Child Development Assessment and School-Age Child

Child Development Assessment and School-Age Child

Introduction

The assessment on the development of school-aged children needs the process of examining the functions of the school as success in school is the main aim of children age 6 via the teenage. Developmental assessments in a child are recommended when issues arise about a child’s ability to meet anticipated milestones of development and do daily tasks. The assessment process is objected to identifying the strength of a child and challenges in a variety of domains of development including the physical development, language, emotional and behaviors like self-direction. The outcome helps teachers and also the parents in providing the right and personalized management plans and life-skill programs to increase the potential of development.

Developmental assessments serve various purposes such as to identify and diagnose a global intellectual delay. This involves a determination of the severity of intellectual impairment and evaluation of the impact of the impairment to monitor an individual’s progress for a period (Sirard et al, 2001).  The other purpose is to develop personal programs of management. If the strengths and the weakness of the child are identified, the psychologist works in touch with the teachers and the parents in developing interventions to give room for the learning of the child and the needs of development (Sirard et al, 2001). The third purpose is to access any extra funding where if the child is diagnosed with a developmental disability.  This aids in accessing funding from the government and from the school in providing the required support in school and at home to suit the needs of the child. Lastly, assessments on development can be combined with cognitive and administered together in determining if problems in certain areas can be examined by an intellectual disability or learning disorder (Charlesworth, 2013).

In the process of assessing, to correctly identify and diagnose a disorder or delay in development, a standardized psychometric assessment is used in assessing various developmental areas.  Such areas can include, communication which includes listening and speaking skills used to deliver messages to other people, socialization which involves the skills needed in interaction and getting along with other people (Sirard et al, 2001).  Other areas of assessment include self-care where the child needs to have skills to care for herself by eating, bathing and also dressing. The other is the sense of self-direction where self-control and independence are needed as skills. Lastly, school-age children may have fine and gross motor skills and which can vary widely. Fine motor skills can interfere with the ability of a child to write well, dress properly and perform certain activities like doing dishes. However, their coordination, physical ability, balance, and endurance change among children aged 6 and 7 years. There are major differences expected in weight, height, and build of the same age such as the age of six. Therefore, it’s worth noting that genetic history and also the nutrition and exercise can have an impact on the growth of a child (Sirard et al, 2001).

Children undergo different developmental periods during their growth as infants to adolescent. Multiple changes in the development of the brain occur from one stage to the next and are genetically determined (Gilmore, 2013).  However, changes from main individuals from the environment or circumstances that may arise due to the environment influence how the child benefits from the events of development. In accordance with Jean Piaget, cognitive theory of development is categorized in developmental stages. The first stage being the sensorimotor period (from infant to about two years). Children are egocentric and can merely understand what they experience on their senses (Charlesworth, 2013). The other stage that follows is the preoperational stage (from 2 to 7 years). Children begin developing logically, although they are unable to understand everything about the world such as assimilation or reversibility. Children don’t understand abstract concepts properly but can understand basic concepts like colors, size or even shape. The stage that follows is called preoperational (2 to 7 years). A child starts developing logic, although they are unable to understand everything about the world like assimilation or accommodation (Modgil, 2013). They are unable to understand abstract concepts properly, but they can understand basic concepts like color, shape or size.

Interaction and observation are methods that can be used to gain cooperation and have first-hand information or findings of children (say two boys) given the age of 2 and 7 years. The findings are clear that the children must display a point of development, they must show some aspects of the preoperational stage (Modgil, 2013). After interacting with the children it is observed that the child aged 7 years shows some sense of physical development of the brain because the child pays attention, is organized and plans his thoughts (Sirard et al, 2001). The physical abilities of the child are as well developed such as the ability to get involved in manipulative tasks, and tasks that coordination of the eye and hand such as climbing and also jumping and which are a clear indication of preoperational development.

Conclusion

The aim of assessment of children is to gather information vital to make significant decisions about their needs for development and education. It must serve in a way to improve chances for optimal growth learning and development. The activity of determining the needs of development and education informs early childhood education and provides a template for personal and program goals setting.

References

Charlesworth, R. (2013). Understanding child development. Cengage Learning.

Gilmore, K. J., & Meersand, P. (2013). Normal child and adolescent development: A

 psychodynamic primer. American Psychiatric Pub.

Modgil, S., Modgil, C., & Brown, G. (2013). Jean Piaget. Routledge.

Sirard, J. R., & Pate, R. R. (2001). Physical activity assessment in children and

adolescents. Sports medicine, 31(6), 439-454.