Introduction to Child development Unit #1

Chid Development

1. Foundations of Child D evelopment Unit #1

2. Concept of Development Development describes the growth of humans throughout the lifespan, from conception to death. The scientific study of human development seeks to understand and explain how and why people change throughout life. This includes all aspects of human growth, including physical, emotional, intellectual, social, perceptual and personality development .

3. Development does not just involve the biological and physical aspects of growth, but also the cognitive and social aspects associated with development throughout life. The study of human development is important in a number of subjects, including biology, anthropology, sociology, education, history and psychology. However , most important are the practical applications of studying human development. By better understanding how and why people change and grow, one can apply this knowledge to helping people live upto their full potential.

4. What is Child Development? The field of child development involves the scientific study of the patterns of growth, change and stability that occurs from conception through adolescence . It gives an understanding of how a child is able to do complex things as he gets older . In order to study the growth, change and stability, child development takes a scientific approach. Like members of other scientific disciplines, researchers in child development test their assumptions about the nature and course of human development by applying scientific methods.

5. Principles of Development Child development focuses on humans. Although there are some development who study the course of development in non-human species the vast majority examine the growth and changes in people. However, regardless of approach, all child develop mentalists view development as a continuing process throughout childhood and adolescence.

6. Principles of Development Development is Continuous: The process of growth and development continues from the conception till the individual reaches maturity. Development of both physical and mental traits continues gradually until these traits reach their maximum growth. It goes on continuously throughout life. Even after maturity has been attained, development does not end.

7. Principles of Development Development is Gradual: It does not come all on a sudden. It is also cumulative in nature. Development is Sequential / Predictable pattern: Development is sequential or orderly. Every species, whether animal or human, follows a pattern of development peculiar to it. This pattern in general is the same for all individuals. The child crawls before he creeps, stands before he walks and babbles before he talks.

8. Principles of Development Rate of Development Varies Person to Person : Rate of development is not uniform. Individuals differ in the rate of growth and development. Boys and girls have different development rates. Each part of the body has its own particular rate of growth. There are periods of great intensity and equilibrium and there are periods of imbalance.

9. Principles of Development Development occurs at Different Rates: There are slow, medium, and rapid rates of development depending on the age and environmental influences. There is a Constant Interaction between All Factors of Development : Development in one area is highly related to development in other areas. For example, a child who has a good health can be active socially and intellectually.

10. Periods of Development Think about what periods of development that you think a course on Child Development would address. How many stages are on your list? Perhaps you have three: infancy, childhood, and teenagers. Develop mentalists (those that study development) break this part of the life span into these five stages as follows: Prenatal Development (conception through birth) Infancy and Toddlerhood (birth through two years) Early Childhood (3 to 5 years) Middle Childhood (6 to 11 years) Adolescence (12 years to adulthood)

11. Prenatal Development Conception occurs and development begins. All of the major structures of the body are forming and the health of the mother is of primary concern. Understanding nutrition, teratogens (or environmental factors that can lead to birth defects), and labor and delivery are primary concerns.

12. Infancy and Toddlerhood The two years of life are ones of dramatic growth and change. A newborn, with a keen sense of hearing but very poor vision is transformed into a walking, talking toddler within a relatively short period of time. Caregivers are also transformed from someone who manages feeding and sleep schedules to a constantly moving guide and safety inspector for a mobile, energetic child.

13. Early Childhood Early childhood is also referred to as the preschool years and consists of the years which follow toddlerhood and precede formal schooling. As a three to five-year-old, the child is busy learning language, is gaining a sense of self and greater independence, and is beginning to learn the workings of the physical world.

14. Early Childhood This knowledge does not come quickly, however, and preschoolers may initially have interesting conceptions of size, time, space and distance such as fearing that they may go down the drain if they sit at the front of the bathtub or by demonstrating how long something will take by holding out their two index fingers several inches apart. A toddler’s fierce determination to do something may give way to a four-year-old’s sense of guilt for action that brings the disapproval of others.

15. Middle Childhood The ages of six through eleven comprise middle childhood and much of what children experience at this age is connected to their involvement in the early grades of school. Now the world becomes one of learning and testing new academic skills and by assessing one’s abilities and accomplishments by making comparisons between self and others. Schools compare students and make these comparisons public through team sports, test scores, and other forms of recognition.

16. Middle Childhood Growth rates slow down and children are able to refine their motor skills at this point in life. And children begin to learn about social relationships beyond the family through interaction with friends and fellow students.

17. Adolescence Adolescence is a period of dramatic physical change marked by an overall physical growth spurt and sexual maturation, known as puberty. It is also a time of cognitive change as the adolescent begins to think of new possibilities and to consider abstract concepts such as love, fear, and freedom.

18. Issues in Development Nature and Nurture Why are people the way they are? Are features such as height, weight, personality, being diabetic, etc. the result of heredity or environmental factors-or both? For decades, scholars have carried on the "nature/nurture" debate. For any particular feature, those on the side of Nature would argue that heredity plays the most important role in bringing about that feature.

19. Nature and Nurture Those on the side of Nurture would argue that one's environment is most significant in shaping the way we are. This debate continues in all aspects of human development, and most scholars agree that there is a constant interplay between the two forces. It is difficult to isolate the root of any single behavior as a result solely of nature or nurture.

20. Continuity versus Discontinuity Is human development best characterized as a slow, gradual process, or is it best viewed as one of more abrupt change? The answer to that question often depends on which developmental theorist you ask and what topic is being studied. The theories of Freud, Erikson, Piaget, and Kohlberg are called stage theories. Stage theories or discontinuous development assume that developmental change often occurs in distinct stages that are qualitatively different from each other, and in a set, universal sequence. At each stage of development, children and adults have different qualities and characteristics.

21. Continuity versus Discontinuity Continuity versus Discontinuity Thus , stage theorists assume development is more discontinuous. Others, such as the behaviorists, Vygotsky, and information processing theorists, assume development is a more slow and gradual process known as continuous development. For instance, they would see the adult as not possessing new skills, but more advanced skills that were already present in some form in the child. Brain development and environmental experiences contribute to the acquisition of more developed skills.

22. Active versus Passive How much do you play a role in your own developmental path? Are you at the notion of your genetic inheritance or the environment that surrounds you? Some theorists see humans as playing a much more active role in their own development. Piaget, for instance believed that children actively explore their world and construct new ways of thinking to explain the things they experience. In contrast, many behaviorists view humans as being more passive in the developmental process.

23. FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 1. Genetic: Certain hereditary factors influences on the body formation. Tall parents have tall offspring. Genetic & chromosomal disorder also effect on growth & development of a baby. Different characteristics of growth and development like intelligence, aptitudes, body structure, height, weight, color of hair and eyes are highly influenced by heredity. Sometimes it is not possible to prevent the genetic factors but to take necessary care by early identification.

24. 2. Nutritional: Nutritional deficiency considerably retards physical growth. Malnourished mother produce babies with IUGR( Intrauterine growth restriction). Over nutrition may cause obesity. So to control the nutritional requirements of mother is necessary to have a healthy child. This factor is neglected in our country, specially the poor families can not afford to have a proper nutrition during pregnancy.

25. 2. Nutritional: A balanced diet containing all the basic food principles such as protein, vitamins, minerals etc. According to the World Health Organization. Lack of proper nutrition can interfere with the maturation of your child’s brain and body.

26. 3 Sex : Sex is a very important factor which influences human growth and development. There is lot of difference in growth and development between girls and boys. Physical growth of girls in teens is faster than boys. Overall the body structure and growth of girls are different from boys.

27. 4. Socio Economic Condition: Poor socio-economic condition affects growth & development. Sanitary conditions, various parasitic morbidity, poor housing, stressful family condition, bad financial situation etc have a serious effect on child growth and development. Children’s coming from adequate finances are more likely to grow and develop to optimal levels.

28. 5. Environment: Physical, psychological, social and cultural environment affects growth and development. Some of the environmental factors are: housing conditions, community structure, urban or rural set up, family size, pollution.

29. 6Chronic diseases: Chronic untreated diseases of heart, lungs, liver etc impair growth and development seriously. Growth Hormone Deficiency, Hypothyroidism, Cushing’s Syndrome etc medical condition that needs early attention.

30. 7. Emotional & cultural: Trauma from unstable family, insecurity, sibling jealousy & loss of parents has effect on growth & development. 8. Intrauterine: IUGR & maternal infections & diseases affect on growth & development. Maternal diabetes may result in macrosomia causing more than normal weight baby.

31. 9. Growth potentials: The smaller the child at birth, the smaller he is likely to be in subsequent years. The larger the child at birth, the larger he is likely to be in later years. 10. Race: Racial factors also influence height, weight, colour , features, and body constitution of a human being. The body growth and development differences show a relationship with varied cultural groups. For example a child of black race can be black, their height, their hair and eye colour , facial structure are all governed by the same race.

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