Child Development Flashcards
What are the stages of child development?
Baby – 0-1 year of age
Infant – 0- 2 years of age
Childhood – 2 -10 years of age
Pubertal - 10 years to adult
Where are growth charts held?
Parent held child health record (red book)
Which groups of children require adjustments to their growth charts or special charts?
Adjust chart for prematurity - less than 37 weeks
Special charts for Down’s syndrome and other common conditions
What measurements are recorded in the red book?
Weight
Length/Height: Infants
What is crossing a centile?
Crossing a centile line drawn on the centile chart
With regards to crossing centiles, when would you refer a child?
Refer a child who has fallen through 2 centiles
What might be causes of a child being small and thin?
Low weight, low height = Failure to thrive
Under nutrition
Chronic disease e.g. asthma, coeliac, cystic fibrosis, congenital heart malformations
Genetic Syndromes
Neglect
What can be causes of a child being tall and thin?
Most likely normal but monitor growth if concerned
Check weight following centiles
Some rare syndromes e.g. Marfan’s
What centiles would a tall overweight child fit into?
Ht 75 centile
Wt >98 centile
What are risks of a child being tall and overweight?
Early puberty and subsequent short stature
What could cause a child to be short and overweight?
Weight»_space; height
Growth hormone deficiency
Hypothyroidism
Describe the vicious cycle of childhood obesity
Healthy child watches TV, eats snacks, under active -> mildly obese child
Make excuses for less activity and gain further weight -> moderately obese child
Exercise becomes uncomfortable and physically difficult -> severely obese child
Develop conditions such as asthma, diabetes, MSK, CAD which prevent exercise through to adulthood -> obese adult
What is a head circumference measurement?
Occipito-frontal circumference – OFC
Measures brain growth
80% of brain growth before age 5 years
Paper tape measure
Describe infant brain growth
At full-term, baby’s brain has 100 billion neurons
Brain not fully developed, has to be “wired up” after birth and baby’s brain will increase in weight from 400g at birth, to 1000g at 1 year p
Increase in weight is caused by proliferation of synapses
What does proliferate and prune mean?
During sensitive period of brain development, proliferation of synapses Large numbers are generated in short space of time
Active synapses that are used will be stabilised and remain and ones not used will be “pruned”
“use it or lose it”
When does development of the orbitofrontal regions occur?
Post natally
How are experiences incorporated into developing synaptic connections?
Experience-expectant: environmental input that everyone experiences, which play a necessary part in organising developing nervous system eg visual cortex which expects to be exposed to light and patterned visual information and needs this experience for normal development
Experience-dependent mechanisms: unique experiences of each individual baby produces a unique wiring of their brain and therefore enables them to adapt to specific features of individual environment that they inhabit
What are important Experience-expectant aptitudes?
Sensory pathways of vision and hearing, social and emotional development, language and higher cognitive functions
Sets the scene for experience-dependent experiences, which supply the more detailed script based on each child’s individual experiences
When is experience dependant development optimised?
When it takes place during sensitive developmental periods
However, it can take place at any time not just during sensitive developmental period (defining characteristic)
Brain is plastic across lifespan which makes it possible for us to change our behaviours, learn new skills and recover following a stroke
What are the developmental domains?
Physical – posture, gross and fine motor/vision Cognitive Social and emotional Communication – speech and language/ hearing Locomotion Manipulation Speech/Language Behaviour
How can we assess development?
Use developmental milestones which are behaviours or physical skills
What are the Mary Sheridan (From Birth to Five Years) Stages of development Domains?
Posture and large movements
Vision and fine movements
Hearing and speech
Social behaviour and play
What are the five domains of the age and stage questionnaire?
Communication Gross motor Fine motor Problem solving Personal and social
What are reasons for developmental delay?
Chronic illness
Lack of stimulation
Sensory impairment
Developmental disorder
What are Important Milestones Social and Emotional?
Regards primary carer’s face
Smiles, coos, responds
Takes everything to mouth (sensory motor)
Aware of other people’s interests and experiences
Aware of strangers
What are Important Speech and language Milestones (hearing)?
Cries Startled by noises Laughs, chuckles and squeals in play Screams with annoyance Vocalises Babbles loudly and tunefully Understands “no” and “bye-bye” Immitates
At what age should a child comprehend simple instructions?
8-12 months
At what age should a child speak 2-6 comprehensible words?
12 - 18 months
At what age will a child be able to link words together?
Around 24 months
What are characteristics of IDS (infant directed speech)?
Higher pitch
Rising intonations
Exaggerated
Melodic
What are important gross motor milestones?
Head lag resolved Rolls over – front to back and back to front Lies prone with arms extended Takes weight on legs when supported Sits unaided Pulls to standing Stands holding on Sits back down Crawls Walks
What are important Milestones for vision and fine motor?
Turns to light
Follows finger or object
Grasps
Holds objects
Passes from hand to hand (palmar grasp and transfer)
Pokes an object
Picks up small object between finger and thumb – inferior pincer grip
What are Red Flag Warnings in development?
No social smile by 8 weeks
Not reaching for objects by 5 months
Not sitting unsupported by 10 months
Not walking alone by 18 months
Not saying any single words by 18 months
Not speaking in short phrases by 2 ½ years
What is the document used in children’s public health?
Healthy child program
What is Infant Mental health (IMH) ?
Developing capacity of child from birth to 3
Experience, regulate and express emotions
Form close interpersonal relationships
Explore environment
Learn in context of family, community and mental health expectations for young children
Synonymous with healthy social and emotional development
What is Emotional Behavioural Disorder?
Present with externalising or internalising behaviour
How many children have emotional behaviour disorder?
1 in 5
What is the difference between bonding and attachment?
The mother bonds to the baby
The baby makes an attachment to the parent
What is attachment?
Bio-behavioural mechanism activated by anxiety where primary goal is to reduce stress and to restore feelings of security
What are the Two Core behavioural Systems of attachment?
Infant: PROXIMITY seeking
SEPARATION PROTEST
Parents: SAFE HAVEN
SECURE BASE
What is PROXIMITY seeking?
Infant seeking security when hurt or upset
What is separation protest?
Crying when separated from attachment safety figures
What is SAFE HAVEN?
‘If I am upset, I can run to mum and she will comfort me’
What is secure base?
‘I am secure enough in my relationship with my mum to be able to begin to take an interest in the world around me and to explore it’
When is the Attachment System activated?
Anxiety and stress, crying
Describe the healthy attachment cycle
Baby has a need Baby cries Needs met by parent Trust develops Secure attachment promoted Repeat
Describe a disturbed attachment cycle
Baby has a need Cries Needs not met by parent Rage develops instead of trust Insecure or disorganised attachment promoted Repeat
Why does attachment develop?
Mechanism to promote infant’s safety and survival
Dyadic regulation of affect, emotion
Dyad (primary caregiver and infant) jointly regulate infant’s stress and emotions
Infants need help from their PC’s to both down-regulate and up-regulate their emotional states
What are the types of attachment that can form?
Secure
Insecure: Avoidant, Ambivalent, Disorganised
What percent of population will have secure attachments?
65%
What is avoidant attachment?
Not very explorative
Disengaged
Mother is emotionally distant and disengaged
Subconsciously believes needs will not be met
What is ambivalent attachment?
Anxious Insecure Angry Inconsistent parenting Can't rely on needs being met
What is disorganised attachment?
Depressed
Angry
Completely passive
Non responsive
Erratic parenting, frightened or frightening, passive or intrusive
Severely confused child with no strategy for needs being met
What is secure attachment?
Received caregiving that was responsive when they were distressed and they are able to be comforted by their caregiver and to use
their caregiver as a secure base
What are benefits of secure attachment?
Optimal later functioning across a range of domains including school, emotional, social and behavioural adjustment, peer-rated social status
What are outcomes of insecure attachment?
Poorer outcomes in later childhood: emotional, social and behavioural adjustment, scholastic achievement and peer-rated social status
Interfere with peer relations, intimacy, caregiving and caretaking, sexual
functioning, conflict resolution, and increased relational aggression
What is disorganised attachment a predictor of?
Significant later psychopathology
What type of attachment is common in neglect?
Disorganised
What are Dimensions of Sensitive Parenting?
Awareness – sensitive parents are alert to subtle cues from their babies
Responsiveness – Empathetic awareness of baby’s experience. Gives appropriate well-timed responses
Cooperation – respect for baby’s autonomy, non-intrusive and does not impose their own wishes
Acceptance – Capacity to bear frustrations of caring for a baby. To feel love and acceptance of the baby’s individuality
What is Parental Reflective Functioning?
Capacity to understand infant’s behaviour in terms of internal states/feelings
What is Low Reflective Functioning?
Associated with emotionally unresponsive maternal behaviours:
Withdrawal
Hostility
Intrusiveness
What are key aspects of early parenting that promote secure attachment and development of self?
Nurturance
Emotional and behavioural regulation
What are the stages of Cognitive Development?
Sensori-motor 0-2 years
Pre-operational 2-7 years
Concrete operations 7-11/12 years
Formal operations 11/12-16 years
What did Erickson say about Stages of Psychosocial Development?
Emotional and social development linked to cognitive and language development
The way adults respond to young children has potentially long lasting effects on their self-image
In infants - development of trust or mistrust is important
What did Jean Piaget say on Stages of Cognitive Development?
Activities should support thinking
What are Kohlberg’s Moral Developmental Stages?
Individuals develop moral reasoning in 6 stages and pass through 3 levels. Sex roles emerge as stage-like development in cognition
Level 1: pre conventional morality, punishment obedience orientation
Level 2: conventional morality, good boy nice girl law and order
Level 3: post conventional morality, social contract ethical principle
What is the key factor of Kohlberg’s infants?
Obedience versus punishment
What is the definition of adolescence?
Process of autonomisation: increasing competencies on own competences
Acquisition of a stable identity: who one is, what one’s life should look like, how others see one
10-19 years old
Describe the adolescent process
Early Adolescence (10-13 years) Middle Adolescence (13-16 years) Late Adolescence (17-20 years)
Describe changes in the adolescent changes
Brain developing and reorganisating
Increase in pruning (specialisation and honing of specific skills)
Myelination
More efficient but less adaptable
When do the frontal lobes develop?
One of the last areas of the brain to develop fully
What is the pre frontal cortex and when is it remodelled?
Decision-making part of brain, responsible for ability to plan and think about consequences of actions, solve problems and control impulses
Re-modelled last
Describe the Limbic system in brain development
Risk and emotionally driven behaviour is rooted
Adolescents don’t always have a lot of self-control or good judgment and are more prone to risk-taking behaviour
Describe the role of the Amygdala in brain development
Associated with emotions, impulses, aggression and instinctive behaviour
Adolescents rely on amygdala to make decisions and solve problems more than adults do
Adolescents show greater activity and vulnerability in their amygdala than adults
What does brain growth and development promote?
Thinking more logically
Thinking about things more abstractly – things are no longer so black or white
Picking up more on other people’s emotional cues
What effect can smoking during adolescence have on the brain?
More nicotine receptors develop and remain in place
What effects do drugs have on the adolescent brain?
Exposure to drugs during adolescence (cocaine) increases risk of addiction in adulthood
Cannabis hugely increases the risk of adolescents developing psychotic symptoms later
Describe dopamine levels in the adolescent brain
Human reward system (new and exciting activities) linked with dopamine
All addictive drugs increase dopamine levels. Dopamine levels are altered in adolescence
Adolescents dopamine systems can appear to be in overdrive
Is Adolescence an unhappy time?
Adolescence may be seen as an unhappy time because they require pleasure seeking to get a dopamine hit and counter low mood
What can be causes of teenage stresses?
Drugs, alcohol and high-risk behaviour, starting a new school, peer pressure, or major life events like moving house or death of a loved one
Describe the link between stress and the adolescent brain
Incidence of poor mental health increases during teenage years
Developing brain more vulnerable to stress factors than adult brain