Life stages

Age range: 0-2 years.

norms:

• sit unaided - no support given
• start to speak - development of the language skills
• solo play - playing alone or alongside someone
• gross motor skills - skipping, paddling, walk, crawl

Physical characteristics:

• grow taller
• able to crawl walk run

relexes  

• ****ing relfex - the infant will **** on a finger placed in their mouth
• rooting reflex - if the infants face is stroked gently they will turn their head searching for the breast to be fed.
• grasping reflex - the infant will curl their fingers around anything placed in their hand.
• stepping reflex - if the infant is held standing on a firm surface, they will make stepping movements.
• startle (moro) reflex - a loud noise or being moved quickly will cause the infant to open their hands and throw their arms back. 

intellectual characteristics:

• infants are egocentric (self-important), this means that they can only see the world from their point of view.
• they can not talk or understand language, so they can only learn through sight, sound, taste, smell and touch. this is why they put everything in their mouth.
• at 3-months they make noises when spoken to.
• a 6-month old infant will not look for a toy if they drop it out of their cot.
• at 9-months they learn even if they can not see something it is still there.
• they begin to put thoughts in to words.
• when they learn to talk they always ask why questions.
• they learn to smile and make eye contact with people.

emotional characteristic:

• in their first year they will develop a strong emotional bond with the parent or main carer.
• they have to bond with someone and experience attachment before they can feel jealousy.
• they have to be able to tell the difference between strangers and people they know before they can feel shy.
• if bonding does not occur the infant can become disruptive and may feel unloved and unwanted.

social characteristics:

• new born babies have no sense of personal identity
• they know nothing about the world or anyone in it
• they get to recognise there carers face, smell, touch and voice.
• they still do not understand that other people have thoughts and feelings
• up to the age of two they will play solo
• by two years they will play near other infants

age range: 3-8 years

norms:

• fine motor skills - painting, drawing, colouring
• co-operative play  - when they play with someone not alongside.
• intellectual development - develops new skills
• reading and writing - (fine motor skills)
• moral development - learning what is right and wrong

physical characteristics:

• grow taller
• able to run, skip, hop and jump
• improved co-ordination - better aim

intellectual characteristics:

• they learn to talk and develop a much wider vocabulary
• at the end of this life stage they will begin to understand concepts.
• concepts such as colours, number, size, symbols.
• the child have simple understanding of right and wrong
• at the age of 5 or so they understand how to organise their thoughts

emotional characteristics:

• they experience a wider range of emotions compaired to be an infant
• they learn they should express their emotions differently in different situations.
• they still depend on their carers and close family members.

social characteristics:

• by the age of four they need other children to play with
• by five they are attending school, and meeting new people
• by five they co-operate with others in their peer group in games
• at five they can understand more about others

age range - 9-18 years

norms:

• puberty - development of hair and changes
• emotional changes - hormones: oestrogen/testosterone
• develop sense of own values
• more independent

Physical characteristics -

girls:

• gorw taller
• periods start - menstryation
• pubic hair grow
• hips broaden
• breasts develop
• gain weight
• acne/spots

boys:

• grow taller
• voice breaks
• pubic hair grows
• shoulders broaden
• testes produce sperm
• penis grows
• gain weight

intellectual characteristic:

• they have a growth spurt in their mind too
• they learn to think in different ways
• they learn to synthesize information
• they blend information together
• they learn new abilities to think and argue
• make their own descisions
• think independently

emotional characteristics:

• hormones change which effects emotions in puberty
• experience mood swings
• looking for a sense of personal identity
• they can become insecure about there looks and weight etc..

social characteristics:

• peer groups become increasingly important
• parents decrease in value
• become more independent and dont rely on family as much
• they develop who they are in peer groups.