Child Development Assessment Essay

The needs of the pediatric patient differ depending on age, as do the stages of development and the expected assessment findings for each stage. In a 500-750-word paper, examine the needs of a school-aged child between the ages of 5 and 12 years old and discuss the following:

Compare the physical assessments among school-aged children. Describe how you would modify assessment techniques to match the age and developmental stage of the child.
Choose a child between the ages of 5 and 12 years old. Identify the age of the child and describe the typical developmental stages of children that age.
Applying developmental theory based on Erickson, Piaget, or Kohlberg, explain how you would developmentally assess the child. Include how you would offer explanations during the assessment, strategies you would use to gain cooperation, and potential findings from the assessment

Child development assessment is the process of obtaining basic data about a child’s growth and development. Developmental milestones are the expected physical, emotional, and mental abilities at a certain age. These milestones are dependent on childhood illnesses, mode of delivery, and gestational age. Developmental milestones are determined by 5 spectrums; fine motor, gross motor, language, cognitive, social-emotional, and behavior. Child Development Assessment Essay. Fine motor development skill is the ability to coordinate the small muscles in movement (Fernald, et al, 2017). Gross motor development skills are the fine skills acquired during development as a part of motor learning, for example jumping. A developmental milestone is used to track the continuous predictability sequential biological, and emotional changes that occur between birth and adolescence. This assessment helps to identify and record the growth as well as noting children with special needs and require extra attention.

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Comparison Of An Assessment In School Going Children

Child development assessment is dynamic and it varies with the age of the patient. Hence, information is obtained differently at each age (Fernald, et al, 2017). Techniques used in data collection; history taking, observation, parent or care provider rating, standardized tests, and interaction with the child. For example, assessing developmental milestones of a six years old child will need the help of the parent or the caregiver or modified techniques such as reading the questions for the child and writing answers for them to copy. Child Development Assessment Essay. Assessing a 12-years old child is through direct observation, asking them questions directly, or giving them a test to do on their own with minimum supervision. These assessment methods are modified according to the child. In school-going children, it is easy to determine their development based on their performance in class, interaction with other students, and physical activities.

Assessment Of A School-Aged Child

Elley is an 11years old pupil. She was born at term with 3410g via cesarean section. She was taken to the newborn unit due to macrosomia and discharged two days later. She was exclusively breastfed for 6 months and weaned at the 7^th month gradually with soft feeds. At the age of 5 months, Elley could sit without support and at 12 months she could walk without support. According to her mother, she was very healthy and did not visit the hospital due to illness. At the age of 16 months, she could say a complete simple sentence. She is active and jovial at home and relates very well with her elder and younger siblings. She joined the school at the age of 5 years.  Her performance in class and extra-curricular activities is brilliant. She is a very obedient, best-performing student, and her teachers love her.

Eric Erickson Developmental Theory

Human development is classified into 8 stages. According to Erick Ericson, Elley fits in the 4^th stage known as industry versus inferiority (Orenstein, & Lewis, 2020). The virtue at this stage is competence in the child’s ability to read, write, and do sums. At this age, it is expected that elley should be able to calculate simple sums independently, read and write without guidance. Her peer friends are vital at this age because, through them, the child can build or break their self-esteem. The assessor can learn the child’s behavior best when she is with her friends. Eric Ericson’s theories can help the clinician assess what is expected of a child at a certain age.

References

Fernald, Prado, Kariger, & Raikes,  (2017). A toolkit for measuring early childhood development in low and middle-income countries.

Orenstein, & Lewis, (2020). Eriksons Stages of Psychosocial Development. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. Child Development Assessment Essay.