Related topics: children
Child development
hideChild development refers to the biological and psychological changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of adolescence, as the individual progresses from dependency to increasing autonomy. Because these developmental changes may be strongly influenced by genetic factors and events during prenatal life, genetics and prenatal development are usually included as part of the study of child development. Related terms include "developmental psychology", referring to development throughout the lifespan and "pediatrics", the branch of medicine relating to the care of children. Developmental change may occur as a result of genetically-controlled processes known as maturation, or as a result of environmental factors and learning, but most commonly involves an interaction between the two.
There are various definitions of periods in child development, since each period is a continuum with individual differences regarding start and ending.
Some age-related development periods and examples of defined intervals are: newborn (ages 0–1 month); infant (ages 1 month – 1 year); toddler (ages 1–3 years); preschooler (ages 4–6years); school-aged child (ages 6–13 years); adolescent (ages 13–20). However, organizations like Zero to Three and the World Association for Infant Mental Health use the term infant as a broad category, including children from birth to age 3, a logical decision considering that the Latin derivation of the word infant refers to those who have no speech.
The optimal development of children is considered vital to society and so it is important to understand the social, cognitive, emotional, and educational development of children. Increased research and interest in this field has resulted in new theories and strategies, with specific regard to practice that promotes development within the school system. In addition there are also some theories that seek to describe a sequence of states that comprise child development.
For more information about Child development, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with child development
Nature? Nurture? Scientists say neither
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Jul 20, 2009 |
4.1 / 5 (25) |
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It's easy to explain why we act a certain way by saying "it's in the genes," but a group of University of Iowa scientists say the world has relied on that simple explanation far too long.
Fetal short-term memory found in 30-week-old fetuses
Jul 15, 2009 |
4.8 / 5 (5) |
4
Memory probably begins during the prenatal period, but little is known about the exact timing or for how long memory lasts. Now in a new study from the Netherlands, scientists have found fetal short-term memory in fetuses ...
'Cascading effect' of childhood experiences may explain serious teen violence
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Nov 14, 2008 |
4.4 / 5 (5) |
0
Adverse experiences early in life can lead to minor childhood behavior problems, which can grow into serious acts of teen violence, according to new research. This "cascading effect" of repeated negative incidents and behaviors ...
Study: When a child's birth is unplanned
Other Sciences / Social Sciences
Apr 30, 2009 |
4 / 5 (5) |
4
(PhysOrg.com) -- One-third of all children born in the United States are the result of unintended pregnancies and not only do these children receive less attention and warmth from their parents than children whose births ...
When preschoolers ask questions, they want explanations
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Nov 13, 2009 |
4.3 / 5 (4) |
5
Curiosity plays a big part in preschoolers' lives. A new study that explored why young children ask so many "why" questions concludes that children are motivated by a desire for explanation.
Foster care may boost brain activity of institutionalized children
Jul 15, 2009 |
3.3 / 5 (3) |
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Children raised in institutions are more likely to lag physically, socially, and cognitively, but little is known about what happens to children's brains when they live in institutions. Now a new study finds that placing ...
Youths see all parental control negatively when there's a lot of it
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Nov 13, 2009 |
5 / 5 (2) |
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A new study has found that young people feel differently about two types of parental control, generally viewing a type of control that's thought to be better for their development more positively. However, when parents are ...
Background TV found to have negative effect on parent-child interactions
Sep 15, 2009 |
4.5 / 5 (2) |
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More than a third of American infants and toddlers live in homes where the television is on most or all the time, even if no one's watching. A new study looks for the first time at the effect of background TV on interactions ...
Children under 3 can't learn action words from TV -- unless an adult helps
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Sep 15, 2009 |
4.5 / 5 (2) |
0
American infants and toddlers watch TV an average of two hours a day, and much of the programming is billed as educational. A new study finds that children under age 3 learn less from these videos that we might think -- unless ...
Teacher support is key to self-esteem for Chinese and US youth
Other Sciences / Social Sciences
Sep 15, 2009 |
4.5 / 5 (2) |
0
As children go back to school this fall, a new cross-cultural study finds that for both Chinese and American middle schoolers, students who feel supported by their teachers tend to have higher self-esteem, and those who don't ...
It's the hard work that fosters responsibility in teen programs
Feb 06, 2009 |
4 / 5 (2) |
0
Millions of American teenagers participate in Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H, and other programs designed to develop responsibility in young people. A new study suggests that it's not the fun and games of these programs, but ...
Dad's early connection with child 'writes script' for later school involvement
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Jun 22, 2009 |
4 / 5 (2) |
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When a dad changes diapers and makes pediatrician's appointments, he's more likely to stay interested and involved when his child makes the transition to school, said a new University of Illinois study that explores the role ...
Does modernization affect children's cognitive development?
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Nov 13, 2009 |
3 / 5 (2) |
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Societal and technological changes have taken place at a dizzying pace over recent decades. A new cross-cultural study aimed to determine whether these dramatic changes have had an effect on the thinking skills that are learned ...
Parental physical discipline through childhood linked to behavior problems in teens
Sep 15, 2009 |
5 / 5 (1) |
1
Two new studies explore how discipline changes during childhood and adolescence, and what family factors affect those changes. They conclude that when parents use physical discipline through childhood, their children experience ...
Schoolkids May Need Coaching on Emotions, School Success
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Mar 18, 2009 |
4 / 5 (1) |
0
(PhysOrg.com) -- Your 7-year-old may understand that a positive attitude is an asset when taking a spelling test, doing a math problem or tackling a science lesson. But don't expect a kindergartner to make that link.
