Child Development

• Part I: Child Development provides an overview of how children develop, including the tasks they must accomplish, what's happening in the growing brain, typical characteristics and suggested behaviors for effective parenting, and indicators of possible developmental lags or trauma.
• Part II: The Development of Language and Conceptual Abilities in Children is presented in chart form. It describes (again by age group) what things the typical child might be expected to say or do at that age or stage, and what the typical child can be expected to know and how the child thinks and interacts with the world, along with suggestions for caseworker and caregiver responses.
• This guide is intended to be useful and beneficial for caseworkers (child welfare professionals and others who provide services to children and families) and caregivers (birth parents, foster parents, adoptive parents, kin, and others who meet the daily needs of children) as they strive to understand and support the development of children.
• Domains: Birth to Six Months: Mental

  • Learns through senses (sounds of rattles, feelings of warmth, etc.)
  • Coos and vocalizes spontaneously; babbles in nonsense syllables
• Developmental Tasks: Six Months to One Year


  • Learning to trust others and be secure in the world
  • Improving muscle coordination and becoming mobile
  • Acquiring increased control of head, hands, fingers, legs, etc., as the nervous system continues to develop
  • Learning spatial concepts (up, down, near, far) and how to manipulate and move in the surrounding environment
  • Learning to adjust to short periods of separation from the primary caregiver
• Brain Development: Six Months to One Year


  • Rapidly developing, especially the higher level cerebral cortex, which influences fine motor skills like a pincer grasp, as well as color vision, attachment, and the motor pathways
  • Sensitive to nutrition—when infants do not receive adequate protein and calories in their diet, their physical and mental health is affected
  • "Wired" to learn all the languages in the world; however, babies between 6 and 12 months now prefer the sounds of the language(s) spoken by their caregivers
• Developmental Tasks: One to Two Years


  • Discovering and establishing a distinct sense of self through continuous exploration of the world
  • Developing communication skills and experiencing the responsiveness of others
  • Learning to use memory and acquiring the basics of self-control
• Brain Development: One to Two Years

  • Builds neural pathways by repeating and practicing tasks (e.g., holding a spoon, changing from crawling to walking)
  • Has matured enough to recall actions or events that occurred earlier in the day (i.e., has memories)
  • Is focused on learning language
  • Is vulnerable to permanent changes through exposure to toxins such as lead or stressors such as domestic violence in the home
  • Needs high levels of fat in diet (from breastfeeding, formula, or whole milk after age one) for continued growth
• Developmental Tasks: Two to Three Years

  • Discovering and establishing a positive, distinct self through continuous exploration of the world
  • Developing communication skills and experiencing the responsiveness of others
  • Using memory and acquiring the basics of self-control
  • Learning to separate thinking from feeling through experiencing opportunities to make choices
  • Becoming aware of limits
  • Creating personal solutions to simple problems (choosing foods, clothes, activities, etc.)
• Brain Development: Two to Three Years


  • Strengthens its motor circuits so walking, eating, climbing, pinching, jumping, and zipping all improve
  • Begins problem solving
  • Remains open and flexible to learning other languages because the language center is still so active
• Brain Development: Five to Six Years


  
  

  • Is nearing adult volume and size
  • Districts routinely screen children entering kindergarten to understand their mental, social, and emotional development
  • Children should be primed for reading in this and the coming year, as the language center continues to help children make meaning of their world
• Domains

  • Physical
  • Social
  • Emotional
  • Mental
  • Moral
• Domains: Five to Six Years: Physical - Effective Parenting

  • Allow independence in getting dressed/undressed
  • Accept awkwardness as a normal condition at this stage; if the problem persists, have the child's eyes examined
  • Encourage hygienic behaviors (washing hands, etc.)
  • Do not force feed child, offer appealing varieties, using "you can have if you" or "do you want this or that"
• Domains: Five to six Years: Physical


  • Is able to dress and undress him/herself
  • May be farsighted, a common condition that often causes eye/hand coordination problems
  • Is able to care for personal toilet needs independently
  • Prefers plain cooking but accepts wider choice of foods; may have increased appetite
• May fear the mother (or primary caregiver) won't return (with mother/primary caregiver still being the center of his/her world)


  Typical Characteristic
• Copies adults and enjoys their praise


  Typical Characteristic
• Plays with other boys and girls; is calm, friendly, and not too demanding in relations with others; is able to play with one child or a group of children (though prefers members of the same sex)


  Typical Characteristic
• Enjoys conversation during meals


  Typical Characteristic
• Knows differences between the sexes and becomes more modest


  Typical Characteristic
• Is interested in where babies come from


  Typical Characteristic
• May develop nausea and start vomiting to avoid going to school (when school is not liked)


  Typical Characteristic
• Is experiencing an age of conformity and is critical of those who do not conform


  Typical Characteristic
• In general, is reliable and well-adjusted


  Typical Characteristic
• May show some fear of dark, falling, dogs, or bodily harm (though this is not a particularly fearful age)


  Typical Characteristic
• If tired, nervous, or upset, may exhibit the following behaviors: nail biting, eye blinking, throat clearing, sniffling, nose twitching, and/or thumb sucking


  Typical Characteristic
• Is concerned with pleasing adults


  Typical Characteristic
• Is easily embarrassed


  Typical Characteristic
• May stutter if tired or nervous; may lisp


  Typical Characteristic
• Tries only what s/he can accomplish; will follow instructions and accept supervision


  Typical Characteristic
• Knows colors, numbers, etc.; may be able to print a few letters and possibly learn to read a little independently


  Typical Characteristic
• Likes to explore all kinds of new and different activities, e.g., enjoys a different playground, a new book, a new joke, or a new hands-on game


  Typical Characteristic
• Can identify appearance and significance of various coins


  Typical Characteristic
• Is interested in being good, but may tell untruths or blame others for personal wrongdoings because of intense desire to please and do right


  Typical Characteristic
• Wants to do what s/he believes is right and avoid doing what is wrong


  Typical Characteristic
• Indicators Related to Developmental Lag or Potential Trauma


  • Excessive or specific fears (especially of adults and strangers) and/or extreme separation anxiety
  • Shyness and/or lack of interest in others; not playing
  • Threatening or bullying peers
  • Excessively repetitive behaviors (especially around food or toileting)
  • Persistent speech problems
  • Bedwetting; toileting problems
  • Persistent concern for safety, including self and others
  • Extreme difficulty concentrating in school
  • Attention seeking, emotional swings
• Developmental Tasks


  • Learning to distinguish between reality and fantasy
  • Becoming comfortable with personal sexual identity
  • Learning to make connections and distinctions between feelings, thoughts, and actions
  • Learning to solve problems by initiating and creating
• During this stage, the child's brain: Continues refinement linked to motor skills, which leads to better handwriting; Expands its capacity for "working memory," meaning short-term memories are made and are accessible for recall (this helps with reading, among other things); Intensifies its focus on concrete thinking as children shift from make-believe play to real-world concerns
• Physical


  • Is vigorous, full of energy, and generally restless (foot tapping, wiggling, inability to sit still)
  • Has growth spurts; may be clumsy due to poor coordination and/or be in an "ugly duckling" stage
  • May occasionally wet or soil him/herself when upset or excited
• Has marked awareness of sexual differences; may want to look at bodies of opposite sex ("playing doctor," "playing house," etc.); touches and plays with genitals less frequently; will accept the idea that a baby grows in the womb


  Typical Characteristic
• Has unpredictable preferences and strong refusals; often develops a passion for peanut butter


  Typical Characteristic