Introduction
The journey by which an individual develops is both very personal and also very predictable. It is predictable by way of accomplishing certain milestones at particular times. Development is marked by these milestones and through them, an individual's development is able to be termed “normal’ or “abnormal.” However, it is personal in that each person achieves these milestones at different times in their development. The similarities between the development of each person allow for the timeline of development to be documented and analyzed.
Social Development of Infants
In infants, social development primarily occurs as the child begins to become aware of and respond to stimuli that occur within their environment. A child begins to develop language skills at about six to twelve months old; until then the child’s primary means of expressing their discomfort is to cry. During this phase, infants should begin to develop and express a shallow range of emotions; they may cry to express discomfort or fear, jump in reaction to startling stimulus, and giggle or smile when they are happy. Toward the end of this developmental phase, infants should be able to ascertain the difference in the emotional state of adults as well. They will respond appropriately to changes in inflection or tone of voice, and may begin to self soothe by suckig their
thumb or seeking out a familiar, comforting object. (Infant Developmental Milestones, 2011)
Social Development of the Preschool Child
Personality Development of the Infant
The personality development of the infant can be summed up in Erik Erikson's developmental stage of trust vs. mistrust. This theory states that during this phase, the child learns that they can either depend on those around them to help them or that they are isolated and must attend to their own needs. If a child is properly cared for and responded to, they develop a sense of trust, which leads to a sense of hope within the infant. They learn to trust that they will not be left alone by those around them, that they are part of a family unit and network. However, if their needs are not properly attended to, a sense of mistrust develops. This involves a sense of despair, and a feeling of danger - that the world is not a safe place. Failure to properly attend to an infant's needs during this phase can color the rest of their relationships with a sense of reserved mistrust. (McLeod, 2013)
Personality/Moral Development of the Preschool Child
The psychosocial crisis of the preschool years os one of initiative vs. guilt. During this phase, the child begins to get a sense of right and wrong, as it applies to themselves. That is, they are learning whether their behaviors are correct or incorrect based upon the actions of those around them. Children during this phase learn through play; as they begin to make decisions through their imaginary circumstances, they determine whether or not they are able to lead or whether they should be required to follow. Children may ask lots of questions during this time frame. It is important for parents to give proper attention to these questions; if they are discarded or treated as inconvenient, this will affect the self-esteem of the child as they learn their leadership potential. (McLeod, 2013)
Physical Development of Preschool child, into Middle Childhood
During the preschool years, the child begins to increase their levels of dexterity. They should be able at this time to stand on one foot or the other for ten to fifteen seconds at a time. They should be able complete simple physical tasks: running, jumping, hopping, skipping. They should be able to catch and throw a ball or stack blocks. The development of a school age child is very similar to that of a preschool child. They are refining the skills that they learn as a preschooler. The levels of hand-eye coordination increase, leading to increased ability to complete more complex tasks, such as cutting, pasting, and writing neatly. The ability to complete gross motor skills (running and jumping) morphs into an interest and ability to play simple sports or swim. The physical development of the school age child is similar to that of a toddler, excepting that it refines the skills that the child has already mastered. (Oguejiofo, 2013)
Physical Development of Adolescence
The physical development of the adolescent is vastly different from the physical development of any other stage. During adolescence, the body undergoes a series of changes referred to as puberty, designed to prepare the body for adulthood and reproduction. Both young men and young women at this stage experience spurts of rapid growth. These spurts are usually between six to eight inches at a time. For girls, they occur around age twelve and age sixteen. Boys usually see similar spurts between ages thirteen and age seventeen. There is also a marked weight gain during this period. The reproductive organs begin to enlarge and prepare for reproductive activity. In girls, this means the enlargement of breast tissue and widening of the hips. Onset of menstruation usually begins during this phase. For young men, erections may become more frequent and body hair will begin to grow more thickly and more rapidly. In both genders, this growth is instigated by a flood of hormonal activity. These hormones also have side effects for the individual: both genders may experience acne, mood swings or changes in temperament and may find that deodorant and hygiene become more important so as to prevent body odor.
In terms of comparing the physical development of adolescence to other stages, there is really no comparison to the rapid growth and change that occurs to the body. The only similar stage would be that of infancy, and that is only when comparing the rapid rates of speed at which the body physically develops. There are no similarities when comparing the actual changes that occur during these two stages.
Intellectual Development of Preschool and School Age Child
In terms of cognitive development, children at both the preschool age and the early elementary school age are moving from concrete to abstract, intellectually. Object permanence has already developed by this stage, and preschool children are primarily interested in understanding “why.” Preschool children focus on learning concrete facts: color, numbers, letters. However, they lack the skills to apply this knowledge or connect these concepts into more complex ones: gradation, mathematics, and literacy. Children at the preschool age are unable to distinguish from size and volume: they will often believe something contains more matter simply because the container is bigger. This develops into the ability to measure as the child enters their formal school age. In both stages, the child is learning to reason. However, in the preschool stage, options should be limited as the child is not able to process or problem solve in situations that require them to look at the issue from multiple angles or make selections from long lists. As the child enters into the early childhood years, they are able to categorize and sort, enabling them to solve more complex problems, or make more complicated choices. (Cognitive Development in Preschool Children, 2017)
Intellectual Development of Adolescent
The cognitive development of the adolescent is a continuation of the development of the elementary school child. The adolescent learns to move into deeper abstract thinking, able to solve problems that require multiple steps. They are able to infer, making predictions about information that is not directly stated. They are also able to make moral judgements; to determine whether something is right or wrong. It is during this stage of development that teens begin to thinking about their own decision making processes, develop coping skills and set goals that will determine the course of their life in the future.
Conclusion
Lifespan development is a process. There is a journey that occurs at each level, and that journey has several different components (intellectual, physical, emotional and so on). Development can be termed “normal” or “abnormal” by the ability to reach certain milestones at each stage. However, it is also important to remember that each individual develops according to their own timetable, and that there is some leeway in regards to the timeline by which these individual milestones should be reached.
References
Cognitive Development In Preschool Children. (n.d.). Retrieved January 02, 2017, from https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/preschool/Pages/Cognitive-Development-In-Preschool-Children.aspx
Infant Developmental Milestones. (2011). Retrieved January 02, 2017, from http://www.kamloopschildrenstherapy.org/social-emotional-infant-milestones
McLeod, S. (2013). Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development. Retrieved January 02, 2017, from http://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html
Oguejiofo, N. (2015). Stages of Physical Development in Children. Retrieved January 02, 2017, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/104652-stages-physical-development-children/
Stanbury, K. (1999). Understanding Social Development in Preschoolers. Retrieved January 02, 2017, from http://www.getreadytoread.org/early-learning-childhood-basics/early-childhood/understanding-social-and-emotional-development-in-preschoolers
Stuart, H. C. (1947). Physical Growth During Adolescence. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine,74(4), 495. doi:10.1001/archpedi.1947.02030010508010
