Unit 4: Early Childhood Chapter 7

No quiz this week!!! However, you do have a project that is due at the end of this unit. PLEASE make sure you use the Unit 4 project template found in Doc Sharing.

Developmental Themes Early childhood phase – development of independence, self-mastery, physical ability, social skills, inner control and language skills Children are transformed from infants and toddlers into little boys and girls

Toddler Stage (2-3 years old): –Autonomy vs. Doubt –Children are pushing for control and independence – however they are still very dependent on their caregivers –A critical task at this age is achieving a balance between those two forces

Preschool Stage (3-5 years old): Erickson: Initiative vs. Guilt Time for parents to start encouraging self-care, compliance with rules, and independence Parents should allow their children to try out new activities and set reasonable limits Parents who are too rigid or demanding impose unrealistic expectations on their children causing them to feel guilty for failing to accomplish something on their own

Comparison, 1 & 4 Year Old Children One year old Goal is to master mobility Imitate sounds Manipulate physical world to learn Sense of self begins connected to parents Four year old Mobility is used for exploration and independence Masters spoken language, communi- cates thoughts Uses mental symbols Pursues relationships separate from parent

Biophysical Growth & Development Physical development involves growth of human body and motor skills development –3 yr old doubled in height, 4 x heavier than at birth –Gross motor skills: running, jumping, climbing, etc. –Fine motor skills: coordination of small muscle movements; dexterity in the use of hands/fingers Biophysical strengths & hazards –Good nutrition for health Impacts physical development and immune system

©2010, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Cognitive Development Increased use of abstraction and symbols Increased use of abstraction and symbols Preoperational thought (Piaget) Preoperational thought (Piaget)  Symbolic functioning: ability to think symbolically. They can represent objects mentally that are not present in their immediate environment. Egocentrism: children cannot distinguish between their own perspective and another person’s, e.g., preschooler nodding his head while on the phone without speaking Egocentrism: children cannot distinguish between their own perspective and another person’s, e.g., preschooler nodding his head while on the phone without speaking  Intuitive thought: children use primitive reasoning (but not formal logic), asking a lot of questions; want to know the “how” and “why” of everything

©2010, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Language Development Chomsky’s notion of ‘universal grammar’ –Structural facets of language, ground rules are innate; child’s mind is not a ‘blank slate’ –Individual languages are single pattern variations Progression of language development –Children’s comprehension precedes their speech –3 yr. olds have vocabulary of 900 words; 8,000-14,000 words by age 6 (learn 7-8 words per day) –Begin to use morphological rules once they are able to put two words together –Language development appears to be encouraged by frequency and type of responses that adult speakers verbalize to children

©2010, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Language Development Bilingual preschoolers –Research shows they may learn to read faster than monolingual ones because they’ve figured out the rules for two different language systems Communication disorders –Expressive language disorder (developmental or acquired by neurological injury) – limited speech and vocabulary, shortened sentences, difficulty learning new words, misuse of words, limited & simple grammar, and slow language acquisition. –Phonological disorder – difficulty articulating speech sounds and making errors in the order of sounds in syllables or words (‘aks’ for ‘ask’)

©2010, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Attitudes & Emotions  Emotional regulation  Emotional coaching – process by which a parent or caregiver assist child in recognizing his emotions and then uses the experience as a way for the child to learn about himself and to problem solve  Fears  Night terror  Responding in time of crisis  Grief  Grief Symptoms at Ages/Stages  Aggression  Warning Signs for Violence in Children

©2010, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Social Dimension Family influences –Parents of preschoolers begin to change their focus from physical care to encouraging self-care, greater independence and compliance with rule of social system Parenting styles and characteristics –The best parenting results when parents are neither too punitive nor too aloof but focused on developing clear rules within the context of warm and affectionate parenting

©2010, Cengage Learning, Brooks/ Cole Publishing Parenting Styles Authoritarian –Restrictive, punitive style; sets firm limits and encourages effort; few verbal exchanges allowed Authoritative –Warm, nurturing, accepting; encourages independence but with limits, and verbal exchanges using negotiation, compromise and reason; responsive to child’s needs Permissive Indulgent –Very involved in child’s life; few demands placed on child; lax control; allows freedom of expression, encourages creativity and confidence Permissive Indifferent –Very uninvolved with few demands; lax control; allows freedom of expression and impulses

Text book aside, how do you define child abuse?

According to: Federal legislation provides a foundation for States by identifying a minimum set of acts or behaviors that define child abuse and neglect. The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (42 U.S.C.A. §5106g), as amended by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, defines child abuse and neglect as, at minimum: Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or An act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm. This definition of child abuse and neglect refers specifically to parents and other caregivers. A "child" under this definition generally means a person who is under the age of 18 or who is not an emancipated minor.

Active Maltreatment An injury or a pattern of injuries that is NON- accidental Examples: Physical abuse, sexual abuse, and/or emotional abuse (Gosselin, 2005) Active Maltreatment An injury or a pattern of injuries that is NON- accidental Examples: Physical abuse, sexual abuse, and/or emotional abuse (Gosselin, 2005)

Passive Maltreatment The action or inaction of a legally recognized caretaker who fails to fulfill his or her responsibility to a dependent child. Examples: Lack of supervision Lack of medical care Inadequate food, clothing, and/or shelter Educational neglect Physical/emotional neglect (Gosselin, 2005)

What are some risk factors associated with child abuse?

Risk Factors Associated with Child Abuse & Neglect Parent or caregiver factors –Personality and psychological well-being –History of child abuse/neglect –Substance abuse –Age Family Factors –Family structure –Marital conflict and domestic violence –Stress –Parent-child interaction

Risk Factors Associated with Child Abuse & Neglect Child Factors –Age –Disabilities Environmental Factors –Poverty –Unemployment –Social isolation –Lack of social support –Violent communities

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