Early Childhood

Early Childhood Early childhood is a stage of development that involves children from ages two through six. There are several factors that can affect physical development in early childhood. A child’s physical and cognitive development can be influenced by genetics and the environment. Genetics can play an important role in the physical development of early childhood. A child considered small for his or her age may have parents who are small in weight and height. The parent’s physical development as a child may be similar to that of the child’s development. A child’s growth rate can be determined by his or her inborn traits. Every child carries genes from both parents. The balance of these genes can determine weight, height, hair color, eye color, and skin color. The dominant gene will determine the resulting factors. Parents can pass down genes to the child through DNA that can affect the child’s physical development. There are several disabilities and disorders that can affect the child such as Spina Bifida, Cerebral Palsy, and Cystic Fibrosis. The environment plays an important role in physical development as well. A child will promote physical development by participating in physical activities. These activities can include running, climbing, and playing sports. A child’s physical development may suffer if he or she does not receive the proper amount of exercise. This can help to improve coordination. Children who live in a stressful environment may develop inadequate eating habits. These eating habits can lead to diseases such as Obesity, Bulimia, and Anorexia. According to Mayer-Davis, Rifas-Shiman, Zhou, & Hu (2006), children who are breastfed have fewer chances of becoming overweight or obese. A malnourished child may develop a weakened immune system, which can make him or her more susceptible to other diseases or illnesses. A child, who is introduced to air pollution, may develop severe colds, pneumonia, or lung disease. Cognitive development is an important factor in a child’s overall development. This development affects how a child thinks, makes decisions, solves problems, and remembers information. A child’s genetics and environment can affect his or her cognitive development. Children with genetic diseases such as Down Syndrome will not be able to do the same activities as other children. This can cause a child to fall behind in terms of exceling or knowing how to do regular activities. If the parents suffer from mental diseases, this can affect the child to where he or she has to be put into special education programs. The child’s brain may not be fully developed. This will cause the child to be behind in his or her cognitive skills. The environment can affect the child’s cognitive development. A pregnant mother can affect her child by the choices she makes during pregnancy. If the child is exposed to toxic chemicals, the child’s cognitive development can be altered. A child can be at risk for developmental delays if the mother smokes, drinks, or consumes unhealthy foods during pregnancy. According to Clark, Demers, Karr, Koehoorn, and Lencar (2010), a child who has exposure to environmental tobacco smoke before and after birth, will have an increased risk of developing asthma. A child will have a healthy cognitive development if the mother eats healthy and does not engage in harmful substances while pregnant. Parents can expose their children to books, music, and other learning exercises to help with cognitive development. A parent can talk to his or her young child frequently to help progress the child’s learning abilities. A malnourished child will have slower brain development with cognitive difficulties. According to De Alwis, Myerson, Hershey, & Hale (2009), a child’s memory and cognitive skills will improve with age. When a child is exposed to violence, inadequate learning, or inadequate eating habits, he or she will suffer cognitive difficulties. Social and emotional exposure can help a child’s cognitive development progress. These things allow children to interact with other children and adults. This allows the children to form relationships, which helps the children to relate and learn from others. There are several factors that affect social, moral, and personality development in early childhood. Parents who take a more verbal approach with their children are creating a more social setting for their children. This will allow the child to be more social at home and school. Children, who have a variety of relationships, are more likely to possess social interaction skills. This can help with social and language skills among children and their peers. Children will have a lack of diversity in their lives if they are not exposed to different cultures. This may limit the child’s ability to be social around others of different nationalities. Parents, who do not interact with their child, may limit the child’s social abilities. For example, the child may become withdrawn or lack empathy for others. Parents need to teach children moral values. This includes work ethic, compassion, and knowing right from wrong. Parents are the biggest influence over children. When children watch their parents, they can learn by the examples set in the home. The home life of a child helps to shape the moral decisions that he or she will make. When a parent spends time teaching moral values, the child will develop a strong moral base. The child will possess the same morals as the parents. For example, a child from a loving home will want to make the right decisions in life. One of the main goals in parenting is to have the child behave according to the rules set for him or her. For example, a parent may want to progress the child’s moral development by teaching the child not to be selfish. This includes sharing, impulse control, and respect. This can help to achieve positive moral development. There are factors that can affect the personality development in early childhood. These factors can include genetics and the environment. The culture, which a child is raised in, can contribute to the child’s personality development. Some aspects of the personality may be acquired through birth, but others are acquired through the interactions at home. Children will draw conclusions about how they fit in based on what the children experience and learn. Parents influence a child’s personality by the way the parents treat the child. A child can be influenced by interaction and discipline from the parents. A child will try to imitate his or her parents, which can include the parent’s personality. The differences in gender can affect a child’s personality. Boys are more aggressive and girls are more relaxed. Parents can treat a child different based on his or her gender. Children learn early that girls play with dolls and boys play with cars. This can contribute to the child’s personality because he or she looks to the parent of the same gender as a role model. For example, a female child will look to her mother as her role model and try to imitate the mother’s personality. The child will begin showing interest in female activities such as wearing makeup and jewelry. There are several theoretical perspectives involved with moral, social, and personality developments. For example, a behavioral learning perspective shows that children want to receive recognition for the positive things they do. These children learn that positive behavior is rewarded. This is used for the children to determine how to gain rewards. For example, a child may eat his or her dinner to be rewarded with a piece of candy. A life span perspective shows that a child’s development is influenced by life-changing events. For example, a child may be affected by his or her parent’s divorce. This could cause the child to behave poorly or to become withdrawn. Young children are growing physically and mentally in early childhood. The children’s skills will continue to excel through observing and interacting with others.

References Clark, N. A., Demers, P. A., Karr, C. J., Koehoorn, M., Lencar, C., Tamburic, L., & Brauer, M. (2010). Effect of early life exposure to air pollution on development of childhood asthma. Environmental Health Perspectives, 118(2), 284-90. De Alwis, D., Myerson, J., Hershey, T., & Hale, S. (2009). Children 's higher order cognitive abilities and the development of secondary memory. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review (Pre-2011), 16(5), 925-30. Mayer-Davis, E., Rifas-Shiman, S., Zhou, L., Hu, F. B., & al, e. (2006). Breast-feeding and risk for childhood obesity: Does maternal diabetes or obesity status matter? Diabetes Care, 29(10), 2231-7.

References: Clark, N. A., Demers, P. A., Karr, C. J., Koehoorn, M., Lencar, C., Tamburic, L., & Brauer, M. (2010). Effect of early life exposure to air pollution on development of childhood asthma. Environmental Health Perspectives, 118(2), 284-90. De Alwis, D., Myerson, J., Hershey, T., & Hale, S. (2009). Children 's higher order cognitive abilities and the development of secondary memory. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review (Pre-2011), 16(5), 925-30. Mayer-Davis, E., Rifas-Shiman, S., Zhou, L., Hu, F. B., & al, e. (2006). Breast-feeding and risk for childhood obesity: Does maternal diabetes or obesity status matter? Diabetes Care, 29(10), 2231-7.