Growth & Development: Late Bloomers Kim Jenkins

What is a “late bloomer”?  a child or adolescent who develops more slowly than others in their age group, but eventually catches up. OR  a person whose talents or capabilities are not visible to others until later than usual. This may apply to skill areas such as, language, reading, physical ability or social interaction.

Details: Parents v. Children What parents need to know and what children need to know about “late bloomers” are totally opposite.

What Parents need to know: “Late Bloomer” can sometimes be used in the wrong context. If someone tells you your child is a “late bloomer”, don’t just accept it. Delays in developments of children may be caused by a disease. It never hurts to seek help in understanding your child’s abilities or disabilities!

Research shows: Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) is said to affect about 3-5% of children Dyslexia is said to affect 3-10% of children Autism affects about 1% of children Famous “late bloomers”- –Albert Einstein –Thomas Edison –Pablo Picasso

What children need to know: Children should understand that they all grow at their own pace. Children should know that they all have their own special ways of learning. Children should treat peers in an equal manner, despite their differences. Children should work together to help their peers learn and grow.

Quick Tips: At home, monitor your child’s : –Intellectual progress –Social skills –Physical abilities Schedule a Conference Maintain Normalcy Testing Seek Help

References Alvidrez, Jennifer and Weinstein, Rhonda. “Early Teacher Perceptions and Later Student Academic Achievement”. Journal of Educational Psychology, Web. 5 Nov eptions.pdf Wikipedia contributors. "Late bloomer." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 6 Nov Web. 4 Nov World Health Organiztion. “F84. Pervasive developmental disorders". International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (10th ed.) Web. Nov