D evelopmental S tages

D evelopmental S tages Early Childhood Early childhood is a time of tremendous growth across all the areas of development. Physically, between birth and age of three, a child typically doubles in height and quadruples in weight. A typical three-year-old might have mastered many skills, including sitting, walking, toilet training, using a spoon, scribbling, and sufficient hand-eye coordination to catch and throw anything. Between three and five years of age, children continue to grow rapidly and begin to develop fine- motor skills. By the age of five, most children demonstrate fairly good control of pencils, crayons, and scissors. Gross motor accomplishments may include the ability to skip and balance on one foot. Physical growth slows down between five and eight years of age, while body proportions and motor skills become more refined. Physical changes in early childhood are accompanied by rapid changes in the child’s cognitive and language development. Middle Childhood Middle childhood has not been considered an important stage in human development as compared to early childhood. Physical development during middle childhood is less dramatic than in early childhood or adolescence. Growth is slow and steady until the onset of puberty, when individuals begin to develop at a much quicker pace. The age at which individuals enter puberty varies, but there is evidence of a visible trend—the age at which puberty begins has been decreasing over time. In some individuals, puberty may start as early as at age eight or nine. The onset of puberty differs across gender and begins earlier in females. The cognitive development of middle childhood is slow and steady. Middle childhood is a time when children can gain enthusiasm for learning, and work for achievement can become a motivating factor as children work toward building competence and self- esteem. Adolescence The adolescent years are the second period of accelerated growth. The age between and years is generally considered as ‘adolescence’. Individuals may gain a total of – centimeters in height and as much as – kg in weight. The timing of this growth spurt is not highly predictable; it varies across both, individuals and gender. In general, females begin to develop earlier than males. Sexual maturation is one of the most significant developments during this time. Like physical development, there is significant variability in the age at which individuals attain sexual maturity. Females tend to mature at about age thirteen, and males mature at about age fifteen. Adolescence is also an important period for cognitive development.