Introduction
As
children leave their infant years and move ahead into the early
childhood, better known as “the play years”, they again change on every
possible level. Biological, Cognitive, and Psychosocial Development are
noted as physical, educational, emotional, and personality enhancements
that help create new milestones. On the following pages, we shall
discuss these different areas, provide examples and show how the
development of a child aged two through six progresses. By the end of
this document, one should be able to provide a simple description of
this process with little to no difficulty.
Biological Development
Biological
development covers the changes within a child that are physical in
nature. These involve areas such as brain development, and physical
traits. Obviously these miniatures, pre-adult, human beings have only
just begun to take on a more adult form, and yet their brain will reach
90% of its full futuristic size by the time the child reaches age two
(Annenberg, 2007). This, in it’s self, seems almost impossible to
believe, as one considers the fact that an average child only gains
about three inches and four pounds per year during this time frame. It’s
also interesting to note that during this extreme growth sprit, the
brain goes through a process called myelination; this process is
signified by axons and dendrites becoming insulated with an outside
layer called myelin. For the record, myelin is an oily material that
speeds the transmission of nerve impulses from neurons to neurons in the
brain (Annenberg, 2007). This process does not carry a specific time
frame, and may vary depending on the area of the brain in which it
happens. These variations determine when the child will be ready to
advance in their individual activities. Some of these activities
include, but are not limited to, the development of athletic skills,
which include actions such as running, jumping, & hopping; along
with, the development of fine motor skills such as penmanship and
drawing (Annenberg, 2007). These milestones will continue to strengthen
as the child continues to grow so long as the child does not face
limiting circumstances that would halt the growth of his or her
development.
Cognitive Development
Cognitive
development describes the intellectual or educational side of human
growth. It includes but is not limited to the thinking process,
perceptual ability, and communication. It’s actually during early
childhood Metacognition, which is the ability to rationalize ones
thoughts, forms and allows a child to begin to shape their own opinions
of the world around them (Annenberg, 2007). However, it should be noted
that it’s not unusual for these thoughts to be completely illogical in
nature. To substantiate this statement let’s look at Jean Piaget
(1896-1980), the Swiss psychologist, who divided childhood schemas into
groups. He said that a child between the age of two and seven resides in
the “preoperational” stage (Wikipedia, 2007), which is the second of
four stages of cognitive development, the trademark of which is sparse
and irrational mental operations. According to him, symbolic
functioning, centration, intuitive thought, and egocentrism all
represent this stage of cognitive development. Basically, this means
symbols and words mean things that aren’t physically available to
initiate the thought process, that children see only one side of the
situation they are involved in, that they believe in the unseen without
any reason at all, that they are incapable of understanding another’s
point of view, and that children are unable to distinguish when an
object has changed form but has not changed mass (weight). To me, this
theory seems to only focus primarily on the negatives of this age when
further research shows that on a scholastic level, a child will begin to
use mental representations of symbols, such as numbers and words but by
age six should have an approximate vocabulary of 14,000 words
(Annenberg, 2007). As a mother I know that children this age begin to
draw simple images, and cut along dotted lines as well (Jaeckel, 2001).
Not to mention, they form new abilities, which allow the child to alter
communication styles to meet the expectations of his or her surroundings
(Annenberg, 2007). Obviously, the young child has along road ahead but
then again, they have already mastered a great deal as well.
Psychosocial development
Psychosocial
Development describes more intimate areas of human development. These
intimate areas include a child’s emotional character, their personality,
and ability to form and maintain interpersonal relationships. These
important traits are influenced by parental styles (Annenberg, 2007);
this also includes the influences of other promenade individuals such as
grandparents, teachers, and etc. This stage begins a deeper need for
extended adult supervision as children do not always have the ability to
rationalize the consequences of their actions.
Adult
supervision should include increased praise and unconditional love.
It’s important that adults try to keep an 8:1 positive comment ratio
(Funk, 2007). In other words, for every negative thing an adult must say
to a child, there should be eight positive ones that follow. Indeed,
this isn’t always an easy task and as humans we don’t always remember to
count but if adults attempt to provide this support, a child’s self
esteem and image will be enhanced and their confidence will strengthen
allowing them to confidently embark on newer activities w/ less
difficulty (Funk, 2007).
Discipline
plays a key role in psychosocial development. A sharp, consistently
maintained set of rules and consequences will help to eliminate years of
painful backlash, and arguments for a child’s caregiver. All caregivers
should maintain these limitations because the more a child’s support
system works together the better the system would work as a whole for
the child (Funk, 2007)
According
to Diana Baumrind’s, 1966, (Grobman, 2003) description of three
parenting styles, Parenting influences a child’s behaviors and ability
to function. She states that a parent, who possesses a “Permissive”
parenting style, acts with acceptance and affirmation, routinely
explains rules, and makes fewer demands; while allowing the child to
chose for itself what road to follow. This parenting style is more apt
to use manipulation and reason than adverse consequences to discourage
unwanted behaviors. Diana states that the second type of parenting is
noted as the “Authoritarian” parenting style, in which the parent
attempts to, not only control all aspects of a child’s decisions but
also seeks to hold absolute power in all areas. The child is seen more
as an extension of thy self rather than an individual being and
therefore the parent attempts to keep the child in its place. This
restricts the child’s ability to make decisions based on will without
punitive consequences should they defy the parent’s expectations. Last
but not least, Diana asserts that there is an “Authoritative” parenting
style. With this style the parent not only shares the reasons for their
decisions, but takes the child’s feelings into consideration as they
make those decisions as well. This provides the possibility of an open
give and take relationship, where a child has the ability to grow and
experience w/out fear of rejection. Obviously each of the above
parenting styles has distinctive results. We will not embark on those
results except to say that “Authoritative” parenting seems to be the
favored approach because it supposedly creates happy, self-confident,
well-developed children. However, It’s my opinion that parents must
decide which is the best road for their individual child and each parent
will be influenced by their own childhood and the relationships they
shared with their parents along with their own experience as the years
go by. Children defy the odds of psychological opinions on a daily
bases, and history shows that even the most controlling or lenient
parent can produce a well-adjusted child. Over all, adult mentoring
makes an extreme difference in a child’s emotional and psychological
development. The investments of today will contribute to the child’s
personal, and professional relationships of tomorrow (Funk, 2007).
Conclusion
As
you can see, between the ages of two and six, a child has a lot going
on. Their bodies are growing, their physical appearance is changing, and
their brain is working behind the scene to create changes in ways that
are unique. They learn new skills by watching others, and engaging in
several forms of spontaneous play. The actions of adult role models will
assist in the learning experience on an psychological, Sociological,
and Emotional level because children of this age not only enjoy the
attention of others around them; they also enjoy knowing that others are
proud of them and their accomplishments. In conclusion, children will
learn to understand the world around them while learning to become
independent so long as they receive the support they need.
References
Annenberg Media (2007). Discovering Psychology. Retrieved Jan. 20, 2007
From WGBH Educational Foundation website:
http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/development/2_6.html
Funk, John. M.A. (2007) Help Fix that Child. Retrieved Jan 20, 2007
From the Early Childhood News Website:
http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=469
Grobman, K.H. (2003). Diana Baumrind’s (1966) Rototypical Descriptions of 3 Parenting Styles. Retrieved Jan 21, 2007.
From Developmental Psychology. Org:
http://www.devpsy.org/teaching/parent/baumrind_styles.html
Jaeckel, Jennifer. (2001) Chapter 6 Outline. Retrieved Jan 20., 2007.
From the University Of Michigan Psychology Course Website:
http://www.umich.edu/~psycours/350/jaeckelj/3outline6.html
Wikimedia. (2007). Theory of Cognitive Development Retrieved Jan. 21, 2007
From Wikimedia Free Encyclopedia website:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_cognitive_development
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Showing posts with label child developement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label child developement. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
The Miniture Human (This was an assignment for Class)
Introduction
Around the world men and women embark on the wonderful experience of pregnancy. What does this mean? Well to most of us, it means the formation of a tiny new life but what goes on behind the scenes? How does a baby become a baby? What is the process of biological, cognitive, and psychosocial development when speaking about such microscopic treasures? How does this transfer as birth takes place and the tiny human miniature faces the next two years? On the following pages, we shall discuss these different areas, provide examples and show how the development of a baby as it forms from conception until it reaches age two. By the end of this document, one should be able to provide a simple description of this process with little to no difficulty.
Biological Development
“intro”
Biological development covers the changes within the human structure that are physical in nature. These involve areas such as brain development, and physical traits. In the case of conception, there are thought to be about 40,000 genes mixed to make a kind of genetic cocktail in the nucleus of each human cell. These genes manage everything, and they all interact. Some genes serve to inhibit, suppress, or repress the actions of other genes, and others try to identify and repair genetic and metabolic problems. There are however factors that activate or hide genes, and there are genes that change the speed or likelihood of specific chemical interactions. Because of this, human creation is an amazingly complex process!
“Pregnancy”
Before cells can divide, genes from both the mother and father come together into 23 - chromosome pairs. The DNA sequences comprising genes always go to the same location of a particular chromosome, which for convenience are numbered from biggest (1 - most genetic material) to smallest (22) plus the sex chromosomes (XX female, XY male). Eggs (ova) from Mom and sperm from Dad are special cells that contain a single set of 23 chromosomes. Conception completes the chromosome set and cell replication and differentiation begins: chromosome pairs separate and move to opposite sides of the nucleus, the entire cell divides into two new cells. The process repeats, more cells accumulate, genes in each region turn on or off, which is how individual organs and tissues form, and creation takes place. This process is called prenatal development. (Planet, 2006).
Prenatal development is broken down in what’s most commonly known as three trimesters. Separating pregnancy into three equal terms 1st trimester (germinal), 2nd trimester (embryonic), and 3rd trimester (fetal) makes it easier to understand. During the Germinal stage, conception begins and takes approximately eight weeks to complete. At this point the baby, is called a zygote (A one cell organism formed when the ova and sperm came together as one) (Planet, 2006) During this time the zygote travels down the fallopian tubes into the uterus where it becomes embedded into the uterus wall and the placenta forms to supply the miniature with protection, nutrients, oxygen, and waste removal. Once these things occur, the zygote becomes what’s known as an embryo. (Berger, 2005) The embryonic stage will then last another six weeks during which the miniature will continue to grow and finish forming most of it’s body system; including it’s organs. Basically the embryo begins to form its brain, spinal cord, heart, gastrointestinal tract, vertebra and other bones. Blood begins to pump, even the beginnings of eyes and ears, arms and legs become evident. Interesting how something as small and simple as hair follicles have begun to take shape so soon. Which brings us to the fetal stage (Rauch, 2006).
This is about the time the mother begins to find out she is pregnant. The fetal stage lasts from about week eight until the birth of the child. During this stage the miniature continues to grow as it’s cells divide. It becomes stronger, begins to move and becomes more functionally human. Let’s break it down a little more shall we? Around the ninth week to the third month of pregnancy, the fetus will be approximately three inches long. Its head will be nearly ½ of its full-scale size. Its face will be that of a human w/ closed eyelids that will not open until around 28 weeks. Teeth, hair and genitals are developed and red blood cells are producing in the liver (Rauch, 2006). During the fourth month of pregnancy, the fetus becomes about 6 inches in length, it’s skin covers it’s body in a transparant nature, muscle and bones continue to form and strengthen and the baby can now make sucking faces. The liver, intestants and pancreses begin to create their fluids as well (Rauch, 2006). During the fifth month of pregnacy, the fetus becomes about 8 inches, lanugo hair covers the body, it has eyebrows and eyelashes, finger nails and toenails, and is more active due to an increase of muscle mass. This is when the mother usually begins to feel butterfly movement in the abdomen and the heartbeat can be heard through special medical equipment during the normal prenatal visit (Rauch, 2006). By the sixth month of pregnacy the fetus is about 11 inches and weighs about 1lb 10 oz. It has startle reflexes, and foot/hand prints. Ait sacs are even forming in it’s tiny lungs (Rauch, 2006). As the seventh month of pregnacy rolls around the little one will reach about 15 inches, and almost 3 lbs. The brain begins to develop very rapidly and the nervous system and immune system form as well. A baby born during this stage may very well live even though complications and death are possible(Rauch, 2006). Once eight months of pregnacy copmes to terms, the fetus really does look like a full term baby only smaller. It’s about 15-17 inches, weighs just under 5lbs, and even though it’s lungs are not fully formed is capinle of rythmic breathing. It’s beginning to store iron, calcium and phosphorus in preporation for birth (Rauch, 2006). Which brings us to the ninth and final month., where the little boy or girl will have reached about 16-19 inches weigh 5-7 lbs, have long nails, along w/ courser thicker hair. A baby born at thirty-six weeks can survive and will probaably do so w/ intervention. However it is reccommended that a full term birth take place between 37-40 weeks making a true pregnacy exuivalant to 10 instead of 9 months (Rauch, 2006) .
“Birth”
We are not going to cover the birthing process. However, we will provide a list of things to consider. When thinking about pregnancy and delivery, one should begin to focus on things such as, what type of delivery do you wish to have assisted deliveries, a home birth, water birth, hospital birth, cesarean birth, and natural birth and do you want a midwife or a doctor? What about possible complications? How do you want those handled? And, of course, there are different medicines that can reduce the pain during delivery. You can choose to utilize those or not. The choices seem to be endless.
“Age 0-2 yrs”
By four months of age, a baby should weigh between ten to eighteen pounds, and be between twenty-three to twenty-seven inches long. He or she should be sleeping approximately fourteen to seventeen hours in a twenty-four hour period. They should be able to follow a rattle with their eyes and grasp at it along with hold it in their tiny hands. By this point he or she should also be able to roll over from stomach to back and sit with support (Oesterreich, 2002).
By eight months of age, a baby should weigh between fourteen to twenty-three pounds and be twenty-five to thirty inches long. It’s during this time that first teeth appear so the baby will probably place everything in his/her mouth to chew on them. By now they are capable of eating solid foods and require 3-4 feedings a day not to mention, the introduction of a sippy cup will helpful at this time along with ensuring eleven to thirteen hours sleep and two to three good naps a day (Oesterreich, 2002).
Around one year, a baby will weigh about 17-27 pounds, and be about twenty-seven to thirty-two inches long. They still need eleven to thirteen hours sleep but may stop taking afternoon or morning naps. Bottle weaning should be considered and started. Nourishment includes three square meals a day and two snacks in between (Oesterreich, 2002).
Between age twelve to twenty-four months (1-2yrs), a child will slow down on the milestones; just a little. They will weigh between twenty and thirty-two pounds, be approximately thirty to thirty-seven inches tall, walk well and run well. However their stopping skills will be questionable. A child of this age can drink from a straw, feed them selves, toss objects, open minor cabinets and drawers, and bend over without falling. Potty training can be started during this time depending on the child’s ability to control his or her bladder and cooperation. However completion may take another year or two to complete so patients is required (Oesterreich, 2002).
As you can see the child will more than double its birth weight, will form motor skills that once were mere reflexes, and develop rapidly on a physical level between the ages of conception to age two (Annenberg, 2005).
Cognitive Development
Cognitive development describes the intellectual or educational side of human growth. It includes but is not limited to the thinking process, perceptual ability, and communication. During the first year of an infant’s development, they undergo many many changes. It’s an exciting time for everyone involved.
During the first two months, the baby becomes familure with its home, the people around it, and begins to feel comfortable and aware. He or she probably will recognize the voice of its primary caregivers, and turn it’s head to seek out the direction in which the voice is coming from. He or she may even begin making cooing sounds and having reflex smiling. At this stage the infant will be easily startled and soothed by coddling and/or nursing (bottle or breast).
By the third and fourth months of life the infant will gain much more control over its body movements. It may begin to raise up on its arms while laying on it’s stomach on the floor, or begin stiffening its neck muscles in order to try to control its head. He or she will begin reaching for the objects that are close enough and by four months should be able to grasp and hold those objects. Vocal cords begin to form more logical sounds. Happiness brings squeals and sadness shouts or cries. Of course by four months these sounds can begin to take on even more wordy forms.
Between the ages of five and six months a baby will become a lot stronger, his or her head is steady and most children can sit w/ the help of a pillow. By the end of the sixth month the pillow may even be unnecessary especially since he/she will probably be rolling over and in unique cases standing up. Verbal skills will take on a new focus at this point as consonant and vowel sounds begin to blend themselves and he or she will probably recognize their own name.
Age seven to nine months is when the fun begins. The little one will be fully aware of the parent’s unconditional love and the limit testing will then begin. It’s during this time that babies learn to wipe tables clean, tip over plants, and stick little gadgets in holes. This is an exciting yet dangerous time for the little daredevil because they want to experiment and you want safety first.
As the child reaches nine to twelve months, a child’s strength is great; they are practicing walking, and moving around the home. They are mimicking words such as mommy, daddy, hello, and good-bye. They should be learning to hold the sippy cup and use it instead of a bottle all the time. It’s also during this time that self feeding should be encouraged by letting the little one hold a spoon during meal time (Oesterreich, 2002).
During the second year of cognitive development, a child has the vocabulary of several hundred words and can name the names of their toys. They can use two to three word sentences to describe thoughts and emotions and mimic words that are spoken by others. They are capable of showing their preferences of toys and because of such likes to show their likes between two objects. He or she will listen to short songs and can hum or sing favorite melodies. It’s during this time that the child is capable of using “manner words” such as please and thank you but may need prompted often to do so.
Psychosocial development
Psychosocial Development describes more intimate areas of human development. These intimate areas include a child’s emotional character, their personality, and ability to form and maintain interpersonal relationships.
By the fourth month stage, an infant has learned to cry to communicate pain, fear, discomfort, and loneliness. They enjoy being held, touched and rocked. They will respond and even become excited by the sound of a rattle or bell and return a smile when smiled at.
Around eight months of age, a baby will know it’s own name and respond when hearing it. He/she will show fear; such as falling off a high table or down a flight of stairs. He or she will smile, coo and babble in response to what it sees.He/she will respond to family and close friends. However, Most of the time, he or she spends observing the environment, imitating sounds, and getting to know the familiar scenery.
By age one year, a baby will begin to cling to his or her parent or caregivers, express anxiety towards strangers, and initiate sharing of toys and items w/ the expectation of getting the items back. This is also a self centered mode as the child begins to watch it’s self closer in the mirror and attach it’s self to favorite toys or blankets that they may or may not wish to share.
During the second year of development the child leaves that baby stage and begins to focus on growing up. They begin to use sentences in speech, are aware of the world around them and look for objects that are no longer in view. The most common word in a two-year-old’s vocabulary seems to be no. They have issues with sharing, they get angry, and even throw temper tantrums. This possessiveness knows no rules or boundaries and when confronted creates frustration that generally sends the child seeking comfort with a close friend or family member. Of course not everything about age two is terrible. Children around this age will also seek attention. They will experiment with new skills such as imitating older siblings and parents. They will give hugs and kisses without much regard to reason; which is what makes the frustration of the terrible two’s so enjoyable (Oesterreich, 2002).
Conclusion
As you can see, between the ages of conception and age two, little tikes have a lot to endure. They not only become human, they become intellectuals. They learn to breath, walk, talk, and communicate all in the first year of life and after that it’s simply time to build upon those skills in order to grow up to lead a productive life.
References
American Pregnancy Association (2007). Labor & Delivery Retrieved Jan 20, 2007
From American Pregnancy Association Website:
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/index.htm
Annenberg Media. (2007). Discovering Psychology. Retrieved Jan. 20, 2007
From WGBH Educational Foundation website:
http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/development/0_2.html
Lee, Donna (2006). Your child's 1st year development - mo to mo Retrieved Jan 20, 2007
From Child Study.Net Website:
http://childstudy.net/your_childs_1st_year_development_month_to_month.php
Oesterreich, Lesia. M.S. (2002) Ages & Stages – NB to 1 year retrieved Jan 19, 2007
From The National Network for Child Care Website:
http://www.nncc.org/Child.Dev/ages.stages.new.one.html
Oesterreich, Lesia. M.S. (2002) Ages & Stages – 18 to 24mo retrieved Jan 19, 2007
From The National Network for Child Care Website:
http://www.nncc.org/Child.Dev/ages.stages.18m.24m.html
Planet Psych. (2006) Child Development Retrieved Jan. 20, 2007
From PlanetPsych Website:
http://www.planetpsych.com/zPsychology_101/child_development.htm
Rauch, Daniel. MD (2006) Fetal development. Retrieved Jan 20, 2007-02-09
From the Medline Plus Website:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002398.htm
Around the world men and women embark on the wonderful experience of pregnancy. What does this mean? Well to most of us, it means the formation of a tiny new life but what goes on behind the scenes? How does a baby become a baby? What is the process of biological, cognitive, and psychosocial development when speaking about such microscopic treasures? How does this transfer as birth takes place and the tiny human miniature faces the next two years? On the following pages, we shall discuss these different areas, provide examples and show how the development of a baby as it forms from conception until it reaches age two. By the end of this document, one should be able to provide a simple description of this process with little to no difficulty.
Biological Development
“intro”
Biological development covers the changes within the human structure that are physical in nature. These involve areas such as brain development, and physical traits. In the case of conception, there are thought to be about 40,000 genes mixed to make a kind of genetic cocktail in the nucleus of each human cell. These genes manage everything, and they all interact. Some genes serve to inhibit, suppress, or repress the actions of other genes, and others try to identify and repair genetic and metabolic problems. There are however factors that activate or hide genes, and there are genes that change the speed or likelihood of specific chemical interactions. Because of this, human creation is an amazingly complex process!
“Pregnancy”
Before cells can divide, genes from both the mother and father come together into 23 - chromosome pairs. The DNA sequences comprising genes always go to the same location of a particular chromosome, which for convenience are numbered from biggest (1 - most genetic material) to smallest (22) plus the sex chromosomes (XX female, XY male). Eggs (ova) from Mom and sperm from Dad are special cells that contain a single set of 23 chromosomes. Conception completes the chromosome set and cell replication and differentiation begins: chromosome pairs separate and move to opposite sides of the nucleus, the entire cell divides into two new cells. The process repeats, more cells accumulate, genes in each region turn on or off, which is how individual organs and tissues form, and creation takes place. This process is called prenatal development. (Planet, 2006).
Prenatal development is broken down in what’s most commonly known as three trimesters. Separating pregnancy into three equal terms 1st trimester (germinal), 2nd trimester (embryonic), and 3rd trimester (fetal) makes it easier to understand. During the Germinal stage, conception begins and takes approximately eight weeks to complete. At this point the baby, is called a zygote (A one cell organism formed when the ova and sperm came together as one) (Planet, 2006) During this time the zygote travels down the fallopian tubes into the uterus where it becomes embedded into the uterus wall and the placenta forms to supply the miniature with protection, nutrients, oxygen, and waste removal. Once these things occur, the zygote becomes what’s known as an embryo. (Berger, 2005) The embryonic stage will then last another six weeks during which the miniature will continue to grow and finish forming most of it’s body system; including it’s organs. Basically the embryo begins to form its brain, spinal cord, heart, gastrointestinal tract, vertebra and other bones. Blood begins to pump, even the beginnings of eyes and ears, arms and legs become evident. Interesting how something as small and simple as hair follicles have begun to take shape so soon. Which brings us to the fetal stage (Rauch, 2006).
This is about the time the mother begins to find out she is pregnant. The fetal stage lasts from about week eight until the birth of the child. During this stage the miniature continues to grow as it’s cells divide. It becomes stronger, begins to move and becomes more functionally human. Let’s break it down a little more shall we? Around the ninth week to the third month of pregnancy, the fetus will be approximately three inches long. Its head will be nearly ½ of its full-scale size. Its face will be that of a human w/ closed eyelids that will not open until around 28 weeks. Teeth, hair and genitals are developed and red blood cells are producing in the liver (Rauch, 2006). During the fourth month of pregnancy, the fetus becomes about 6 inches in length, it’s skin covers it’s body in a transparant nature, muscle and bones continue to form and strengthen and the baby can now make sucking faces. The liver, intestants and pancreses begin to create their fluids as well (Rauch, 2006). During the fifth month of pregnacy, the fetus becomes about 8 inches, lanugo hair covers the body, it has eyebrows and eyelashes, finger nails and toenails, and is more active due to an increase of muscle mass. This is when the mother usually begins to feel butterfly movement in the abdomen and the heartbeat can be heard through special medical equipment during the normal prenatal visit (Rauch, 2006). By the sixth month of pregnacy the fetus is about 11 inches and weighs about 1lb 10 oz. It has startle reflexes, and foot/hand prints. Ait sacs are even forming in it’s tiny lungs (Rauch, 2006). As the seventh month of pregnacy rolls around the little one will reach about 15 inches, and almost 3 lbs. The brain begins to develop very rapidly and the nervous system and immune system form as well. A baby born during this stage may very well live even though complications and death are possible(Rauch, 2006). Once eight months of pregnacy copmes to terms, the fetus really does look like a full term baby only smaller. It’s about 15-17 inches, weighs just under 5lbs, and even though it’s lungs are not fully formed is capinle of rythmic breathing. It’s beginning to store iron, calcium and phosphorus in preporation for birth (Rauch, 2006). Which brings us to the ninth and final month., where the little boy or girl will have reached about 16-19 inches weigh 5-7 lbs, have long nails, along w/ courser thicker hair. A baby born at thirty-six weeks can survive and will probaably do so w/ intervention. However it is reccommended that a full term birth take place between 37-40 weeks making a true pregnacy exuivalant to 10 instead of 9 months (Rauch, 2006) .
“Birth”
We are not going to cover the birthing process. However, we will provide a list of things to consider. When thinking about pregnancy and delivery, one should begin to focus on things such as, what type of delivery do you wish to have assisted deliveries, a home birth, water birth, hospital birth, cesarean birth, and natural birth and do you want a midwife or a doctor? What about possible complications? How do you want those handled? And, of course, there are different medicines that can reduce the pain during delivery. You can choose to utilize those or not. The choices seem to be endless.
“Age 0-2 yrs”
By four months of age, a baby should weigh between ten to eighteen pounds, and be between twenty-three to twenty-seven inches long. He or she should be sleeping approximately fourteen to seventeen hours in a twenty-four hour period. They should be able to follow a rattle with their eyes and grasp at it along with hold it in their tiny hands. By this point he or she should also be able to roll over from stomach to back and sit with support (Oesterreich, 2002).
By eight months of age, a baby should weigh between fourteen to twenty-three pounds and be twenty-five to thirty inches long. It’s during this time that first teeth appear so the baby will probably place everything in his/her mouth to chew on them. By now they are capable of eating solid foods and require 3-4 feedings a day not to mention, the introduction of a sippy cup will helpful at this time along with ensuring eleven to thirteen hours sleep and two to three good naps a day (Oesterreich, 2002).
Around one year, a baby will weigh about 17-27 pounds, and be about twenty-seven to thirty-two inches long. They still need eleven to thirteen hours sleep but may stop taking afternoon or morning naps. Bottle weaning should be considered and started. Nourishment includes three square meals a day and two snacks in between (Oesterreich, 2002).
Between age twelve to twenty-four months (1-2yrs), a child will slow down on the milestones; just a little. They will weigh between twenty and thirty-two pounds, be approximately thirty to thirty-seven inches tall, walk well and run well. However their stopping skills will be questionable. A child of this age can drink from a straw, feed them selves, toss objects, open minor cabinets and drawers, and bend over without falling. Potty training can be started during this time depending on the child’s ability to control his or her bladder and cooperation. However completion may take another year or two to complete so patients is required (Oesterreich, 2002).
As you can see the child will more than double its birth weight, will form motor skills that once were mere reflexes, and develop rapidly on a physical level between the ages of conception to age two (Annenberg, 2005).
Cognitive Development
Cognitive development describes the intellectual or educational side of human growth. It includes but is not limited to the thinking process, perceptual ability, and communication. During the first year of an infant’s development, they undergo many many changes. It’s an exciting time for everyone involved.
During the first two months, the baby becomes familure with its home, the people around it, and begins to feel comfortable and aware. He or she probably will recognize the voice of its primary caregivers, and turn it’s head to seek out the direction in which the voice is coming from. He or she may even begin making cooing sounds and having reflex smiling. At this stage the infant will be easily startled and soothed by coddling and/or nursing (bottle or breast).
By the third and fourth months of life the infant will gain much more control over its body movements. It may begin to raise up on its arms while laying on it’s stomach on the floor, or begin stiffening its neck muscles in order to try to control its head. He or she will begin reaching for the objects that are close enough and by four months should be able to grasp and hold those objects. Vocal cords begin to form more logical sounds. Happiness brings squeals and sadness shouts or cries. Of course by four months these sounds can begin to take on even more wordy forms.
Between the ages of five and six months a baby will become a lot stronger, his or her head is steady and most children can sit w/ the help of a pillow. By the end of the sixth month the pillow may even be unnecessary especially since he/she will probably be rolling over and in unique cases standing up. Verbal skills will take on a new focus at this point as consonant and vowel sounds begin to blend themselves and he or she will probably recognize their own name.
Age seven to nine months is when the fun begins. The little one will be fully aware of the parent’s unconditional love and the limit testing will then begin. It’s during this time that babies learn to wipe tables clean, tip over plants, and stick little gadgets in holes. This is an exciting yet dangerous time for the little daredevil because they want to experiment and you want safety first.
As the child reaches nine to twelve months, a child’s strength is great; they are practicing walking, and moving around the home. They are mimicking words such as mommy, daddy, hello, and good-bye. They should be learning to hold the sippy cup and use it instead of a bottle all the time. It’s also during this time that self feeding should be encouraged by letting the little one hold a spoon during meal time (Oesterreich, 2002).
During the second year of cognitive development, a child has the vocabulary of several hundred words and can name the names of their toys. They can use two to three word sentences to describe thoughts and emotions and mimic words that are spoken by others. They are capable of showing their preferences of toys and because of such likes to show their likes between two objects. He or she will listen to short songs and can hum or sing favorite melodies. It’s during this time that the child is capable of using “manner words” such as please and thank you but may need prompted often to do so.
Psychosocial development
Psychosocial Development describes more intimate areas of human development. These intimate areas include a child’s emotional character, their personality, and ability to form and maintain interpersonal relationships.
By the fourth month stage, an infant has learned to cry to communicate pain, fear, discomfort, and loneliness. They enjoy being held, touched and rocked. They will respond and even become excited by the sound of a rattle or bell and return a smile when smiled at.
Around eight months of age, a baby will know it’s own name and respond when hearing it. He/she will show fear; such as falling off a high table or down a flight of stairs. He or she will smile, coo and babble in response to what it sees.He/she will respond to family and close friends. However, Most of the time, he or she spends observing the environment, imitating sounds, and getting to know the familiar scenery.
By age one year, a baby will begin to cling to his or her parent or caregivers, express anxiety towards strangers, and initiate sharing of toys and items w/ the expectation of getting the items back. This is also a self centered mode as the child begins to watch it’s self closer in the mirror and attach it’s self to favorite toys or blankets that they may or may not wish to share.
During the second year of development the child leaves that baby stage and begins to focus on growing up. They begin to use sentences in speech, are aware of the world around them and look for objects that are no longer in view. The most common word in a two-year-old’s vocabulary seems to be no. They have issues with sharing, they get angry, and even throw temper tantrums. This possessiveness knows no rules or boundaries and when confronted creates frustration that generally sends the child seeking comfort with a close friend or family member. Of course not everything about age two is terrible. Children around this age will also seek attention. They will experiment with new skills such as imitating older siblings and parents. They will give hugs and kisses without much regard to reason; which is what makes the frustration of the terrible two’s so enjoyable (Oesterreich, 2002).
Conclusion
As you can see, between the ages of conception and age two, little tikes have a lot to endure. They not only become human, they become intellectuals. They learn to breath, walk, talk, and communicate all in the first year of life and after that it’s simply time to build upon those skills in order to grow up to lead a productive life.
References
American Pregnancy Association (2007). Labor & Delivery Retrieved Jan 20, 2007
From American Pregnancy Association Website:
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/index.htm
Annenberg Media. (2007). Discovering Psychology. Retrieved Jan. 20, 2007
From WGBH Educational Foundation website:
http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/development/0_2.html
Lee, Donna (2006). Your child's 1st year development - mo to mo Retrieved Jan 20, 2007
From Child Study.Net Website:
http://childstudy.net/your_childs_1st_year_development_month_to_month.php
Oesterreich, Lesia. M.S. (2002) Ages & Stages – NB to 1 year retrieved Jan 19, 2007
From The National Network for Child Care Website:
http://www.nncc.org/Child.Dev/ages.stages.new.one.html
Oesterreich, Lesia. M.S. (2002) Ages & Stages – 18 to 24mo retrieved Jan 19, 2007
From The National Network for Child Care Website:
http://www.nncc.org/Child.Dev/ages.stages.18m.24m.html
Planet Psych. (2006) Child Development Retrieved Jan. 20, 2007
From PlanetPsych Website:
http://www.planetpsych.com/zPsychology_101/child_development.htm
Rauch, Daniel. MD (2006) Fetal development. Retrieved Jan 20, 2007-02-09
From the Medline Plus Website:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002398.htm
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