Child Development 0 to 16 years

    Babies and children develop at different rates, also consideration needs to taken into account any special needs or health problems of individuals any environmental issues such as housing a child living on the top of a high raised lift served block of flats is not going to get the same amount of physical exercise as a child who has a huge back garden, Having said this Parenting is a huge factor, a parent could encourage daily fresh air and exercise. Poor parenting could also affect a Childs development , for example if a child is not spoken to there speech can not be developed , If a child is not given the right foods and vitamins there physical development could be affected in growth and physical development.

Children learn through play and children of all ages need to Play and socialise to  learn , grow and develop onto there next stage areas of learning , Each area of learning is connected with holistic development so a child is seen as a whole and is  acquiring  new Life skills and development . Children usually develop in the same sequel but will develop at different rates, but a typical child could develop at the following rates.

 At birth. Newborn babies are born already using their 5 senses but as they grow and learn these senses will grow stronger, they enjoy looking at faces and can focus up to 1 metre away. They are born with many reflexes such as swallowing, suckling, rooting, grasp reflex, startle, walking and standing. Newborn babies are very curled up. They are unable to be toileted so wear a nappy which will need changing often. Newborn babies need lots of sleep. They feed from there mother breast milk or have formula milk made up in bottles.

Physical Development

Gross motor skills. When placed on there back or front a newborn baby turns its head to 1 side, when placed on there front the bottom raises and there knees tuck up under the abdomen.

Fine motor skills. Newborn babies normally hold there hands tightly closed, with there thumbs tucked under there fingers.

Intellectual and sensory development.

Babies are born using there senses, they will turn there heads towards light and enjoy shinny and high contrast patterns or objects. If a baby is held upright they will open there eyes, they will blink and use there startle reflex at sudden load noises or movements. They can recognise there mothers voice but cannot hear very soft sounds yet.

Communication, language and literacy.

A newborn babies communication is by crying, a baby will cry in one pitch at this stage for anything it may need, nappy change, feed, pain etc. A newborn baby can make eye contact.

Emotional, social and Behavioural.

A newborn baby uses total body movements to express pleasure, likes being fed and cuddled , likes skin to skin contact and enjoys being with there parents.

Newborn babies need around the clock care, feeding on demand, frequent nappy changes, and social time with others. Lot’s of physical holding and eye contact. Most enjoy bathing and massage, they like softly spoken words of love and lot’s of smiles from there carer, singing soft songs. Babies should be spoken to face to face and should be allowed to have playtime and exercise by allowing them to kick and stretch on a floor in a safe environment. They enjoy a mobile held above there cots, and bright shining or contrast patterns around for them to look at.

1- 6 month old

Physical development.  Babies of a month old seem to be less curled up and spend more time awake during the day and could be sleeping through the night. At 5 months old a baby will start on there first solid foods, baby receives first baby rice and then slowly progressing onto puréed fruit and vegetables. Mother or formula milk is still a very important part of their diet.

Gross motor skills Babies body has stretched out more, they can turn from there sides onto there backs, they can hold there heads for a short period of time and make jerky uncontrolled movements with there arms and legs. They are beginning to grasp there foot and put into there mouths and can now open there hands.

Fine motor skills. Baby can now open there hand to grasp an adult finger; they are starting to show facial expressions.

Intellectual and sensory development. Babies of a month old can focus there gaze at approximately 9 inches, they can turn there heads toward light, they may turn there head towards a sound source but are unable to locate the sound yet. They are now able to track an object in there line of vision.

Communication, language and literacy.  By one month old baby recognises there primary carers and responds by excited movements, they smile and enjoy repeatable movements, and they make non crying noises such as cooing and gurgling. They cry now in a more expressive way. They interact more while being held face to face by looking , listening , facial expressions and body language is starting to appear by them excitedly moving there arms and legs

Emotional, social and Behavioural. Babies are now smiling in response to an adult, they gaze at adults faces while being fed. They are beginning to show there temperament. They turn towards a nearby speaker direction, Baby is now showing more interest in there toys following the mobile around with there eyes, enjoys rattles that can be strapped with Velcro to there wrists and ankles for sound when they move them. . Babies think that everyone has the same feelings and desires that they have at that time.

6-9 Months

Physical development. Baby is growing and settling into there routine with much more ease, they still need there carer to provide all aspects of personal care.

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Gross motor skills. A baby now placed onto there backs now can roll onto there stomach and lift there heads and chest by supporting themselves on there arms and hands. When held sitting or standing they can use there shoulders to pull themselves up and do so with a straight back, can bear almost all of there own weight. They are

Now able to sit up in a highchair, they have more control over there arms and can indicate to be picked up. They have more control over there bodies and can reach out for objects, when held in ...

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