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There are four different areas of a
child’s development that proceed in an integrated manner in a normal
child. These four areas are:
1. Gross motor development
2. Vision and fine motor development
3. Hearing and speech
4. Social behavior and play
Gross Motor Development
This begins from the child’s achievement
in head control, rolling, sitting, standing then ambulating. The
ability to achieve these depends on a normal muscle tone, strength and
coordination. For example, a toddler usually walks on a broad based
gait, he may look slightly crouched and his arms stretched out and
forward for better balance. Later, when he attains better control of
his muscle tone and strength, the movements are much more smoother and
slowly that evolves to the adult pattern of walking when he turn 3
years old.
Vision and Fine Motor Development
Baby of one month old responds to light
and contrasted colors. He is also able to watch his mother’s face when
she nurses or talks to him. By 3 months old, a baby is able to detect
moving objects and is able to follow the movements that occur within
his field of vision.
Fine motor development begins when your baby starts engaging himself in
finger play and watching his own hand movements at about 3 months of
age. This is then followed by reaching out for an object, bringing and
object to mouth, transferring of object from one hand to the other and
development of a pincer grip. This fine and precise manipulative
development is dependent on a normal vision as well as development of
hand skills.
As part of social interaction, a 1-year-old uses his newly acquired
fine motor skills to point, clap, and wave. By 2 years of age, the fine
motor skills develop to allow the child to use objects as tools such as
using a pencil to draw. Manual dexterity and cognitive development
enhance the child’s ability to solve problems, for example, he will
learn that fine manipulation of pressing a specific button; will turn
on the music of a toy.
Hearing and Speech
Initially in the newborn, responses to
sound are entirely a ‘startled’ reflex. However, the first non-reflex
response to a quiet sound to keep him still for a few seconds occurs at
around 3 weeks of life. By 8 months of age, the baby will be able to
turn and localize the source of the sound.
The development of a normal speech is closely associated with the
ability to hear. Delay in language development is more common than
delay in other domains of development. Early babbling in a baby is
important for speech acquisition later in life. Language includes the
ability to receive and understand what is heard 9receptive language)
and that of expressing what the child wants to communicate (expressive
language). Expressive language can be spoken (verbal) or by means of
gestures (non-verbal).
Cognitive deficit is the commonest reason for language delay. All
children who have delayed language development need a hearing test to
rule out hearing impairment.
Social Behavior and Play
Children learn through play. They acquire
new skills through manipulation of a toy or games they played. They
then practice it over and over again until they master it fully. A
simple example is jig saw puzzle that most children play, this teach
them to figure out how things work by fixing small pieces together to
make a whole picture. Children also talk while playing and this enhance
the development of more complex and sophisticated language.
There is a reciprocal relationship between play and learning. Learning
leads to more sophisticated play and play provides a kind of mastery
that leads to more learning. Play contributes to a child’s physical
development. An active child exercises his limbs and muscles, improving
his acquisition of motor skills, balance and coordination. Play also
contributes to intellectual development. Through pretend play, a child
develops the ability to manipulate reality and to think metaphorically.
It also helps the child to try out new concepts and new ways of
thinking. Play promotes emotional health. Children who play more and
who seem to enjoy playing are happier.
Children’s games always involve interactions with other people, this is
important to their social development. The child will learn to share
and obey rules.
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