Verified Document

Early Childhood Language And Brain Development Essay

¶ … life are in many ways the most exciting, as the newborn develops rapidly into a toddler. Changes in sensorimotor skills, in sheer physical growth, in behavior and brain development, language acquisition, and spiritual formation all comprise some of the key components of life during the first two years. Some of these changes are more noticeable than others. The ones to be most aware of include the following: Body Changes (Biosocial Development)

Motor Skills Changes (Biosocial Development)

Sensorimotor Changes (Cognitive Development)

Language and Communications Changes (Cognitive Development)

Emotional Changes (Psychosocial Development)

These five are the most crucial areas in the baby's first two years of life because of how these changes will impact biological, psychological, and social development later in life. Many of these changes are plainly visible to the parents. For example, the physical size and body of the child will rapidly change over the two years. Likewise, the baby's sleep patterns will change (Berger, 2009). Biological and biosocial development stages are visible and apparent to parents, but some of the other changes children go through in the first two years of life are less apparent, such as those changes involving cognitive and psychosocial...

By three months of age, most children will be able to hold small objects in their hands in a way that appears natural and without their thumb tucked into their hand (Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, 2015). Reaching behaviors and holding objects becomes even more apparent by five months, and by six months, parents should notice their child's eyes following objects and focusing on them as they move (Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, 2015). After that, children will gain more general motor skills including the ability to transfer objects from one hand to another and hold increasingly small objects.
Related to the biosocial development aspects of sensorimotor changes that take place related to structural changes in the brain. Primary, secondary, and tertiary circular actions become apparent within the first two years of life (Berger, 2009). Object permanence, the understanding that when an object disappears behind a doorway or in somebody's hand, is a major step in the child's cognitive development. The child becomes able to release objects when asked or pick them up, too. Exploring the world around them, children in this early age bracket are absorbing information about the world around them in…

Sources used in this document:
References

Berger, K.S. (2009). Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence. 8th Edition. NY: Worth.

Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU (2015). Fine motor skills: Birth to 2 years. Retrieved online: http://www.chrichmond.org/Resource-Library/Fine-Motor-Skills-Birth-to-2-years.htm
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now