Development of children Flashcards
State 4 reasons why practitioners should be aware about the normal psychological development of children
- Can meet the specific needs of the child
- Deviations from expected behaviour might be understood as a warning that the treatment isn’t acceptable to the young patient
- Every violation reduces the child’s cooperation and will make further treatment more difficult (and the need for treatment is lifelong)
- It will make it possible for you to understand your own reactions and behaviour in the treatment session.
Explain the infancy phase (0- 2 years) of development
- At this age children aren’t treated, but this period is important for practitioners because further development is based these first years of life
- This is the start of basic trust, which forms an important basis for the ability to rely upon people, to make contact and to maintain close relations
- During early infancy the child learns to distinguish clearly between the parent and foreign people (8 months)
- The child starts to distinguish between itself and the parent
- This feeling of being a ‘person’ completely separated from the mother is not completed until the age of 3 years
- Some sense of causality is developed during the later part of this period; meaning that the child from experience gets an idea of the common sequence of events, an expectation about what will happen next in a familiar situation
Explain the early childhood phase (2- 3 years) of development
- The child develops more autonomy and a sense of self
- The child is dependent upon the parent for security but explores the boundaries of its own power
- The child has a very strong drive to investigate the limits set by adults, to try its own power and experience new thrilling situations
- The child likes some things to remain unchanged and loves repeating activities as an element of security
- Positive development means that the child in interaction with the parents finds a balance where its own will and independence are respected at the same time as the child subordinates itself without losing confidence
Explain the later pre-school childhood phase (3 - 6 years) of development
- Child is no longer dependent on the parent in all everyday situations
- Each word becomes loaded with feelings, ideas and helps the child to remember
- The child asks for facts and wants functional explanations
- They are good helpers and love to be praised
- Social development comprises role-playing, which is typical of this period and may also be a good way to make contact in the dental situation
- The child likes to take the part of someone else, and in doing so it is leaning to understand what someone else may feel and think
Explain the early school age phase (6 - 12 years) of development
- This period is characterized by intensive development in social skills and intellectual growth
- About the age of 6 there is a period of increased ambivalence, characterized by swinging emotions between obedience and stubbornness.
- Check the child’s comprehension when you introduce new words and understandings
- The concept of time is related to the child’s own experience and is realistically related to its own everyday life experiences not clock time
- Until the age of 9 children respect authority and accept rules without questioning and are concerned to do things in the right way
- There is a fascination in exact figures and numbers such as speed, height, age e.g. 9 ½
Explain the adolescence phase (13 - 20 years) of development
- The beginning of this period is characterized by a period of partial regression - a mental return to earlier stages of development (to find new and more functional solutions of emotional conflicts not solved at an earlier stage)
- Reaction against parents is a necessary part of the struggle to emancipate oneself
- Parents are no longer almighty and their norms have to be reassessed
- This may be expressed as withdrawal, sensitivity, provocation, and nonchalance
- This also accepts other adults who are looked upon as some sort of authority
- The teenager longs for both the protection of childhood and for complete freedom
- Aggression is close to the surface and may cause intense reactions of fury at trivial events
List the characteristics of interacting with 3 year old children, and how these can be used for successful treatment
Characteristics: • Treatment maturity • Can sit still • Good memory • Good verbal communication • Socially- emotionally stable
Ideas for successful treatment: • Create a feeling of security - knee to knee • Role-playing, dress ups • Use a toothbrush for familiarity • Balloon gloves
List the characteristics of interacting with 6 year old children, and how these can be used for successful treatment
Characteristics • Motor restless • Logical but rigid thinking • Fascination with exact figures • Emotional swings
Ideas for successful treatment • Be clear • Give realistic praise • Use figures to engage in conversation • Work fast
List the characteristics of interacting with 9 year old children, and how these can be used for successful treatment
Characteristics • Respects authorities • Uses adult words, but lacks experience • Adult concepts of life and death • Interested in dialogue
Ideas for successful treatment
• Talk and share thoughts
List the characteristics of interacting with 12 year old children, and how these can be used for successful treatment
Characteristics • Wants explanation of everything • Likes arguing • Strong sense of fairness • Adult authority is automatically accepted
Ideas for successful treatment
• Discuss and explain all
List the characteristics of interacting with 15 year old children, and how these can be used for successful treatment
Characteristics • Adult intellectual concepts • Values questioned • Emotional swings • Sensitive-provocative oscillation
Ideas for successful treatment
• Treat as an adult
• Can accept self-consent from a 14+year-old
• Lots of patience
List the 4 types of parenting styles
Authoritative parents
Authoritarian parents
Permissive parents
Neglectful parents
Explain authoritative parents
- Are clear about limits and what they expect from the child
- Are willing to listen to the child and have an understanding of its needs and wishes, with a loving attitude
- Have a more democratic view of relations
- Within clear limitations the child has good opportunities to have new experiences and independence is supported
Explain authoritarian parents
- Strong culture of restrictions on the child
- Parents’ wishes are absolute
- Punishment (may be violent) backing this up
- Emotionally distanced from the child
Explain permissive parents
- Warm and indulgent in their attitude
- Demand very little from the child
- Allow rules to be ignored and broken
- Usually hide their irritation
