Early Childhood Development PDF

September 14, 2024 Early Childhood Development AGENDA Psychosocial Development Overview Introduction to Early Childhood Erikson: Initiative vs. Guilt Physical Development Overview Self-Concept and Self-Esteem Brain Maturation...

September 14, 2024 Early Childhood Development AGENDA Psychosocial Development Overview Introduction to Early Childhood Erikson: Initiative vs. Guilt Physical Development Overview Self-Concept and Self-Esteem Brain Maturation Self-Control Motor Skill Development Gender Development Toilet Training and Sleep Parenting Styles Sexual Development in Early Childhood Nutritional Concerns Sibling Relationships Cognitive Development Overview Play and Its Types Piaget’s Preoperational Stage Children and the Media Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Child Care Information Processing Language Development Child Abuse Autism Spectrum Disorder Summary of Key Developments Introduction to Early Childhood Physical Growth Children between ages 2 and 6 grow about 3 inches and gain 4 to 5 pounds each year. Growth occurs in spurts rather than continuously, similar to infancy. By age 6, the average child weighs between 40 and 50 pounds and is about 44 to 47 inches tall. Cognitive and Socioemotional Development The early childhood period features rapid cognitive growth, particularly in language and reasoning skills. Children increasingly control their emotions and engage in various activities reflecting personal interests. Parents, teachers, and peers play significant roles in influencing a child's development during this stage. Physical Development Overview Children between the ages of two and six years tend to grow about 3 inches in height and gain about 4 to 5 pounds in weight each year. Growth occurs in spurts rather than continuously, similar to patterns observed in infancy. According to the CDC, the average 2-year-old weighs between 23 and 28 pounds and stands between 33 and 35 inches tall, while the average 6-year-old weighs between 40 and 50 pounds and is about 44 to 47 inches in height. Children at age 3 have a body shape similar to toddlers, but by age 6, their body proportions shift to resemble those of adults, with a lengthened torso and more Growth Patterns in Early balanced proportions. Childhood This growth rate is slower than that of infancy and is accompanied by a reduced appetite between ages 2 and 6, which may lead to poor eating habits if not managed properly. Brain Maturation The brain is about 75 percent its adult weight by three years of age. By age six, it is at 95 percent its adult weight. This significant growth is accompanied by continued myelination and the development of dendrites in the cortex, which enhances the child's capabilities. Greater development in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for thinking, strategizing, and controlling attention and emotion, allows children to inhibit emotional outbursts and understand how to engage in games. These developments improve children's abilities to think ahead and coordinate their movements effectively as they practice various tasks. Motor Skill Development Gross Motor Skills Fine Motor Skills Development Development Early childhood is when children acquire Fine motor skills are refined through basic locomotion skills such as running, activities like pouring water, drawing, and jumping, and skipping. using scissors. By age 2, children can kick a ball without At age 2, children can build a tower of 6 to losing balance and can look through a book 7 cubes and are able to turn a doorknob. turning one page at a time. By age 3, children can build a block tower At age 3, children can pedal a tricycle and of more than nine cubes and can copy a may walk up stairs with alternating feet. circle. By age 4, children show improved balance At age 4, children can cut out pictures and can throw a ball overhand with using scissors and can manage a spoon coordination. and fork neatly. By age 5, children demonstrate better By age 5, children show more skill with coordination and can skip, jump, and hop simple tools and writing utensils, able to with good balance. copy a triangle. Toilet Training and Sleep Toilet Training Process Indicators of Readiness Sleep Needs Toilet training typically occurs There is wide variation in during the first two years of Key questions to determine required sleep hours; two-year- early childhood (24-36 months). readiness include: Does your olds may need 15-16 hours, The average age for girls to be child seem interested in the while six-year-olds may only toilet trained is 29 months and potty chair? Can your child stay need 7-8 hours. Adequate sleep for boys it is 31 months. 98% of dry for periods of two hours or is crucial for physical and children are trained by 36 longer during the day? cognitive development. months. Sexual Development - Children exhibit natural curiosity about their bodies and gender differences. in Early - Historically, children were seen as innocent and not capable of sexual arousal, but physical aspects of sexual arousal are present from birth: Childhood - Infants may experience erections and vaginal lubrication before birth. - Self-stimulation is common among both boys and girls in early childhood. - Curiosity about bodies, including showing genitals and undressing, is typical behavior. - Boys often learn about masturbation from peers, while girls may discover it accidentally. - Parents should respond to children's curiosity with calm and appropriate guidance: - Teach about bodies and acceptable behaviors. - Help children understand what is appropriate in different contexts. This guidance fosters a healthy understanding of sexual development. Nutritional Concerns Nutritional Guidelines for Early Childhood Healthy Eating Patterns Children aged 2-3 require 1,000 to 1,400 Limit intake of sugary snacks and calories daily. beverages to prevent obesity. Children aged 4-8 need 1,200 to 2,000 Encourage family meals to promote calories per day. healthy eating habits. Balanced diets should include fruits, Introduce a variety of foods to develop vegetables, whole grains, and protein taste preferences. sources. Cognitive Development Overview Piaget’s Preoperational Stage The Preoperational Stage spans from ages 2 to 7 and is characterized by significant cognitive advancements through symbolic play. During this period, children engage in imaginative scenarios and utilize symbols to represent words and images. Notable characteristics of this stage include egocentrism, where children find it challenging to perceive viewpoints other than their own, and centration, where they focus on one aspect of a situation while neglecting others. Furthermore, children in this stage are unable to conduct mental operations and do not understand conservation, which means they struggle to recognize that quantities can remain unchanged despite alterations in shape or appearance. Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Emphasizes the role of social interactions in learning. Cognitive development is influenced by culture and language. Key concepts include Zone of Proximal Development and scaffolding. Children achieve higher cognitive levels through guidance from adults. Piaget’s Preoperational Stage Characteristics of Preoperational Symbolic Play Logical Reasoning Challenges Thought Piaget’s preoperational stage During this stage, children display Children in this stage lack the occurs from ages 2 to 7, where a preference for symbolic play, ability to understand adult logic or children use symbols to represent such as a toy representing a mentally manipulate information. words, images, and ideas. Children character or a stick becoming a Their logic is based on personal engage in pretend play, using sword. This play helps solidify new knowledge rather than objects to stand for different cognitive schemata. conventional understanding. things. Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) was a Russian psychologist who argued that culture has a major impact on a child’s cognitive development. Vygotsky acknowledged intrinsic development but emphasized that it is the language, writings, and concepts arising from the culture that elicit the highest level of cognitive thinking. He believed that social interactions with adults and more learned peers can facilitate a child’s potential for learning. Without this interpersonal instruction, he argued that children’s minds would not advance very far as their knowledge would be based only on their own discoveries. One of Vygotsky’s best-known concepts is the zone of proximal development (ZPD), which occurs when children can almost perform a task independently but need assistance to succeed. This teaching method identifies a child’s ZPD and helps them stretch beyond it, with a gradual withdrawal of support by the adult. Vygotsky also proposed private speech, where children talk to themselves to solve problems or clarify thoughts, eventually transitioning to internal speech as they grow. Information Processing Attention Skills Attention in early childhood includes divided, selective, and sustained attention. Children (ages 3-4) struggle with multitasking, performing similarly to chimpanzees. By age five, they improve but still lag behind older children. Selective Attention Selective attention improves with age but is influenced by temperament and task complexity. Children aged 4 to 7 struggle to filter background noise, often missing the teacher's voice in noisy environments. Memory Development Memory consists of sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. Young children's sensory memory lasts shorter than older children's, and their working memory typically holds a 4-digit number compared to a 7- digit number for adults. Neo-Piagetian Neo-Piagetians combine Piagetian concepts with information Contributions processing. They argue that working memory capacity affects children's complex thinking and reasoning skills, emphasizing biological maturation. Language Development Bilingualism The majority of children worldwide are bilingual, meaning they understand and use two languages. In the U.S., over 60 million people speak a language other than English at home. Preschool Language Skills Children's vocabulary expands significantly from about 200 words at age two to over 10,000 by age six. This 'vocabulary spurt' involves learning 10-20 new words weekly through fast-mapping. Language Development Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder may show communication and Autism deficits, from lack of speech to difficulty with nonverbal cues, impacting their social interactions. Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by significant disturbances in three main areas: (a) deficits in social interaction, (b) deficits in communication, and (c) repetitive patterns of behavior or interests. These symptoms appear early in life and cause serious impairments in functioning. Children with ASD may struggle with initiating conversations, avoiding eye contact, and preferring solitary play. Communication deficits can range from a complete lack of speech to difficulty maintaining conversations. Repetitive behaviors may manifest as stereotyped movements or intense focus on specific interests. The prevalence of ASD has risen dramatically, with estimates indicating that nearly 1 in 59 children in the United States are affected. This disorder can impact early childhood development significantly, influencing social skills, communication abilities, and overall functioning in various contexts. Psychosocial Development Overview Erikson’s Theory of Self-Concept in Early Psychosocial Development Childhood Erikson’s third stage focuses on initiative Self-concept forms as children describe vs. guilt, where children develop a sense themselves using physical descriptors and of initiative in their actions. preferences. Caregivers should encourage initiative by Young children typically have a positive praising children’s efforts and creativity. self-image due to a lack of social comparison. Children explore their environment and assert control through play and other By age 4, children can respond activities, enhancing their self-esteem. consistently to statements about themselves, reflecting their emerging self- awareness. Erikson: Initiative vs. Guilt Erikson’s third stage, initiative vs. guilt, occurs during early childhood, where children develop a sense of initiative through various activities. At this stage, children begin to assert themselves through play and exploration, wanting to take on tasks such as building forts or engaging in pretend play. Caregivers play a crucial role by reinforcing these initiatives with praise, which fosters a sense of competence and confidence. Conversely, if children are criticized or controlled, they may develop feelings of guilt over their needs and desires, which can hinder their initiative. This developmental stage is essential as it lays the groundwork for future self-esteem and the ability to take risks in learning and social interactions. Self- Concept Development of Self-Concept and Self- Esteem in Early Childhood and Self- Early childhood is a critical period for forming an initial sense of self, known as self-concept, which includes self- Esteem descriptions based on physical traits, preferences, and possessions. Self-esteem develops as young children begin to evaluate themselves and their abilities, often leading them to have a generally positive self-image due to a lack of social comparison. Research shows that preschoolers often describe themselves using physical descriptors, such as 'I am a girl with red hair who likes to play with legos.' This focus on external characteristics is referred to as the categorical self. Despite their generally positive self-image, preschool children with insecure attachments to caregivers tend to exhibit lower self-esteem. Maternal negative affect can also lead to more negative self-evaluations in children. Children's self-concept is also influenced by their ability to respond consistently to statements about themselves, indicating a developing self-awareness and understanding of their identity. Self-Control Self-control is not a single phenomenon but is multi-faceted. It includes response initiation, the ability to not initiate a behavior before you have evaluated all the information, response inhibition, the ability to stop a behavior that has already begun, and delayed gratification, the ability to hold out for a larger reward by forgoing a smaller immediate reward (Dougherty, Marsh, Mathias, & Swann, 2005). In early childhood, we see the start of self-control, a process that takes many years to fully develop. In the now classic “Marshmallow Test” (Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss, 1972), children are confronted with the choice of a small immediate reward (a marshmallow) and a larger delayed reward (more marshmallows). Walter Mischel and his colleagues found that the ability to delay gratification at the age of four predicted better academic performance and health later in life (Mischel, et al., 2011). Self-control is related to executive function, which gradually emerges during early childhood and continues to develop throughout childhood and adolescence. As executive function improves, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo4WF3cSd9Q children become less impulsive (Traverso, Viterbori, & Usai, 2015). Gender Development Theories of Gender Development Social learning theory posits that behavior is learned through observation and reinforcement. Gender schema theory suggests children actively acquire gender traits and roles based on societal expectations. Developmental intergroup theory emphasizes strong cultural gender stereotypes impact children's understanding of gender. Experiences of Transgender Children Approximately 0.3% of the U.S. population identifies as transgender, preferring the opposite sex's toys and clothing. Some transgender children may experience gender dysphoria, a mismatch between gender identity and biological sex. Research shows socially transitioned transgender children exhibit similar gender identities and preferences as their gender-matched peers. Parenting Styles Authoritative Parenting Authoritarian Parenting Characterized by high expectations and high This traditional model emphasizes obedience responsiveness. Authoritative parents and strict rules. Authoritarian parents often communicate well, are warm and supportive, and impose high maturity demands and may be encourage independence. This style promotes aloof. Children may fear rather than respect greater competence and self-confidence in their parents, leading to potential issues with children. authority. Permissive Parenting Uninvolved Parenting Permissive parents set low expectations and Uninvolved parents are disengaged and do not allow children to make their own rules. While set demands. Children raised in this warm and communicative, this lack of structure environment may face academic and social can lead to insecurity and struggles with self- difficulties due to a lack of guidance and discipline in children. support. Sibling Relationships Siblings spend a considerable amount of time with each other and offer a unique relationship that is not found with same-age peers or adults. They play an important role in the development of social skills. Cooperative and pretend play interactions between younger and older siblings can teach empathy, sharing, and cooperation, as well as negotiation and conflict resolution. However, the quality of sibling relationships is often mediated by the quality of the parent-child relationship and the psychological adjustment of the child. For instance, more negative interactions between siblings have been reported in families where parents had poor patterns of communication with their children. Children who have emotional and behavioral problems are also more likely to have negative interactions with their siblings. Thus, when examining the quality of sibling interactions, it is often difficult to tease out the separate effect of adjustment from the effect of the parent-child relationship. Play and Its Types Types of Play in Preschool Children Preschool children engage in various types of play, each contributing to their development. Functional play involves simple, repetitive actions, such as rolling a ball or stacking blocks. Constructive play includes building and creating with materials, fostering spatial awareness and problem-solving skills. Dramatic play allows children to act out roles and scenarios, enhancing social and emotional development. Games with rules introduce structure and cooperation, teaching children about teamwork and fairness. Importance of Play Play is essential in developing cognitive, social, and emotional skills. It fosters creativity, problem-solving abilities, and social competence. Engagement in play promotes language development and understanding of social norms. Play helps children learn to navigate relationships and understand others' perspectives. Children and the Media The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP, 2016) suggests that prior to the age of two, children should be engaged in hands-on exploration and social interaction with the real world, rather than the virtual one. The immaturity of the cognitive functions in infants and toddlers makes it difficult for them to learn from digital media as effectively as they can from caregivers. For instance, it is often not until 24 months of age that children can learn new words from live- video chatting (Kirkorian, Choi, & Pempek, 2016). Between the ages of 2 and 5, the AAP recommends that children should be limited to no more than one hour per day of high-quality programs that are co- viewed with a caregiver to help children understand what they are viewing. The AAP also strongly suggests that parents should avoid using mobile media to soothe their children. The concern is that using media as a strategy to distract or soothe the child may make it difficult for parents to limit the child’s use of the devices and may inhibit children’s ability to self-regulate their emotions. Child Care Quality child care plays a crucial role in the overall development of children. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (2006), the most comprehensive child care study indicated that "parents and family characteristics were stronger predictors of child development than child care facilities." Children cared for by their mothers showed no significant developmental differences compared to those in child care, but higher quality child care, characterized by adult-to-child ratios, group size, and caregivers' educational levels, resulted in better cognitive performance, language comprehension, and school readiness. The study also highlighted that lower quality care predicted more behavioral problems and poorer cognitive, language, and school readiness outcomes. Child Abuse The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2013) defines Child Abuse and Neglect as: Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or failure to act, which presents an imminent risk of serious harm. Victims of Child Abuse: According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (2019), during 2017, Child Protective Services (CPS) agencies received an estimated 4.1 million referrals for abuse involving approximately 7.5 million children. The majority of victims consisted of three ethnicities: White (44.6%), Hispanic (22.3%), and African-American (20.7%). The greatest percentages of children suffered from neglect (74.9%) and physical abuse (18.3%). In 2017, an estimated 1,720 children died from abuse and neglect, and 71.8% of all child fatalities were younger than 3 years old. The toxic stress that young children endure can have a significant impact on their later lives. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are linked to risky behaviors, chronic health conditions, low life potential, and early death. The more ACEs a child experiences, the greater the risk for these adverse outcomes in adulthood. Supporting families and providing children with responsive adults can help prevent the negative effects of ACEs, emphasizing the importance of addressing child abuse and its long- term consequences. Summary of Key Developments Physical Developments Cognitive Developments Psychosocial Developments The preoperational period, as Children between the ages of Erikson’s third stage of defined by Piaget, is two and six years tend to grow development, initiative vs. guilt, characterized by two substages: about 3 inches in height and emphasizes the importance of the symbolic function substage gain about 4 to 5 pounds in taking initiative. Children begin (2-4 years) and the intuitive weight each year. The brain is to form a self-concept based on thought substage (4-7 years), about 75% its adult weight by external qualities and engage in where children begin to think three years of age and reaches play that reflects their intuitively and ask many 95% by age six. understanding of gender roles. questions about the world. Thank you.