Child Development Milestones

Physiologic Characteristics by Age Group

• Infants need to be able to recognize normal vs. abnormal vital signs.
• Infants need to understand reflexes in response to physical stimulation.
• Infants need to match age ranges with cognitive developmental milestones.
• Toddlers need to identify normal vs. abnormal vital signs.
• Toddlers are more susceptible to infectious diseases.
• Preschoolers need to also be able to identify normal vs. abnormal vital signs.
• School-age children need to identify normal vs. abnormal vital signs.
• Adolescents need to describe physiologic changes during adolescence.
• Adolescents need to differentiate between normal and abnormal vital signs.
• Adults need to compare physiologic characteristics of early, middle, and late adulthood.
• Adults need to differentiate between normal and abnormal vital signs.

Psychosocial Characteristics by Age Group

• Infants need to be able to describe expected cognitive and emotional characteristics.
• Toddlers need to be able to match age ranges with cognitive developmental milestones.
• Preschoolers need to know the benefits of social interaction.
• School-age children need to be able to describe psychosocial characteristics.
• Adolescents need to be able to describe psychosocial characteristics.
• Adults need to be able to compare psychosocial characteristics of early, middle, and late adulthood.

Key Terms in Life Span Development

• Life Span Development examines the physical and psychosocial changes from birth to death.
• Infancy spans from birth to 1 year.
• The toddler phase is from ages 1 to 3 years.
• Preschool age is from ages 3 to 6 years.
• School age is from ages 6 to 12 years.
• Adolescence is from ages 12 to 18 years.
• Early adulthood is from ages 18 to 40 years.
• Middle adulthood is from ages 40 to 65 years.
• Late adulthood is from ages 65 years and older.
• An individual's development is tracked through these stages.

Infancy (Birth to 1 Year)

• Infancy has rapid and phenomenal physical changes.
• Infants are completely dependent on others for their needs.
• During infancy, milestones are walking and developing a unique personality.

Physiologic Changes During the Life Span

• As an individual ages, their normal pulse rate and respiratory rate will decrease.
• Blood pressure increases with age.
• Birth weight is between 6.6–7.7 pounds (3.0–3.5 kg).
• Weight doubles by 6 months and triples by 12 months.
• Head equals 25 percent of total body weight at birth.

Vital Signs: Infant

• Newborn heart rate is 100–170 bpm.
• Infant heart rate (up to 1 year) is 90–160 bpm.
• Newborn systolic blood pressure is 50–70 mmHg.
• Systolic blood pressure up to 1 year is about 90 mmHg.
• Respiratory volume at birth is 7–8 mL/kg, increasing to 10–15 mL/kg by 1 year.
• Respiratory rate for 0-6 months is 30–60 breaths/minute, and it is 24-30 breaths/minute for 6-12 months.
• Newborns have shorter, narrower, and less stable airways
• Newborns are more prone to obstruction and are primarily nose breathers until at least 4 weeks of age.
• Nasal congestion can cause breathing difficulties.
• Diaphragm breathers use more abdominal movement than chest movement.
• Immature accessory muscles lead to quicker fatigue during breathing difficulties.
• Infants are more susceptible to chest trauma due to a less rigid chest wall and more fragile lung tissue.

Immune and Nervous System Reflexes in Infants

• Infants receive antibodies from their mother during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Infants develop their own antibodies through vaccination or disease exposure.
• Moro reflex is a startle response with arm and finger extension.
• Palmar reflex is when they grasp objects placed in their palm.
• Rooting reflex is turning the head toward the cheek being touched when hungry.
• Sucking reflex is when they sucks when lips are stroked, working with the rooting reflex.

Sleep Patterns and Skeletal System in Infants

• Infants initially sleep 16–18 hours per day.
• Infant sleep transitions to 4–6 hours during the day and 9-10 hours at night.
• By 2-4 months, infants typically sleep through the night but remain easy to awaken.
• Extremities grow in length through growth plates at the ends of long bones.
• Skull bones are not fused at birth, and the soft spot (fontanelle) indicates hydration status.
• Posterior fontanelle closes by 2-3 months; anterior fontanelle closes between 9-18 months.
• A sunken fontanelle indicates dehydration and a bulging fontanelle (without crying) suggests increased intracranial pressure.

Developmental Changes of the First 12 Months

• At 2 months, infants track objects with their eyes and recognize familiar faces.
• At 3 months, they move objects to their mouth with distinct facial expressions like smiling and frowning.
• At 4 months, infants drool without swallowing and begin to reach out to people.
• At 5 months, they sleep through the night without waking for feeding, and can discriminate between family and strangers.
• Between 5 to 7 months, infants begin to cut teeth.
• At 6 months, they can sit upright in a high chair and start making one-syllable sounds.
• By 7 months, infants exhibit fear of strangers and their moods shift quickly from crying to laughing and back.
• At 8 months, they begin responding to "no," can sit alone, and play peek-a-boo.
• At 9 months, infants respond to adult anger, and explores objects by mouthing, sucking, chewing, and biting.
• At 10 months, they pay attention to their name and crawl well.
• At 11 months, infants attempt to walk without assistance and begin to show frustration about restrictions.
• At 12 months, they walk with help and know their own name.

Psychosocial Changes

• Infants primarily communicate through crying, which caregivers learn to interpret for different needs.
• Bonding is developed when infant's needs are consistently met.
• Infants thrive in orderly and predictable environments because inconsistent or chaotic environments can lead to anxiety and insecurity.
• Scaffolding is when caregiver provides support to help them progress learning from existing knowlege.
• Temperament is the individual differences in reactions to their environment.

Vital Signs: Toddler

• Heart rate is 80–140 beats per minute.
• Respiratory rate is 24–40 breaths per minute.
• Systolic blood pressure is calculated as 90+(age in years×2).
• For a 2-year-old, the mean systolic pressure is 94.
• Terminal airways branch and grow, and alveoli increase in number in the pulmonary system.
• The brain reaches 90% of adult weight, and fine-motor skills develop in the nervous system.
• Muscle mass and bone density increase in the musculoskeletal System .
• Increased susceptibility to illness, immunity develops through exposure and vaccination in the immune system.
• All primary teeth are present by 36 months.
• Toilet Training is physiologically possible by 12–15 months, but psychological readiness occurs between 18–30 months.
• Average completion age for toilet training is 28 months.

Cognitive Developmental Changes from Infant to Preschooler

• At 12 months, a child begins to grasp that words have meaning.
• Between 18-24 months, a child starts to understand cause and effect and may develop separation anxiety.
• From 24-36 months, a child begins developing magical thinking.
• By 3-4 years, a child masters the basics of language.

Vital Signs: Preschool Age

• Heart rate is 70–120 beats per minute for ages 1 to 10 years.
• Respiratory rate is 22–34 breaths per minute for ages 1 to 10 years.
• Mean systolic pressure is calculated as 90+(age in years×2).
• For example, the mean systolic pressure for a 2-year-old is 94, and individual blood pressures can vary.
• Peer groups at preschool provide information about other families and the outside world.
• Interactions with peers help in learning new skills, and allow for self-comparison with others.
• Being part of a peer group fosters a sense of belonging.

Vital Signs: School Age

• Heart rate is 65–120 beats per minute for ages 1 to 10 years.
• Respiratory rate is 18–30 breaths per minute for ages 1 to 10 years.
• Mean systolic blood pressure is calculated as 90+(age in years×2) for ages 1 to 10 years.
• Loss of primary teeth and replacement with permanent teeth begins during this age range.

Psychosocial Changes with School Age

• Parents provide less direct supervision, and children gain better decision-making skills with more autonomy in making decisions.
• Self-esteem develops and can be influenced by factors such as peer popularity, rejection, emotional support, and neglect.
• Negative self-esteem can significantly hinder further development.
• Moral development starts with rewards and punishments based on parents' beliefs about right and wrong.
• As cognitive abilities grow, moral reasoning develops leading to a shift from external control to internal self-control.

Adolescence (13-18 Years)

• Life span development is a continual process involving dynamic physiologic and psychosocial changes.
• Infancy marks the transition from fetal life to life in the world.
• Adolescence transitions from childhood to adulthood and late adulthood is characterized by the deterioration of systems.
• During adolescence, a rapid growth spurt occurs over two to three years.
• Growth begins distally with the enlargement of feet and hands, followed by arms and legs, and the chest and trunk enlarge in the final stage of growth.
• Girls can finish growing by age 16, while boys finish by age 18.
• In late adolescence, males average being taller and stronger than the average female.

Vital Signs and Changes During Adolescence

• Heart rate for this age group is 60–100 beats per minute.
• Respiratory rate is 12–20 breaths per minute.
• Systolic blood pressure is approximately 107-117 mmHg.
• Both males and females reach reproductive maturity
• Secondary sexual development includes the development of external sexual organs.
• In females, menstruation begins and breasts develop.
• The American Heart Association considers the onset of puberty as the transition point from child to adult in CPR guidelines.

Psychosocial Changes During Adolescence

• Adolescence often has family conflicts due to the adolescent's desire for independence and the parent's desire for control.
• Adolescents strive for independence and developing their identities.
• Interest in sex increases during adolescence, and adolescents want to be treated like adults but also enjoy the comforts of childhood.
• Body image becomes a significant concern, leading to a higher risk of eating disorders.
• Self-destructive behaviors, such as using tobacco, alcohol, drugs, cutting, and unsafe driving, may begin during this period.
• Depression and suicide rates are alarmingly high, with the individual developing the capacity for logical, analytic, and abstract thinking. This leads to the formation of a personal code of ethics.

Vital Signs: Early Adulthood

• Heart rate is 60-100/minute.
• Respiratory rate is 12–20/minute.
• Systolic blood pressure is less than 120.
• Peak Physical Condition occurs between 19 and 26 years, when all body systems are at optimal performance levels.
• Body Slowing Process begins at the end of the peak physical condition period.

Psychosocial Changes in Early Adulthood

• The highest levels of job stress occur.
• Love, both romantic and affectionate, develops.
• Childbirth is most common, and accidents are a leading cause of death.

Physiologic Changes

• No significant changes in vital signs.
• Vision problems may start, and cholesterol levels can become elevated.
• There is an increased risk of developing cancer, and weight control becomes more challenging.
• Menopause typically begins for women in their late 40s to early 50s.
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death after age 40 across demographics.

Psychosocial Changes

• Tasks become more task-oriented.
• Problems are seen as challenges rather than threats.
• Empty-nest syndrome is common, may also bring increased freedom for self-fulfillment. -Concern for children starting their new lives
• Concern for caring for aging parents.

Physiologic Changes with Later Adulthood

• The cardiovascular system becomes less efficient, and the respiratory system deteriorates.
• There are changes in the endocrine system and sleep-wake cycle. All body systems are deteriorating over time.

Psychosocial Changes with Later Adulthood

• Living environment concerns.
• Self-worth focused on helping others.
• Financial burdens increase.
• Death and dying concerns.

Understanding Across the Lifespan

• Understanding physiologic and psychosocial development is crucial for effective communication and assessment.
• Infants and young children have less developed and smaller respiratory structures, and older patients may have preexisting medical conditions.
• Communication varies by developmental stage.
• Infants and young children may experience fear of strangers and separation anxiety from parents.
• Adolescents may feel embarrassment, while older patients may face denial or depression.

This quiz assesses understanding of key milestones in child development. It covers areas such as cognitive skills, language development, physical health indicators like blood pressure, moral reasoning, and the role of social interactions during preschool years.