Child Development Principles and Domains

Child development follows a predictable pattern.

Infants grow very rapidly during the first year of life.

Babies develop skills from head to toe.

Infants around 3 months old can lift their heads and hold their hands.

Infants around 6 months can roll over, reach for objects and react to voices, and may sit with support.

Infants at 12 months can potentially stand and try to walk.

Infants progress from cooing to babbling to words by a year.

Infants can recognize their parents' voices and follow faces by the first month of life

Newborns are most responsive 1-2 hours post-feeding, avoiding over- or under-stimulation

Newborns use all five senses to interact with the world, especially looking at faces and responding to voices

The ability to progressively ignore negative stimuli, like repeated sounds.

A dynamic bond between a baby and caregiver, characterized by interacting and bonding.

A baby's ability to control their arousal level, responding to different stimulation, like self-soothing.

Newborns can see faces, hear voices, react to touch and recognize familiar scents.

A quick assessment of a newborn's health after birth, evaluating recovery and adaptability.

A baby born before 42 weeks of pregnancy.

A classification of newborn babies based on their birth weight.

A method to examine newborn babies, involving gradual approach and addressing crankiness appropriately.

In examining a newborn, using the parent's feedback on the strengths of the baby to learn about development and parenting information.

The step-by-step method of analyzing the baby's condition from head to toe, in the order that the infant gives.

These involve large muscle movements used for walking, running, jumping, and other physical activities.

These involve smaller, precise muscle movements like picking up small objects, writing, or buttoning clothes.

This is how a child learns, thinks, and solves problems.

This is how a child learns to communicate, understand, and speak.

This is how a child learns to interact with others, understand emotions, and build relationships.

In babies, skills develop starting from the head and moving down to the toes.

This is another term for the development pattern that starts from the head and proceeds down to the feet.

Newborns use all five senses, like sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.

Even though all babies follow developmental milestones, each baby is unique in their temperament, personality, and behavior.

The way a baby interacts with caregivers is a two-way process, with both parties influencing each other.

The ability of a newborn to gradually ignore repeated or unchanging stimuli, like a repetitive sound.

A dynamic and reciprocal process of bonding between a newborn and their caregiver, involving interaction and emotional connection.

The ability of a newborn to adjust their arousal level, responding to different levels of stimulation, like self-soothing.

A newborn's ability to sense and process information from their environment, including seeing faces, hearing voices, responding to touch, and recognizing familiar scents.

A baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.

A baby born weighing less than 1000 grams (2.2 pounds).

A gentle and careful approach to examine a newborn, gradually using distractions like toys and speaking softly.

Addressing a cranky infant's needs before proceeding with the examination, ensuring they are well-fed and comfortable.

Involving parents in a newborn's examination by asking about their strengths and developmental milestones.

Building a positive connection with preschoolers (1-4 years old) by engaging with them on their level, using playful interactions, and talking about their interests.

Establishing a good relationship with school-aged children (5-10 years old) by interacting with them at their level, engaging in activities they enjoy, and showing interest in their topics.

Toddlers (1-3 years old) grow at a slower rate than infants, gaining about 2-3 kg and growing 5 cm per year.

Gross and fine motor skills develop rapidly in toddlers. They learn to walk, run, jump, and use their hands with increasing dexterity.

Toddlers transition from learning through senses to understanding symbols and concepts. They start solving simple problems, remembering songs, and engaging in pretend play.

Language skills develop quickly in toddlers. They progress from a few words to using simple sentences and engaging in conversations.

Toddlers develop their social skills, moving from parallel play to pretending and imitating adults. They also start to express independence and experience temper tantrums.

Children in middle childhood (5-10 years old) grow steadily but more slowly. They experience significant improvements in strength, coordination, and participation in activities.

Middle childhood is marked by the development of 'concrete operational' thinking, where children can use logic but struggle with abstract concepts and consequences.

The environment, school, and family significantly impact the learning and cognitive development of children in middle childhood.

A common fear of unfamiliar people that can appear between 9 to 15 months of age, often expressed through crying, clinging, or avoidance.

Approaching a young child for a physical exam requires a patient and gentle approach, including explanations, distractions, and starting with the least distressing procedures.

The rate at which a child grows, which increases during puberty.

An inflammation of the sinuses, often presenting with headache, sore throat, and facial tenderness.

Tooth decay, a common health problem in children caused by various factors like sugary diets and poor oral hygiene.

A benign condition characterized by a rough, map-like appearance on a portion of the tongue.

A tongue with small fissures or cracks, often associated with geographic tongue and usually benign.

A bacterial infection of the throat characterized by white or yellow exudates on the tonsils and a red uvula.

A collection of pus near the tonsil, indicated by swelling, pain, and difficulty opening the mouth.

A stiff neck, a reliable sign of meningeal irritation, often accompanied by difficulty touching the chin to the chest.

A sudden onset of severe abdominal pain in a child, often accompanied by symptoms such as vomiting, fever, and changes in bowel habits. Common causes include appendicitis, gastroenteritis, constipation, and gastrointestinal obstruction.

A stiffening of the abdominal muscles that occurs involuntarily, often a sign of inflammation or irritation in the abdomen. Doctors may test for this by gently pressing on the abdomen and noticing any resistance.

Pain that intensifies when pressure is released from the abdomen, suggesting inflammation or irritation of the abdominal lining. It's elicited by pressing gently on the abdomen and then quickly releasing the pressure.

Pain in the right lower abdomen when pressure is applied to the left lower abdomen. This is a classic sign of appendicitis, indicating irritation of the appendix.

The onset of puberty at an unusually early age, often before the age of 8 in girls and 9 in boys. It's characterized by early development of secondary sex characteristics, such as breast development in girls and enlargement of the penis and testes in boys.

A condition where one or both testicles have not descended into the scrotum by the time of birth or shortly after. It requires surgical correction to prevent complications.

A fluid-filled sac in the scrotum, usually painless and often resolves on its own. It's commonly seen in babies and young boys.

A condition where a part of the intestine protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal wall into the groin. It can be repaired surgically.

Inflammation of the epididymis, a coiled tube located on the back of the testicle. It can cause swelling and pain in the scrotum.

The early onset of pubic hair development before the age of 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys. It's often associated with increased androgen levels and requires evaluation.

Creating a safe and private space for adolescents during medical examinations encourages open communication and trust, leading to more accurate information.

Adolescent behavior is primarily determined by their stage of development, not just their chronological age or physical appearance.

Adolescents should have a level of privacy and confidentiality in their healthcare, balancing their rights with parental involvement.

A tool used to assess adolescent health, covering areas like home environment, education, eating habits, activities, drugs, sexuality, suicide/depression, and safety.

An expanded version of HEADSS, including questions about eating and safety to provide a more comprehensive understanding of adolescent well-being.

Puberty begins at different ages, but the stages of development occur in the same sequence for all adolescents.

Adolescents transition from concrete to formal operational thinking, allowing them to think logically, abstractly, and consider future consequences.

This stage involves a struggle for identity, independence, and intimacy, leading to potential stress and high-risk behaviors.

LGBTQ adolescents appreciate the opportunity to discuss their gender and sexuality with healthcare providers, but often wait until a trusting bond is established.

The approach to interviewing and examining adolescents varies based on their physical, cognitive, and emotional development.

Only 35% of LGBTQ youth reported their clinician knew their sexual orientation. This highlights the need for healthcare providers to be inclusive and understanding of LGBTQ individuals.

Causes of high blood pressure in teens include primary hypertension (unknown cause), kidney problems, and drug use.

Acne is common during puberty, usually starting in mid to late puberty. It often clears up on its own but can be treated with medications.

Breast buds (small bumps under the nipple) are common in both girls and boys entering puberty. These are normal and benign.

It's common for teenage girls to have breasts of different sizes, particularly during stages 2-4 of puberty. This is generally harmless.

Many adolescent boys develop enlarged breasts (gynecomastia), often on both sides. While embarrassing, it usually resolves within a few years.

If a boy shows no signs of puberty by age 14, a delay is suspected. The main cause is usually constitutional delay, a family history of delayed growth.

Discharge from the penis in adolescents can indicate a sexually transmitted infection. It should always be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

If a girl has no breast development by age 12, delayed puberty is suspected. It's often caused by low gonadotropin levels from the pituitary gland.

Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine. While mild scoliosis is common in older children, it's unusual and abnormal in young children. It's important to identify and monitor for this condition.