331-Stls3

1.2)Explain the difference between the sequence of development and rate of development and why the difference is important. The Sequential development is the sequence of development. This means that you must finish with one area of development before you move onto the next one. The cephalocaudle principle believes that development moves from the head downwards. This is to do with small children and understands that infants get full control of their heads, then arms then finally feet, from the top down. This is also seen later on and the understanding is that the spinal cord needs to develop properly before other areas such as the hands and feet and then fingers and toes develop. This is sequential and you cannot skip sequences or you will not be fully developed. The rate of development is the pace that a child develops at; this can be the pace within each sequence or the pace overall and goes to cover all the set areas or periods in between or altogether in the sequences. These principals run through all areas of development from mental to physical to emotional, no matter what the age of the child. If one is skipped or is slow it can be a cause for concern and may lead to a child being given a special recommendation or having a special need in or outside school. Growth and development are a continuous process and are different for all individuals. The rates all move from the general to the specific, for example from moving a hand in any direction to grasping a pencil or catching a ball. So the variation is to do with the building blocks of development, which is sequential development versus the rate or the speed of development which is the rate of development. Both are obviously interlinked. It is important to recognize the difference between the sequence and rate of a child’s development so children/young people are identified who need help or are at risk. Children develop at different rates, information and sources we receive are only guidelines. These help us to monitor what children can and can't do at certain stages in their lives. It will also help us to plan effectively to ensure they get the attention they need, in the areas in which they find challenging. Physical development follows a definite sequence an example of this would be that a baby would have to first learn how to hold his/her own head up before they would be able to sit with just its lower back supported. While the sequences are common amongst most children what often changes is the rate in which they develop the skills. It is important to monitor a child's sequence and rate of development in order for us to determine the kind of help he/she will need and of whom they will need to be referred too.