Birth Through Childhood – Varsity Education

Birth Through Childhood

Childhood

Main Idea: Each child passes through four stages of development during infancy and childhood.

Our lives can be divided into eight developmental stages. The first four stages occur during infancy and childhood. Each of the eight stages is associated with certain developmental tasks, events that need to happen in order for a person to continue growing toward becoming a healthy, mature adult. The developmental tasks for each stage are summarized in Figure 17.13.

Infancy

Infancy is the time of fastest growth in a person’s life. It is a time of learning: how to eat solid food, how to sit up, how to crawl, and how to walk. Infants also learn to trust others during this time.

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Early Childhood

During early childhood, children begin to feel proud of their accomplishments and are eager to try new tasks and to learn new things. During this stage, children also begin to learn to play as part of a group. Parents are encouraged to allow their children to try new things and to test their abilities. This helps a child in the early childhood stage develop a sense of autonomy, the confidence that a person can control his or her own body, impulses, and environment.

Middle Childhood

During middle childhood, children learn to initiate play rather than following the lead of others. Children at this stage must be taught to recognize emotions and practice expressing them in appropriate ways.

Late Childhood

School becomes an important part of a child’s life during late childhood. Children learn to get along with their peers, learn about different roles in society, and develop a conscience at this stage.

Childhood Health Screenings

Main Idea: Many screening tests are performed in childhood to monitor the health and growth of a child.

Vision and hearing impairments are two problems that can affect a child’s ability to learn and develop. Health screenings and immunizations can identify and prevent many problems that can affect development.

Vision and Hearing

Nearly one in every four school-aged children in the United States has a vision problem. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that newborns receive a vision screening and that these screenings continue through childhood. Children may receive regular vision screenings at school. Oftentimes, school aged children do not receive a vision screening until age 18.

As well as vision problems, hearing impairment can also affect a childs ability to learn. Two or three in every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a hearing impairment severe enough to affect their language development. Some states require that infants are screened for hearing loss. Again, some school districts may provide children screenings to identify hearing impairments.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis, an abnormal lateral, or side-to-side, curvature of the spine, may begin in childhood and go unnoticed until a child is a teenager. The exact cause of scoliosis is unknown, but it is more common in girls. Many middle schools h~ve developed screening methods to check students for scoliosis.

Other Screenings

Children are tested for lead poisoning yearly until age four. Blood pressure screenings begin after age three. Children with a family history of cholesterol problems or anemia may also be screened for these conditions.