Child Development And Communication With Children

Question 1

Describe attachment theory

Answer 1

Understanding the relationship between infants and their primary care giver
System that function to maintain proximity to the care giver
Proximity seeking and contact maintaining behaviours

Question 2

At what age do infants show preference for human faces over inanimate objects?

Answer 2

6 weeks old

Question 3

What are the social developments that occur in a newborn at around 3 months old?

Answer 3

Distinguish strangers from non-strangers
Show preference for non-strangers
Allow any caring adult to handle them

Question 4

When do infants from specific attachments and what does this mean?

Answer 4

7-8 months old
Will miss key people when they’re absent
Wary of strangers

Question 5

What is the difference between a secure and insecure attachment?

Answer 5

Secure = may be comforted quickly on mother's return 
Insecure = very clingy, difficult for mother to leave

Question 6

Attachment style is predicted by:

Answer 6

Carer sensitivity to the child’s signals
Rapid, appropriate responses emitted consistently
Carer accepts role of parent/carer
Carer has a higher self-esteem

Question 7

Why is attachment important?

Answer 7

Infant forms first ‘mental model’ of how relationships should be based on primary care giver
Secure attachments give infant feelings of being worthy of love and care and that others will be available in their times of need
Influences brain development

Question 8

If people have secure attachments as a child, what are they more likely to be better at in the future?

Answer 8

Social competence
Peer relationships
Self reliance
Physical and emotional health

Question 9

What is defined as the ‘critical period’ for forming the first attachment?

Answer 9

First year of life

Question 10

After what age migh it be difficult to form safe and secure relationships?

Answer 10

4 years

Question 11

What has poor attachment as a child been linked to later in life?

Answer 11

Mental disorders

Suicide

Question 12

What are the stages of separation that children experience?

Answer 12

Protest
Despair
Detachment

Question 13

Why are the effects of separation unhelpful in a hospital setting?

Answer 13

Detachment may often be mistaken for recovery

Can mask damage to the underlying attachment relationship

Question 14

Describe some behavioural changes that can occur in children who are separated from primary care givers

Answer 14

Anxiety/aggression/clinging
Bed wetting
Detachment

Question 15

Describe the physical changes that can occur in children who are separated from care givers

Answer 15

Depression 
Slower movement 
Less play 
Less slee 
Changes in heart rate 
Changes in temperature

Question 16

The most distress on separation from care givers happens between which ages?

Answer 16

6 months - 3 years

Question 17

Why does the most distress on separation happen between 6 months and 3 years old?

Answer 17

Lack ability to keep image of carer in mind
Limited language (may not understand carer is coming back)
Often feel abandoned - like they have done something wrong

Question 18

What are the criticisms of attachment theory?

Answer 18

Too simplistic
Overly focussed on mothers
Multiple attachment figures not explored
Quality of care not considered

Question 19

Describe some improvements made to health care based on the child development knowledge we have now

Answer 19

Allow more parental/care access
Allow attachment objects (blankets/toys)
Reassurance that they are not being punished or abandoned 
Environment more like home 
Stimulating toys and activities 
High quality of care 
Continuity of staff

Question 20

Give the 4 stages of a child’s cognitive development and the ages that these occur at

Answer 20

Sensorimotor (0-2 years)
Preoperational (2-7 years)
Concrete operational (7-12 years)
Formal operational (12 + years)

Question 21

Describe the sensorimotor stage of development

Answer 21

Experience the world through senses
Develop motor coordination
No abstract concepts 
Develop body schema
Develop understanding of object permanence (8 months)

Question 22

Describe the pre-operational stage of development

Answer 22

Language development
Symbolic thought - able to imagine things
Egocentricism - difficulty seeing things from other people’s point of view
Lack of concept of conservation
Classification by a single feature

Question 23

Describe the concrete operational stage of development

Answer 23

Logical but no abstract thinking
Achieve conservation idea
Classification by multiple features
Able to see things from other's perspective
Struggle with hypothetical statements

Question 24

Describe the formal operational stage of development

Answer 24

Abstract logic possible

Hypothetical and deductive reasoning possible

Question 25

What are the criticisms of the developmental cognitive stages?

Answer 25

Tends to focus on what a child cannot do
Every child develops differently
Unhelpful to a child’s learning if you keep things from them because you don’t think they can understand yet

Question 26

What is the zone of proximal development?

Answer 26

The extra things that they have achieved which they couldn’t have done alone
Through peer/parent support

Question 27

What is social referencing?

Answer 27

Children may look at closest-bonded family member to take their cue on how they should be thinking/feeling

Question 28

What are the difficulties doctors face with adolescents?

Answer 28

Variable relationships with parents - do they want them in the consultation/hospital etc?
Increased independence (Gillick competence)
Increasing self awareness
Child legally until the age of 18 - can we see them without carers?

Question 29

Give some helpful things to do when you have a child as a patient

Answer 29

Be truthful and emotional as appropriate 
Good eye contact 
Be calm - in control 
Acknowledge and greet the child 
Talking to parents first gives the child time and space to relax
Observe, wait and listen (OWL)
Give simple and clear information 
Act out what you're going to do
Give children choices
Play
Distraction
Give enthusiastic praise and rewards
Acknowledge the child's feelings

Question 30

Give some examples of what not to do when a child is your patient

Answer 30

Stand over the child 
Use any kind of force
Promise things you cannot deliver/lie
Express frustration 
Expect the same thing from different ages
Ask too many questions