Children develop in similar ways – the time will differ but the stages will be very similar. It is important to know the development of children and the different stages; this will help you to be prepared during your child’s life and will also help you aid with it.
The development of children – The four areas
There are four areas that the stages of child development can be grouped into. The first is cognitive, which is the brain. Your child will grow in the ability to handle problems. Even newborns will develop cognitive abilities through touch and sight.
Emotions and social abilities are another area of the development of children. This is something that will happen from being newborn and throughout the whole of childhood.
A one month old baby will be able to smile to show that it is happy while a one year old baby will learn more about how to express sadness or hurt without just crying. Social abilities will develop by understanding about playing in groups and sharing items.
As a child develops, language is something that will also grow and expand. This starts off with just first words through repetition but this develops into being able to hold conversations and speaking with good grammar.
The final area of development in children is the motor ability, which involves moving around. Sitting up at a few week hold is the start of the development but this will grow to being able to stand and then start walking. Children of five will be able to skip and jump up and down. Being able to draw or feed by themselves is another sign of motor development.
Milestones
Over time, your child will gain in many different areas and there are certain milestones that parents will concentrate on. The first steps are a big deal and this is something that is usually developed by the age of 15 months. The first words are another milestone, which is usually seen before the first year.
It is important to give your baby praise for these milestones as it will encourage them to continue with the development of children. However, it is important not to put any pressure on your child; just because he or she is able to stand does not mean that the walking stage will begin.
Not meeting the milestones
You will also need to remember that children learn the skills at different ages. Just because a book will tell you that your baby should be walking by 15 months does not mean that your child will be. Encourage your child to start but do not get too worried at first – there is a chance that your baby just likes crawling and shuffling around instead.
However, there are times that you will need to look into if there are any problems with the development of children. If your child has gotten to 15 months but has not shown any signs of starting to walk – as in he or she cannot stand yet – then you should talk to the pediatrician. This will help to rule out any medical issues or development stunts.
