Child and Ad psych - The Play YEars Biosocial Development - Chapter 8

Growth patterns from 2-6 years old

• Children become slimmer, more muscular and gain almost 3 inches and 4 and ½ pounds per year

• Growth is influenced by

  • Ethical and cultural practices

  • socioeconomic status

  • genes nutrition

Myelination

speeds up neural transmission, leading to improvements in memory, impulse control, nad contemplation

• both maturation and practice affect this process

What connects the brain’s hemispheres

• Corpus callosum

  • myelinates rapidly during the play years

• this leads to more efficient communication between hemispheres

left handed

• most societies favor right-handedness

Right side of the brain

• generalized emotional and creative impulses, appreciation of music, art and poetry

left side of the brain

logical reasoning, detailed analysis, and basics of language

the prefrontal cortext ( frontal lobe)

• is essential for higher order cognition, including planning and impulse control

• this begins to develop during the play years

  • but is not fully mature until early 20s

• Developments helps with impulse control

  • Example: simon says

attention

• the prefrontal cortex helps regulate attention, influencing impulse control

• Perseveration: is the tendency to stick one thought or action

the limbic system

• is crucial for the expression and regulation of emotions

Avoidable injuries

• young children ages 1-4 yrs are the most vulnerable age group to accidental death

• Examples: falls, swallowing poison, burning, drowning, and choking

three levels of prevention

• Primary ( actions that prevent injury)

• Secondary ( reduces dangers of high-risk situations)

• Tertiary prevention: actions taken after an adverse event occurs to reduce harm)

Examples of prevention

• Primary ( sidewalks, speed bumps)

• Secondary (requiring flashing lights on school buses, using crossing guards)

• Tertiary ( laws against hit and run drivers, well trained ambulance drivers)

Child Maltreatment

harm or neglect of children under age 18 years

Child abuse

Deliberate harm

Child neglect

• inaction that leads to harm

• neglect is twice as common as abuse

Substantiated maltreatment

• a reported case was investigated and verified

• 3 million reported cases and 1 million substantiated cases per year

Warning signs of maltreatment

• Failure to thrive

  • an otherwise healthy infant or young child does not gain weight

• Post-traumatic stress disorder

  • easily startled, nightmares, headaches

• Hypervigilance

  • excessive watchfulnes

Prevention

• Primary ( stable neighborhoods, income equality, social support)

• Secondary ( home visits, high-quality child care)

• Tertiary ( remove the child from the home)

Permanency Planning

setting goals and a timetable for long-term care of a child

Foster care

is legally sanctioned care of a child by nonrelatives

Kindship care

is care by relatives

Adoption

is an option, but difficult to achieve