Development in Children

Question 1

Environmental factors

Answer 1

• Prenatal care
• Maternal stress
• Maternal health/ nutrition
• Infections
• Drugs/ alcohol
• Smoking

Question 2

Developmental Milestones

Answer 2

Describe what is the norm for the majority of children within a population in terms of physical, behavioural and mental development.Inform realistic expectations for child development and aid early identification of developmental abnormalities

Criticism: children with disabilities become defined by their inability to reach the milestones, rather than their strengths

Question 3

Motor Development

Answer 3

• Born with primitive reflexes, such as grasp reflex, that diminish over the first 6 months
• Tone begins to develop around 6 months
• Develop postural reflexes, such as lateral propping and parachute reflex. Should be sitting by 9 months
• Gross motor skills, such as walking and kicking. Learn to control large movements and large muscles. Should be walking by 18 months
• Fine motor skills, such as writing and complex manipulation skills. Learn to control small movement and small muscles. From the first year onward

Question 4

Language Development

Answer 4

• Shared rhythms with caregiver- starting to develop sense of phonology
• Echolalia - repetition of sounds, which can be recognised and understood by those who know the child well
• First words by 12 months
• Start to develop short sentences that join a couple of words in an non coherent way. Comprehension and semantics develop
• Can form full sentences (3-5) but grammar isn’t always correct. Developing syntax

Question 5

Cognitive Developement

Answer 5

• New born infant- instinctive abilities
• Within the first 2 years they should develop a rudimental capacity for thinking (Piaget) which includes object permanence (Bower) and depth perception (Gibson & Walk). Play is charcterised by use of fantasy/ imagination and they think ego- centrically.
• Concrete operational stage- contextual learning ad flexible thinking
• Formal operational stage- can reason hypothetically and work systematically

Question 6

Psychosocial Development

Answer 6

• Should have formed a secure attachment within the critical period (2 years)
• Learn to regulate emotions, how to show empathy for others,how to establish relationships - ‘school ready’

Question 7

Transitions

Answer 7

Periods of change from one developmental stage to the next.
eg. weaning, potty training, starting school

Increases stress for both parents and children which increases vulnerability to illness and life events