Biological and environmental factors influencing developmental milestones in childhood

Developmental Milestones Unit

Child Development

Developmental Milestones: Birth to Age Two

CE114-(add your course section)

Birth to Age 1

Age 1 to Age 2

Physical and Motor

Moves head at 90 degree angle. Strategy; allow child flexible movement.

Purposeful Grasp: Strategy: Allow child to play with graspable toys.

Crawling: Strategy: Allow child free space to roam and encourage movement.

Walking: Child needs to be encouraged to walk.

Climbing Stairs. Strategy: safely allow child to explore stairs.

Toilet Training: Strategy: Reward child for using poddy training materials instead of diapers.

Social and Emotional

Cries when comfortable: Strategy; reinforce non-crying behaviors.

Hugs and kisses others. Strategy: babies should want to hold other people.

Expresses anger; Children should begin expressing anger at this age.

Child expresses loneliness. Strategy: Allow periods of solitude.

Laughing; Strategy: Encouraging laughter with fun and games.

3. Expresses love for his family. Strategy. Provide a loving environment.

Cognitive and Language

1. Makes low grunting noises; Strategy: Allow child to express himself.

2.Responds to voices; Strategy; Talk and communicate with child.

1. Makes vowel sounds. Strategy: ensure that parents talk to baby with real words.

2. Listens to voices; Strategy: Speak with child.

3. Cries less. Strategy: do not reward child when he cries.

Behavior

1. Makes eye contact. Strategy: look into child's eyes when speaking.

2. Child is curious: Allow the exploration.

3. Child becomes aware of surroundings. Parents should encourage this behavior.

1. Pulls at objects. Parents should have age appropriate toys available.

2. Laughter; Parents need to encourage laughter.

3. Increased appetite. Feed the child appropriate foods.

The individual nature of every single human being that has every walked the planet earth is totally and exactly unique. Childhood developmental milestones are merely guides that provide a view on how children should develop. Normalcy is a confusing and often daunting ideal that many parents do not understand. In a quest to make a child normal, many natural and intuitive behaviors take place within the raising of that child. To help mitigate this confusion, parents need to be confident that the miraculous nature of childhood and childbearing is not fully understood.

What is exactly known that goes into any development of any person is not exactly accurate or completely agreed upon. The role of the subconscious or super-conscious forces in the world place much emphasis on the biological aspects of this developmental cycle. Since the mysteries of DNA and genetics are just barely being explored, we really don't have any clue in any serious or definite manner on how children develop. While biology and genetics plays a role, it plays a role differently in each child. Intuition, nature and a more hands off approach in these matters provides the necessary space for the child to become an individual themselves and not rely on parental guidance and hinder personal development.