
- at age 4, can ride bike and climb up and down the stairs comfortably using alternate feet
- skip and hop and is more coordinated on the balance beam
- fine motor skills rely o the use of the forefinger and thumb
- as brain becomes more developed, is better able to pick things up with the fingers
- hand dominance begins to develop by age 3, is established at age 4
Cognitive Development
- corresponds with Piaget’s preoperational stage (2 to 4 years)
- increases ability to verbalize
- can symbolically use language to represent concepts that need to be conveyed
- still egocentric (focused only on her own sense of things) and therefore is limited socially; in large part b/c of concrete thinking processes and the inability to abstractly shift focus from self to others
- not able to transfer attention from one aspect of an object to another (e.g. can identify a dogs collar but is not able to describe texture)
Language Development
-increased ability to verbalize
-vocab increases 1500 to 2000 words between the ages 3 and 5
-uses sentences and is much more able to convey an intended message
-tantrums usually begin to subside when able to use words
-loves silly words and rhymes and asks many questions, generally those that begin with “why”
-to meet the needs of the preschooler, keep answers simple and avoid giving too much information; bombarding with overwhelming answers can be quite disconcerting for the child
>nurse can tell the parent that a preschooler may stutter as he or she tries to get out all of the words faster than she is able to speak them; stuttering generally resolves quickly
Psychosocial Development
-has learned many new skills and is becoming a “big kid”
-enjoys positive feedback for accomplishments
-the fact that the preschooler is able to do many new things creates a dilemma, and the preschooler must decide which things are most important
>parents may not approve of the decisions made by the preschooler, and she may become conflicted when limits are set; often the preschooler ponders about doing “the right thing” or doing “the wrong things” and risking the parents dismay
-conscience develops and begins to guide the child through the maze of “wants” versus “cans”
-has a good ideal of Magical Thinking; in a preschoolers desire to do what she wants to do, she may angrily wish something bad would happen to another person, often a parent. If something bad actually happens, the preschooler will believe that her thinking caused the outcome
-family is important to the preschooler; but now is discovering the joys of friendship; looks to her peers for new ideas and information and begins to develop an understanding of what it means to be kind
-preschooler is more social and is often more willing to share toys with others than when she was a toddler
Moral Development
- common for this age group to tell lies to avoid consequences
- may judge an action to be wrong if caught
- only guilt if the parent has seen the action
Discipline
preschooler is beginning to understand that actions have consequences, caregivers can take advantage of that understanding
-able to understand that there are rules and that not obeying those rules leads to consequences
-best if rules are explained before infractions occur; addressed before disciplining child; helps the preschool child learn more clearly how to behave
-consequences can follow naturally and fit the behavior being punished (e.g. have the child clean up her own mess or miss a favorite tv show if she dawdles (wastes time))
>provide time-out (a minute time-out per year of age); important to help the child know that the purpose of the time-out is to calm herself and to shift gears and act appropriately
>parents begin to use behavioral charts to praise positive behavior and to help the preschooler understand what is expected and to be rewarded when “good” behavior is shown
-getting a star or sticker on the chart is reward enough to encourage good behavior; for others, a more sophisticated measure is needed, such as allowing additional television time or favorite activity
>Goal of discipline and limit setting at this age= begin teaching preschooler to regulate her own behavior
Developmental Milestones of Early Childhood (preschooler/ age 3 to 6)
> Physical Growth:
-Weight: increases 5lbs /year
-Height: increases 2.5 to 3 inches /year
Gross Motor Skills:
-dresses self, throws and catches ball, pedals tricycle, kicks ball forward, stands on one foot for 5 to 10 seconds, skips and hops on one foot, walks down steps with alternate feet, jumps from bottom step, balances on alternative feet with eyes closed
Fine Motor Skills:
-moves around in a more balanced fashion, builds tower of 9 to 10 cubes, draws stick figure with 6 parts, uses scissors to cut outline of picture, copies and traces geometric patterns, ties shoelaces, uses fork, spoon, and knife with supervision, colors, prints letters, mostly independent toileting and dressing
Cognitive, Sensory, and Language:
-focus is on self, uses language to convey concepts, concrete thinking, well-developed senses, preferences based on the use of senses, learns address and phone number, language: recognizes most letters; vocabulary has increased from 1500 to 200 words; eventually speaks in complete sentences with increasing fluency, enjoys silly words and rhymes, asks many “why” questions
Psychosocial:
-begins to regulate own behavior; learns about rules; increases confidence to try new things; recognizes differences between boys and girls
Play:
-associative play helps children learn how to share, play in small groups, and learn simple games with rules, concepts of language, and social rules; activities include: memory, chutes and ladders, CandyLand, hokey pokey, hot letters, alphabet games, color games, checkers, and make believe play
Anticipatory Guidance
- parents can assist in language development and comprehension by reading and singing each day
- praise the child’s accomplishments to build confidence and a sense of achievement
- expect preschooler to test limits
- parents set and maintain consistent limits on behavior and provide appropriate discipline
How do parents know when to start kindergarden?
-mastery of the skills previous to, and including, the preschool years assists the child in becoming ready to start school
-preschools and childcare programs provide opportunities for the preschooler to interact with other children, learn cooperative play, and enhance cognitive, language, social, and physical skills
>working closely with the teachers in these early childhood programs provides parents with the information they need to assess when their child is ready to begin school
Anticipatory Guidance: Nutrition
- family meal times should be pleasant-provide 3 meals and 2 nutritious snacks per day
- allow child to make nutritious choices
Anticipatory Guidance: Health Promotion
- signs and symptoms of illness: vomiting, diarrhea, fever, dehydration
- immunizations
- recommended CPR training
- oral health: brushing, routine cleanings
Anticipatory Guidance: Focus on Safety
- car seat
- updated home childproofing (secure matches, guns, outlets, medications, poisons)
- sunscreen
- bike helmet
- water and playground safety
- stranger safety
- close supervision
Anticipatory Guidance: Sleep-wake Patterns
- dreams and nightmares evident now; develop strategies to handle them
- naps start to disappear
- maintain consistent bedtime routine
Anticipatory Guidance: Cognitive and Emotional Development
- offer praise
- show affection
- expect fantasy play as child tries new roles
- address fears as they occur
- read, sing, and talk to child to develop language skills
- creative toys
- expose child to various places within the community
- encourage assertiveness, not aggression
- expect sexual exploration and answer questions
- assign simple chores
- encourage self care: toileting, dressing
