Assignment: Childhood Development & Health Questions

Assignment: Childhood Development & Health Questions ORDER NOW FOR CUSTOMIZED AND ORIGINAL ESSAY PAPERS ON Assignment: Childhood Development & Health Questions Review the prompt: Only answer questions 2-4. Attached are the articles needed to answer the questions. Assignment: Childhood Development & Health Questions 1. What is your name? What is your major (if you are a student-at-large, tell us what you are working towards)? And when you were an emerging adolescent, ages 10-14, where were you living? 2. Download this document, Ages & Stages of the School-Age Child . Read pages 10-14. In reading about the developmental characteristics (including physical, social and emotional, intellectual/cognitive), what and behavior traits of 10-14-year-olds, what comes to mind about your own emerging adolescence? Share a memory from your own experiences. It can happy, awkward, sad, silly….it’s up to you! 3. Download this document, The Teen Years Explained: A Guide to Healthy Adolescent Development, Chapter 7 Profiles of Development. Select one of the profiles on 79-85 and respond to the two prompts below. 3a. How does the description of your selected adolescent relate to the physical, cognitive, social, and/or emotional characteristics and traits for 10-14-year-olds described in the Ages and Stages of the School-Aged Child document? 3b. In the Ages and Stages of the School-Aged Child document, read the “8 Developmental Needs of Young Adolescents” (p. 14) and “Other Needs & Likes of Early Adolescents”(p. 14-15) As an educator or mentor, which concepts would you apply to the adolescent in your selected profile and why? 4. Listen (or download the transcript) to this podcast, Teenagers are ‘Crazy’ But Expert Says Behavior is Vital to Development . Then respond to the two prompts below. 4a. What does the title mean? Explain. 4b. How does what the expert, Dr. Siegel, says relate to your own experiences (observed or personal)? 5. After you have posted, introduce (or re-introduce) yourself to at least 2 classmates! Comment on a shared experience or ask a question about an un -shared experience. attachment_1 attachment_2 Profiles of Development Chapter 7 Out of sync is completely normal A dolescent growth and development do not move along on a seamless, never-wavering path. Cognitive development can spurt ahead of physical changes, and viceversa. Similarly, cognitive and physical development may be in sync, but social development might be delayed. The following profiles show how teenagers’ unique patterns of physical growth and cognitive development can have emotional and social significance. You will no doubt recognize some of these young people; you might have fit one of these descriptions yourself when you were an adolescent. Having teenagers read the profiles may help them see that their nonlinear development is completely normal and to be expected. They may even gain some insights on how to handle certain situations. How to handle the unique patterns of teen growth Physical, cognitive, and social development typically are not in sync all the way through adolescence. Early and late bloomers in the physical sense are acutely aware of being out of sync with their peers, and reassurance that they will catch up—or that other teens will catch up with them—can be extremely helpful. Also helpful is playing the “mean mom” or “mean dad” role and limiting their exposure to situations they are not ready to handle. When delays are cognitive or social, it is easier to blame the ado- lescent and expect him or her to fix it—whether that means improving in social graces, being more organized and on time, or being more thoughtful about others’ feelings. It is important for adults to follow the same strategies they use for physical development that is out of sync: reassure both themselves and their teen that it is normal, and put in place strategies to help social and cognitive skills develop. These strategies include allowing an extra 15 minutes in the morning to get organized, spending extra time practicing “what if ” scenarios, and putting in place systems of accountability. Of course, if any delays seem extreme, professional help should be sought. chapter 7 profiles of development 79 SARA Ever since she can remember, people have been telling Sara she could be a movie star. She is extremely pretty, exuding innocence and simplicity. At the age of 11 she began her menstrual periods, and by her 13th birthday she had the fully developed breasts and rounded hips of a much older teenager. Sara was at first delighted by all the attention, since seemingly overnight she had become the envy of many girls her age, not to mention popular with older boys, who previously thought of her as just a kid. She begged her mother to let her date high school boys, but then became petrified and overwhelmed when they tried to kiss her and touch her body. If the attention from the guys at school wasn’t confusing enough, older men—guys practically as old as her uncles, eeeuuuu!—are always making remarks about her looks, as if all of a sudden she had become public property. She has become so embarrassed about her body that she has stopped hanging out with her girlfriends, preferring to hide out in her room. When Sara goes out in public, she wears baggy sweatshirts and jeans and hunches her shoulders in an effort to hide her shape. Assignment: Childhood Development & Health Questions She never makes eye contact—“ What’s the point,” she thinks, “No one looks at me above chest-level, anyway.” Sara and Michael illustrate some of the challenges of early bloomers. They are physically quite mature, to the point where people are not recognizing them for who they are—still children. Even though they have the bodies of adults, they are nowhere near emotionally ready to be sexually active. Michael’s physical maturity has resulted in his hanging out with an older age group, which has led to experimenting with sex, drugs, and alcohol and other risk-taking behaviors he is not emotionally prepared to handle. Sara has responded to her early physical development by withdrawing socially. Her mother, or a caring adult, could assist Sara by not allowing her to 80 the teen years explained MICHAEL More than six feet tall, handsome, and with six-pack abs, 15year-old Michael looks like the next teen idol. He excels at athletics and everybody wants him on their team. He is popular and well-liked, which makes his parents happy. Playing sports means hanging out with juniors and seniors, who invite him to parties where there is drinking and where sometimes drugs are passed around. Older girls—jeez, some of them you could call women!—pay attention to him too, and seem much more interested in his body than in anything he has to say. But inside, Michael feels anything but mature and confident. Even though it is exciting to be included in these parties, he doesn’t feel ready to experiment with drugs and alcohol. Yet, he can’t figure out how to stand up for himself and say, “No thanks.” Sex is the same way—Michael is flattered being hit on by older girls, which is every guy’s dream, right? Yet, he also feels weirded out by the pressure to be sexual, and worried the girls will laugh at his reluctance. Michael doesn’t know how to put his feelings into words, so he usually goes along with it but feels confused afterward. Sometimes, Michael wishes people could see the kid he is inside, rather than just the man standing before them. date older boys, even though this might make Sara unhappy in the moment. Similarly, Michael’s parents could take some of the pressure off their son by not allowing him to attend lots of parties with older team members and their friends. They can also discuss ways in which Michael can say no and gracefully sidestep uncomfortable or dangerous situations. Sara and Michael could also benefit by being encouraged to be friends with more boys and girls their own age, and to get involved in activities that do not put undue emphasis on physical appearance. chapter 7 profiles of development 81 TOMAS Tomas was the undisputed king of middle school—smart, outgoing, the kind of guy both girls and boys felt comfortable around. Everything changed in high school. Most of the other guys his age seem stronger, more muscular, and more attractive— they are 16 going on manly. Big and athletic, they knock him over during football practice and run right by him on the basketball court as if he were invisible. He still has some buddies from middle school, but even they cannot help with the feelings of physical inadequacy he experiences on and off the field. While Tomas continues to get good grades, he sometimes feels reluctant to raise his hand or participate much in class because he doesn’t want to draw attention to his small stature. After practice and in class, the other boys talk easily to the girls, but Tomas doesn’t feel like he has a chance. Assignment: Childhood Development & Health Questions The girls seem intimidating, too—tall and as confident as supermodels. When he looks in the mirror, a little boy stares back at him. Physically, Tomas and Leslie are late bloomers. Even though it is difficult not to be as tall and muscular as the other boys, Tomas is clearly on track in other areas and is emotionally ready for more mature relationships. He may be socially reticent at times, but he has the ability to be liked by his peers. Adults can support him by affirming that his physical development is normal and that he will catch up soon enough. Also, cheering on his efforts to shine academically will help to sustain his optimism. 82 the teen years explained LESLIE At 15, Leslie is small and wiry, with a boyish frame and a childlike face. Looking at Leslie, people might mistake her for a 12-year-old, but then she opens her mouth and all bets are off. Leslie is bright and studious, a complex thinker who tosses around ideas and concepts as if they are hacky sacks. Leslie doesn’t think about her body size much, preferring the life of the mind. She has expanded her world view beyond the bathroom mirror and is involved in a variety of causes near and dear to her heart, like the environment and animal rescue. In middle school, Leslie was intimidated by being short and petite and hid her light under a bushel. But in high school her perspective shifts and centers on learning and getting into a good college so she can pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian. Leslie is a good example of someone who is extremely mature in the academic and emotional realms. Her future-thinking and planning skills are perhaps better developed than many of her peers’. Cognitively, she is way ahead, but physically Leslie is behind. Unlike Tomas, Leslie is not letting her physical stature affect her feelings of self-esteem and has expanded her circle to reflect her burgeoning interests and goals. Parents and other adults can keep Leslie engaged by supporting her love of learning and her work with various causes, and also by making sure her social development moves apace so she does not become someone who is “all work and no play.” chapter 7 profiles of development 83 maria Outgoing and verbally expressive, 17-year-old Maria is at home with all kinds of people. Her social skills are unbeatable, and she has a knack for seeming to hang on every word someone says. People gravitate toward Maria because of her natural warmth and gift of gab. Her parents are proud of her popularity and her social ease, which they believe will open many doors for her in college and future life—so they don’t push her so much to get better grades. And, truth be told, she can usually talk her way out of most situations, especially with teachers and authority figures. For all her verbal dexterity, though, Maria can also be scattered organizationally and can rarely see anything to completion. She has problems thinking through all the steps in making a plan and gets distracted easily. She makes decisions impulsively, without thinking about their implications. Maria is socially high-functioning, someone who is way ahead in social and interactive skills. She is also endowed with a strong sense of who she is and how she can make her personal strengths work for her. However, her glibness can mask the fact that her complex thinking skills and logic may not be developing at the same pace. Teachers and other adults need to be aware of young people like Maria—those who can talk rings around most people, but whose cognitive functions might be immature.Assignment: Childhood Development & Health Questions Maria’s decision-making and planning skills can be helped along by giving her projects with written or visual content that promote accountability. 84 the teen years explained TYLER Tall and with a lifeguard’s build, 16-year-old Tyler excels at sports and in the classroom. He likes to exercise his brain and especially enjoys memorizing and dealing with facts. Absolutes make the most sense to him, as Tyler prefers the neatness of black-and-white thinking. What makes Tyler a little uncomfortable is hypothetical situations and “what ifs”—if you can’t see it or prove it, in Tyler’s mind, then it doesn’t exist. This kind of thinking serves him well in sports and doing what the coach says, but he has more trouble when asked to anticipate what the other team members are going to do. Sometimes, with his friends, it is the same way—he thinks things out to a rational conclusion but has difficulty when things stray from what should logically be happening. He also has trouble putting himself in other people’s shoes and empathizing with their situations. Tyler is physically and academically developed, but cognitively he has not moved beyond the level of a concrete thinker, which usually begins around 7 and ends at age 12. Concrete thinkers think logically and are well-organized, but cannot juggle abstract concepts or multilevel thinking. His cognitive development has slowed his social development as well, since he does not think beyond his self-orientation (his values, passions, and needs) to take other people’s thoughts and feelings into consideration. Involvement in service learning—which often includes activities that help teens reflect on their service—could help Tyler develop empathy. Adults can also help build Tyler’s capacity to recognize and empathize with the perspectives of others by using such “feelings” statements as, “Your friend seems really (worried, upset, discouraged).” chapter 7 profiles of development 85 86 the teen years explained Developmental Characteristics of 5 – 7 year olds. Physical Development ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Annual growth of 2-3 inches in height, 3-6 pounds in weight. Growth is rapid but becoming slow and steady. They are losing teeth. Most seven year olds have their 6 year molars. They show development of permanent teeth. They are developing good use of large muscles. They are beginning to develop good use of smaller muscles. They enjoy testing muscle strength and skills. They are developing hand-eye coordination, not be ready for some close work without eye strain. They are skilled at using scissors and small tools. They have good sense of balance. They can learn to tie shoelaces. They enjoy copying designs, shapes, letters and numbers. They may have gawky awkward appearance from long arms and legs. They have a short attention span, only about 20 minutes. Cognitive Development ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? They may reverse printed letters (b/d). They enjoy planning and building. They double their speaking and listening vocabularies. They may show a stronger interest in reading Their problem-solving abilities are increasing. They have longer attention span than preschoolers. They enjoy creating elaborate collections. They show ability to learn difference between left and right. Assignment: Childhood Development & Health Questions They can begin to understand time and the days of the week. They show strong desire to perform well, do things right. They begin to see things from other children’s point of view, but still very self-centered. They find criticism or failure difficult to handle. They view things as black and white, right or wrong, wonderful or terrible, with very little middle ground. They seek a sense of security in groups, organized play, and clubs. They generally enjoy caring for and playing with younger children. They may become upset when behavior or schoolwork is ignored. Social and Emotional Development ? ? ? ? ? Early school-agers are now ready for a steady pace of growing and learning, one in which real life tasks and activities overtake pretend and fantasy. Equipped with a longer attention span, they are also is ready to delve into projects, solve problems, and resolve arguments! Being with friends becomes increasingly important. They show interest in rules and rituals. They want to play more with similar friends—girls with girls, boys with boys. They may have a “best” friend and “enemy.” Copyright: 2009 by Mike Ashcraft/ All Rights Reserved/ 6501 Lomas Blvd NE/ Albuquerque, NM 87110/ 505-296-2880/ www.childrens-choice.org/ page 2 Age 5 – Kindergarten ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? A period of slower physical growth than preschool. Children are learning to listen and learn in more structured situations. Activity with a purpose needs to be balanced with periods of rest and quiet activity, They enjoy playing with other children, but are often not good at cooperating with others in group activities. They still tend to be fairly self-centered. A sense of property is to developing and fighting over things may result. They are learning to handle interpersonal problems with words instead of actions, but often revert to hitting or other physical means of getting what they want. Language is being used more fluently and is a means to express their needs. Children at this age love to tell stories and jokes which sometimes become quite long and involved. Adult assistance is often needed to interpret what they have seen on TV or in movies or have heard from older children and adults. Kindergartners take great pride in the things they can do for themselves. They are eager to please the adults that they love. Tattling can be a real problem with this age and it is difficult for them to distinguish what is appropriate to tell the teacher about and what is considered tattling. Age 6 – First Grade ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? This is the beginning of a period of transition from “little kid” and they are trying hard to disassociate themselves from younger children. They tend to be less stable, decisive and cooperative than five year olds. They have a greater need for physical activity that allows their whole body to be involved. They like to make things and do art projects, but may not have well-developed control of small muscles to do things like cutting and drawing. Competition is often very keen, with everyone wanting to be first in line or to be chosen for special jobs. They love to participate in group activities, but haven’t developed a great deal of group loyalty and will join into groups with great enthusiasm only to leave when they can’t have their own way. Their sense of humor is developing with jokes and riddles becoming lots of fun. Learning takes place most effectively through concrete experiences and participation for most children. Birth and death are becoming interesting and they can begin to understand the concept of the life cycle. First graders like having responsibility and want to identify with and imitate adults. Making decisions is difficult for many children at this age. Assignment: Childhood Development & Health Questions Having clear cut rules and routines will help to eliminate some of these decisions. Age 7 – Second Grade ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? They are less active than 6 year olds, but are still full of energy. Children are more likely to decide on their own balance active play with quiet time. They still tend to tire early so that by the end of the day they may be worn out. Caution is beginning to develop and they are less likely to take chances than 6 year olds. Learning is most effective for many children through developing and constructing projects, especially in groups. As coordination is developing, they like to use their hands and are becoming more skilled at using tools. They can use language more effectively now and are more likely to use their works than their fists. They will also express their feelings very directly to caregivers if they feel that they are being treated unfairly or if they don’t like something. Their attention span has increased and they are more interested in stories and in reading to themselves. How things work is a major area of curiosity. Copyright: 2009 by Mike Ashcraft/ All Rights Reserved/ 6501 Lomas Blvd NE/ Albuquerque, NM 87110/ 505-296-2880/ www.childrens-choice.org/ page 3 ? ? ? ? They are learning to stand up for their own rights and those of others, especially where property is concerned. Children are becoming increasingly sensitive to what others think of them and to adult approval. This often leads to inner conflict between what the other kids want them to do and what the teacher wants. They are beginning to want independence but still depend on adults fore many things. If there is too much adult control, they will rebel against it, but they still turn to adults often to be assured that they are right. Issues of right and wrong, fair and unfair are becoming a larger concern and can create a great deal of conflict between children. Characteristic Behavior In general, 5-7 year olds: ? Are sensitive to feelings and attitudes of both children and adults. Especially dependent on adults for approval and for physical and emotional needs, respond well to praise. ? Play together readily in small groups, learning to get along, enjoy friends but will often play alone, able to make group decisions, role assignments, fair play. ? Are full of energy but easily tired, restless and fidgety, often dreamy and … Get a 10 % discount on an order above $ 100 Use the following coupon code : NURSING10