Infancy is the stage between birth and two years of age. This stage is characterized by rapid physical growth than any other stage of life. Very interesting changes occur in this couple of years. Brain development also occurs rapidly at this stage. Prior to birth, the unborn baby has most of the brain cells, but not all. There is a very rapid development of the neural connections between the cells. Contrary to what most people think, the baby is not entirely helpless. It is capable of all the basic activities required to sustain life -- breathing, suckling, swallowing and excretion. By the first week, the newborns can identify the direction from which sound is coming, recognize the voice of the mother from other voices and is capable of simple imitating basic gestures such as opening the mouth and sticking out the tongue (Shaffer & Kipp, 2013).
Another theory, posited by Erik Erikson, also focuses on the psychological elements of development. According to Eriksson, all children go through the same psychological stages, and so development occurs the same everywhere. Vygotsky believed development to occur differently within different cultures, dependent on the characteristics of the individuals' children are cared for. Finally, a third theory of attachment, is actually quite similar in that it depends on healthy social
Child Development The first two years of life, known as infancy, is universally recognized as an extremely important stage of human development, and is therefore distinguished from the later stages. Infancy witnesses the rapid growth of the child's cognitive, psychosocial, and biosocial development, and the infant's increasing responsiveness to the environment and the people within that environment. Infants grow at a very rapid rate during the first one and a half years
Child Development Humans are born with basic capabilities and distinct temperaments, however, everyone goes through dramatic changes along the way to adulthood, and while growing old (Erikson's pp). According to psychologist Erik H. Erikson, every individual passes through eight developmental stages, called psychosocial stages, and each stage is characterized by a different psychological 'crisis,' which must be resolved by the individual before he or she can move on to the next
Instead of being frustrated and depressed because they are not succeeding, these children feel good about themselves and what they have accomplished. They also have the added benefit of doing something they enjoy and that will give them personal pleasure. These are the children who have the self-confidence to try something new on their own. Understanding child development can also help caregivers and educators recognize when a children are not
Child Development "The quality of the relationship between parents and young children is one of the most powerful factors in a child's growth and development," (Brotherson, 2005, p. 1). Research unequivocally supports the notion that a young's child's social and emotional well-being is enhanced through the development of positive attachments, especially in the first three years of life. It is important to research and understand the issue of attachment in early
Child Development According to McGrath (2003), "In almost every case of significant adult depression, some form of abuse was experienced in childhood, either physical, sexual, emotional or, often, a combination." Child abuse can cause a wide range of deleterious effects in adulthood, impacting the ability to form healthy relationships or develop a sense of self-efficacy (Rivers, 2011). The link between child abuse and clinical problems like depression, addiction, and anxiety can
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