Developmental Psychology Week 3 Lecture: Toddlerhood PDF

**Developmental Psychology -- Week 3 Lecture: Toddlerhood** **Body Structures and Functions** - Focus on toddler development from the "body functions and body structures" section of the ICF framework. - Physical and physiological development factors of individuals. **Developmental milest...

**Developmental Psychology -- Week 3 Lecture: Toddlerhood** **Body Structures and Functions** - Focus on toddler development from the "body functions and body structures" section of the ICF framework. - Physical and physiological development factors of individuals. **Developmental milestones acquired between ages two to four:** - Basic skills needed to function within social and cultural environments. **Neurodevelopment** Importance of neural development in early childhood: - Brain architecture consists of billions of connections between neurons. - Early years are critical for establishing neural connections. Role of genes and experiences: - Genes provide a blueprint; experiences reinforce brain circuits. - Serve and return interactions between children and caregivers are essential for optimal brain architecture. Consequences of lack of responsive caregiving: - Learning and behavior disparities. - Integration of cognitive, emotional, and social capacities throughout life. **Physical Development** Critical period for gross motor development: - Foundation for advanced motor behavior through infant reflexes and rudimentary motor skills. Definition of gross motor skills: - Building blocks of movement (locomotor, object manipulation, stability). - Examples: Jumping, running, kicking. - Exploration of sensori-motor skills through active play: - Children unable to engage in activity may be slower to gain skills. **Sensory Development** Importance of sensory development in toddlerhood: - Acquisition of information about the world through senses. Developmental integration of sensory input: - Influences social development, parent-child attachment, and early self-regulation. Early intervention focus: - Sensory processing difficulties impact social, cognitive, and motor development. - Framework for understanding children\'s behavior: - Reducing mislabeling sensory-processing behaviors as social behaviors. **Cognitive Development** Critical nature of cognitive development during toddlerhood: - Rapid growth of the brain and central nervous system. - Familiarize with cognitive developmental milestones from the Cronin and Mandich text. - Importance of understanding cognitive skills for engaging children in appropriate play: - Review developmental theorists (e.g., Vygotsky, Piaget) and their concepts. **Pro-social Development** Definition of pro-social behaviors: - Ability to benefit, help, or care for another person. Emergence of pro-social behaviors in toddlerhood: - Instrumental behaviors based on direct requests. - Development of empathy and sympathy over time. Evolutionary perspective: - Pro-social behaviors improve group survival rates. Influences on pro-social behaviors: - Family context (modeling, encouragement) and child\'s temperament (assertiveness, emotional regulation). - Connection to the ICF framework: - Includes mental functions, environmental context, and personal factors. **Language Development** Importance of language development: - Central to all developmental tasks in preschool years. - Delays in language can impact engagement in learning and activities. Typical milestones for language development: - First word around one year. - Average of 10 words per month until reaching around 50 words. - Word spurt: Increase of over 30 words per month. - Combining words in multi-word speech around two years. - Formation of longer utterances and inclusion of function words, auxiliary verbs, and pronouns. - Red flags for language development awareness. **Toddler Activities and Occupations** **Self-Care Skills** Exploration of independence in self-care skills: - Main areas: Sleeping, eating, drinking, tooth brushing, hand washing, nose blowing, dressing, bathing. - Parental challenges: Children want to do things independently but may be inefficient. Importance of assessing self-care performance quality: - Understanding physical, cognitive, and sensory processing development impacts engagement in self-care occupations. **Forms of Play** Definition of true play: - Intrinsically motivated, culturally and personally meaningful, pleasurable. Importance of play in child development: - Mastering practical and social skills. - Developing self-efficacy. - Different forms of play: **Attunement Play**: Social exchange, e.g., \"peek-a-boo\". **Physical Body Play:** Active and fine motor activities, e.g., playground equipment. **Object Play:** Exploration of concrete objects, sorting, and classifying. **Pretend Play:** Emerges in toddlerhood, develops into symbolic play. **Games with Rules:** Emerges in preschool, involved in sports and organized activities. **Classification of Play** - Focus on how children participate in play. **Types of play:** **Solitary Play:** Independent play. **Onlooker Play:** Social interaction without joining in. **Parallel Play:** Playing separately but close, mimicking actions. **Associative Play:** Playing with others in related activities. **Cooperative Play:** Combined planning and organization in play activities. **Further Exploration of Play** - Suggestion to watch videos on stages of play for practical understanding. **Environmental Factors** - Environmental factors influencing toddler development. **Social Determinants and the First 1000 Days** - Importance of parental support during the first 1000 days of life. - Impact of stress, health problems, and financial difficulties on parenting. - Support for parents to navigate challenges is crucial for children\'s health and wellbeing. **First 1000 Days Project** - Recognition of the role of social determinants of health in childhood development. - Importance of supportive environments for child thriving. - Collaborative efforts to provide resources for parents navigating early childhood challenges. **Summary Keywords** - Children - Development - Toddler - Play - Pro-social behaviors - Sensory processing - Encourage - Form - Utterances - Emerge - Cognitive - Occurs - Activity - Skills - Connections