Child Development Overview: Theories, Milestones, and Atypical Development

**[January 13^th^, 2025]** ====================================== **Week 2 -- Child Development: Overview** ========================================= [Defining Child Development:] ----------------------------------------- - Changes children experience across multiple domains as they grow - D...

**[January 13^th^, 2025]** ====================================== **Week 2 -- Child Development: Overview** ========================================= [Defining Child Development:] ----------------------------------------- - Changes children experience across multiple domains as they grow - Developmental domains are functionally relevant - Development has a typical trajectory (expected and present among most children and adolescents) - Atypical development can result in challenges in daily functioning and learning **[Developmental Theories:]** **[Developmental Milestones:]** - A developmental milestone is a behavior, ability, or skill that emerges at a particular age in most children and that can easily be observed and described - Milestones are characterized as belonging to specific functional domains that can be divided and described in different ways for different purposes ***Commonly described domains include:*** - Gross motor - Fine motor - Language and communication - Cognition and problem solving - Play - Social - Some milestones are more precisely defined than others - Milestones are essential to the processes of developmental assessment, but must be employed and interpreted cautiously by trained and experienced professionals **[Milestones:]**  **[Development & Adaption:]** **[Atypical Adaption]** **[Determining Atypical Development]** - Atypical development is a departure from expected development - Delays: Development that has not occurred in the expected timeframe or is "late" -- may be global (across multiple domains) or specific to one domain - Example: 3 year old who displays very few vocalizations or words - Deviance/Divergence: Development that is qualitatively different than seen in most children rather than delayed - Example: Child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder who displays stereotypical behavior (e.g., hand flapping) Developmental delays or divergence can be detected through the use of developmental screening: - Use of specific, standardized screening tools - Recommended at 9, 18, and 24 or 30 months for all children - Designed to identify children at risk for ongoing developmental problems - Response to screening: Further assessment (developmental diagnosis and early intervention to promote developmental progress) **[8 Things to Remember about Child Development]** - Adverse impacts of family and environmental stress on infants and children - Development is a combination of genes and environment interacting - Children benefit from strong positive relationships with responsive caregivers both within and outside family unit - Development does not end after a child's first birthday - Seriousness of childhood neglect as a threat to development - Children exposed to adversity or violence do not invariably development maladaptive behavior, mental health problems, or become violent adults - Removing a child from a dangerous environment does not reverse the negative impact of that environment - ***Resilience*** requires relationships **[Resilience in Children]** - Relationship with supportive adult - Common factors predispose children to positive outcomes - Learning to cope with stress and adversity - Never too late to foster resilience -