Tda21

TDA21 A life stage is defined period of growth and development. People experience physical, intellectual, emotional and social development in each life stage. Human growth and development occurs in the following six life stages: * Infancy (0-2 years) * Childhood (3-8 years) *Adolescence (9-18 years) * Early adulthood (19-45 years) * Middle adulthood (46-65 years) * Later adulthood (over 65 years) What is the difference between human growth and development' The term growth refers to an increase in size. Typically, a person will experience a gradual increase in their weight and height as they move from infancy through childhood and into adolescence and adulthood. Development is different to growth. Development happens when a person gains new skills, abilities and emotions. Growth and developmental norms are particular changes in person’s life that are expected to happen. Examples of Developmental changes: Age Developmental changes 3-4 months Infants starts on solid foods, develop better head control, can roll from side to side, reach for objects 6-9 months Teething begins, learns to sit unaided, lift their heads and look around, use thumb and index fingers to grasp objects 9-12 months Infants can crawl, chews food, use their hands to explore, can walk holding on to parent or furniture, may say a few words, know their name and start to understand their parents’ words 12-18 months Toddlers learn to feed themselves, walk unaided, can understand simple requests – “give it tome”- develops better memory and concentration 18-24 months Toddlers can run, turn pages of a book, use simple sentences, have temper outbursts and know their own name 10 years (girls) Puberty begins 12 years (boys) The way of explaining the complex process of human growth and development is to identify four types of growth and development. This is known as the PIES approach. PIES stands for physical, intellectual, emotional and social development. Physical growth and development Physical growth and development refer to the way in which a person’s body changes throughout their life. A person will experience most of their physical growth (in height and weight) during infancy, childhood and adolescence. Physical growth is a very rapid during infancy, slower but continuous during childhood and then very rapid during adolescence when a final growth spurt occurs. We experience a peek in our physical abilities during adulthood. The sequence of physical changes that happen in each life stage is known as maturation. This process is thought to be controlled by a biological ‘programme’ built into our genes. Intellectual development Intellectual development is concentrated with thinking, memory and language skills and occurs in every life stage. This is sometimes also referred to as “cognitive development”. Emotional development Emotional development is concerned with a person’s feelings. People experience emotional development in each life stage. Emotional development involves: * becoming aware of your “self” * developing feelings about your “self” * working out your feelings towards other people * developing a self-image and personal identity Social development Social development is concerned with the relationships we create with others, the social skills we develop and learning the culture (or way of life) of society. Parent and teachers have a key role in our early social development. This process of helping a person to develop socially is known as socialization – the acceptable ways of behaving; how to relate to others in everyday situations; the importance of making and keeping good relationships with others. Infancy (0-2 years) Infancy is the first human life stage that begins at birth and continues until about 2 years of age. A newborn will experience a huge amount of physical growth as well as physical, intellectual, emotional and social development during infancy. Physical growth and development Physical growth happens very quickly during infancy. A baby is born with a number of primitive reflexes but is largely helpless and dependent on others during the first year of life. Reflexes are automatic physical movements that a baby makes without intending to. During their first 18 months infants gradually develop gross motor skills. These are whole body movements, such as sitting up, crawling and walking that depend on being able to control the large muscles in their arms and legs. By the end of infancy, most children also have some fine motor skills. These are manipulative movements that we make with our fingers which rely on control over smaller muscles and fine movements. The physical changes that infants experience transform their appearance as well as their movement abilities. They also provide the foundation for other forms of intellectual, social and emotional development to occur. Intellectual development Intellectual development refers to the development of thinking and understanding. It involves changes in a person’s ability to make sense of situations, remember and recall things and use language. Intellectual development begins in the womb and never really ends until person dies. A great deal of basic intellectual development happens during infancy. The Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget identified a number of stages of intellectual development. He saw infancy as the period when children went through the sensorimotor stage. During this stage, infants learn about themselves and the world through their senses (touch, hearing, sight, smell and taste) and through physical activity (motor activity). They are investigating and trying to understand things by handling, listening, looking or putting objects into their mouths. One very important lesson that children learn during this stage is that objects and people I the world continue to exist even when they can’t be seen. For example, a child of 8 months or less won’t usually search for an object that has been hidden or which they drop out of sight, because to the child, it no longer seems to exist. A child will search for “hidden” objects in later infancy, because they develop what is known as object permanence. This means that objects do still exist even when they can’t see them. Language development Learning to speak is a key feature of intellectual development during infancy. A baby is, in fact, born with the ability to communicate in a range of ways, including through crying, babbling and using facial expressions. Infants acquire a better understanding of the world around them quite quickly as they begin to explore their surroundings and interact with their main carers. Stimulation, support and encouragement are all important features of this early learning. Emotional and social development Emotional and social development during infancy is extremely important. It is thought that a person’s earliest relationships set the pattern for other relationships that they will go on to develop in each life stage. Ideally children should develop feelings of trust and security during infancy. This happens when a child establishes an attachment relationship with their parents or main caregivers in the first year of life. The parental response to this emotional linking is known as bonding. Attachment and bonding are needed for a first relationship to occur. The quality of the relationship between a baby and parent is influenced by: • how sensitively the parent understands and responds to the baby’s needs • the personality of the parent or carer • the consistency of the care that the baby receives • the baby’s own temperament The relationships with brothers, sisters, other relatives or neighbors’ children are strongly influenced by the infant’s emerging communication skills. A child is increasingly able to look at the world from the point of view of other people, becoming less egocentric, as they progress through infancy. Early childhood (3-8 years) Compared to infancy, childhood is quite long life stage. Growth and development during childhood isn’t as rapid as in infancy. However, a person will change a great deal in all of the PIES areas during their childhood. Physical growth and development During childhood young children begin to gain greater control over their bodies and develop a range of complex physical skills. A child will improve their balance control and coordination. This will allow them to develop more complex physical skills, such as skipping, catching a ball and riding a bicycle. A child’s body changes noticeably in early childhood as they lose their baby shape and gradually develop the proportions of a small adult. Most children will experience a growth spurt in the middle part of childhood, though their rate of growth is slower in childhood than it was during infancy. Intellectual development According to Jean Piaget, the second stage of intellectual development occurs in early childhood between the ages of 2 and 7 years. This is known as the pre-operational stage. In this stage children become less reliant on physical learning (seeing, touching and holding things) because they develop the ability to think about objects and concepts that are not actually there in front of them. Children need to understand concepts like numbers, letters of the alphabet and colours, to be able to learn to read, write and tell the time. Intellectual development during childhood results in huge improvements in a child’s thinking and language abilities and in their communication skills. Children, in early childhood, ask lots of questions in an attempt to understand more about their environment and the society in which they live. Moral development An important change occurs in a child’s sense of values and in the way that they think about “right” and “wrong”, and “good” and “bad” during early childhood. This is because a child’s conscience is said to develop during this life stage. Emotional development During early childhood children begin to cope with their emotions and the feelings that others express towards them. Part of emotional development are controlling anger, jealousy and frustration and dealing with disapproval of their behavior. Most children gradually increase their self-confidence, make friendships and become a little more independent at primary school. However, some children also find their first days at school are emotionally difficult and distressing. Children are able to cooperate, appreciate the viewpoints and feelings of others in ways that infants cannot. Children play together and join in groups and team games. Friendships become very important during childhood. Social development Children need to make relationships with people outside of their own family during early childhood. They have to learn to co-operate, communicate and spend time with new people. Going to nursery and then primary school are two important ways in which children do this. Children’s play changes from the solo (0-1 years) and parallel play (2-3 years) of infancy to associative and cooperative play (3 years) during this life stage. Successful social relationships among children are helped by: • secure attachment in their early years • mixing with other children, especially where this involves activities that require co-operation • the personality of the child: friendly, supportive and optimistic children make friends more easily than children who are negative and aggressive. The role of the play is to extend social relationships, to help cooperation, to promote interaction, to encourage interest in others and to develop imagination. Adolescence (9-18 years) Adolescence can begin from the age of 9 and typically ends at about 18-19 years of age. The process of maturation that happens in this life stage is called puberty It is a process that results in a lot of physical growth and change as well as considerable intellectual, emotional and social development. Physical growth and change The growth spurt and physical changes that occur in puberty are caused by an increase in hormonal activity. Hormones are chemical secretions that pass directly into the blood from the endocrine glands. It influences our general growth rate, bone and muscle development and the functioning of our reproductive organs. During the puberty the testes in boys produce the hormone testosterone and the ovaries in girls produce estrogen and progesterone. These hormones control the development and function of the reproductive organs. During puberty boys and girls develop the secondary sexual characteristics that enable them to produce children and which give them their adult body shape. Intellectual development Abstract thinking skills is the key feature of intellectual during adolescence. Children do not have abstract thinking skills so they can’t plan ahead in the same way as adolescence. Piaget called this the formal operational stage of intellectual development. It enables the person to use logic to think through and solve the problems they face in everyday life. Abstract thinking is considered to be the final stage of thought development. However, a person’s intellectual development is not completed in adolescence, because we gain and use experience during early, middle and later adulthood to improve our thinking, understanding and decision-making. Emotional development Adolescence can be emotionally difficult but eventful time. The hormonal changes of puberty can cause mood swings and intense emotions that may at times be difficult for the adolescent, as well as their family and friends, to cope with. Developing a clear personal identity, making friendships and experiencing emotional support from peers and family members are all important concerns in this phase. Adolescents often experiment with intimate personal relationships with members of the opposite sex, and sometimes the same sex, as they explore their sexuality and the positive and negative emotions that result from close relationships. In this phase of emotional development, individuals tend to gain greater understanding of their own emotions as well as the thoughts, feelings and motives of others. Social development Adolescents strive to achieve a personal identity that is distinctive and separate from that of their parents. Peer groups and close friends become important influences and sources of advice and guidance in the quest for a new sense of “who” the adolescent is. Adolescent may also experiment with their clothes, appearance and behaviour to both try and find an identity for themselves and to fit in with others of the same age and background. Because of their need to fit in and achieve a sense of belonging to a peer group, some adolescents experiment with alcohol, drugs and sexual relationships. Moral development In contrast to childhood when we believe that good behaviour is what pleases the important individuals in our lives, we tend to be guided by the more abstract laws and rules of society during adolescence. Adolescents are more likely to be guided by a sense of duty to conform to the general rules of the social groups to which they belong rather than obeying the specific things that their parents tell them. Peers groups affect various aspects of development such as • Appearance • Attitudes • Values • Speech and language used • Identity • Behaviour • Relationships with others Types of transition All children experience changes in their lives. These changes are part of growing up and should be seen as natural patterns of transition, which are necessary for children to grow and develop. Where these are common and expected most children will cope well and, if there are any ill effects, they are only temporary. When children are well prepared, transition can be positive, particularly when children are moving on to the next stage of their life. Children may also experience personal transition, brought about because of their own serious health needs or family circumstances. These transitions do not follow a pattern and can happen at any age. These particular or personal transitions are more likely to be unexpected and may have a negative effect on children’s lives and wellbeing. Transitions may take place over a short or long period. Where there are changes such as moving class, schools or moving house these happen on a particular date. Other transitions may take place over a longer period, for example physical and emotional changes when a child develops their own identity as they progress from babyhood into the toddler phase or a young person as they reach adulthood. Common patterns of transition Each time children progress to the next stage of their life they need to adjust to their new experiences. As children progress in the school system, every year they will move to a new environment with a new teacher to get to know. They may have different ways of teaching, new routines and expectations of academic work and behaviour. The two main transitions that were identified are the move from the reception class to year 1 and the move from primary to secondary school. It was found that although most children settled well, this change may be difficult for some children. One reason suggested is that children’s learning and experiences change as they progress from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to the National Curriculum. Children following the National Curriculum are often taught more formally and take part in fewer creative and expressive activities. Children must make a significant adjustment as they make the transition from primary to secondary education. The most obvious is the school itself, but there are also differences in the curriculum and the way that subjects are taught. Some children may find that their close friends have transferred to a different school and so they must develop new friendships. Although transitions can be difficult, moving on can be a positive and exciting experience. Common transitions are also related to the natural patterns of growth and development that all children experience from birth until they reach adulthood. The human body goes through continuous change. Around the age of 6 months a baby’s first teeth will break through the gums and by the age of 6 years these milk teeth will become loose, begin to fall out and permanent teeth will appear. At some stages children experience significant changes in their growth and development. A baby between the ages of 1 and 2 years will start to walk and communicate with words. They will also start toilet training and be expected to feed themselves. The breast or bottle will be replaced with a feeding cup. This development will have an impact on their lives and routine as they become more independent and develop their own identity. Another significant change is the period between childhood and adulthood, known as adolescence or puberty. Young people will enter this stage at different ages but usually between the ages of 11–14 years for girls and 13–16 years for boys. Transition at this stage is sometimes referred to as maturation. As children reach adulthood they may find it difficult to adjust to the physical as well as emotional changes. Adults may have expectations of young people, ‘to be grown up’ and take on more responsibilities, at a time when they feel at their most vulnerable and need support. Particular or personal transitions Particular or personal transitions may happen at any time in a child’s life and do not follow a pattern. Personal transitions may be related to a geographical move, from a simple move such as into a new bedroom in their own house to moving to a different area. Children who move house may find the transition difficult as they may also move school and have to build new friendships. Children who move to the UK may face a longer period of transition, as they will need to come to terms with cultural and possibly language differences. Children with serious ill health or disability will face particular and personal transitions and are more likely to have difficulty during natural transition. A child with a disability, whose condition does not change significantly, may not experience personal change in their life. However, if the child’s mobility or health deteriorates, such as the need to use a wheelchair or if there is further loss of sight or hearing, then they will experience a particular transition as they adapt both physically and emotionally to their situation. Children with chronic or serious ill health may require medical interventions which require a long stay in hospital, so have periods in their life when they cannot attend school, or play or spend time with friends. Particular and personal transitions may include: House move – either locally or to a new area Move to a new country, including those seeking asylum Chronic or serious ill health Disability, physical or sensory Change of carer, for example when a parent or the permanent carer is unable to continue to care for a child. This may be a temporary or permanent arrangement Issues related to sexuality, for example first sexual experiences or coming to terms with own sexual orientation Entering or leaving residential or foster care The results of crime, including the outcome for young people who commit crime or the result of being a victim of crime. Family circumstances Personal or particular transitions happen because of changes in family circumstances. Different types of family structure and the factors, such as finance, cultural background and environment, may affect families. A child who lives with one parent may not be experiencing transition as their circumstances remain the same but a child whose parents break-up will be in transition, at that stage in their life, as they come to terms with their new situation. Financial Families with parents who are working and earning a good income will be able to afford a more comfortable lifestyle, such as a spacious house, a car and regular holidays. If parents are made redundant, or cannot work because of illness, then the lifestyle of the whole family, including that of the children, will change. Positive changes in a family’s finances could also affect a child if a parent, after months of being unemployed, retrains and is employed in a well-paid job. Environmental Any change to a child’s environment will also cause transition. A child who moves into a new area will leave behind friends and perhaps their extended family. Death of parent or close relative Following the death of a parent or someone very close to a child they will experience dramatic transition in their life. Serious illness or disability of a parent In some families when a parent has a chronic or serious illness the lifestyle of the family is likely to change. The child may also need to help with the care of a parent, leaving less time for their school work, friends and hobbies. Family break-up or divorce Family break-up or divorce can be a traumatic period in the life of many children. Both familiar routines and lifestyle will change. Children may be expected to become more independent when there is only one parent. Reconstituted families A child’s life may change when a parent meets a new partner. A reconstituted family is where two separate families move in together to form a new family. Transition occurs as the child adapts to their new family life. Birth of a sibling When a new baby arrives in the family, the older children experience change. Younger children often find changes in family life, because of the new arrival, particularly difficult to cope with.