Growth and Development of Children - Essay Example

Human Anatomy Human beings experience much growth and development in their youthful years; during the same period, they learn many things that define their character. Further, children experience a significant transition during the socialization process. They learn about the history and significance of their culture, the society taboos and acceptable behavior. Children imitate the behaviors as well as actions of their parents, older siblings and friends. The personality they develop reflects the characters of people in the children’s surrounding. This paper will explore the developmental issues that might require intervention, as well as the actions that a community worker can take to help a neglected child who shows sign of abuse from the parents. Human Anatomy #1 According to Lowrey (1978), children develop in many dimensions including the physical development, the psychological, emotional, cognitive and social development. The named areas of development are extremely essential to a child. They determine the future life of children, which largely depends on healthy beginning in early life. Variations are inevitable in a population, and children might differ in the rate of cognitive or physical growth depending on the environmental conditions or the diet. Further, genetic make up and exposure to proper and adequate physical exercise affects growth and development in children. However, the variations should not exceed the limits because the child might be abnormal in his or her development. Females at the age of fourteen show a considerable improvement in their physical development. Such developments include the development of the secondary sexual characteristics as well the primary sexual characteristics (Lee & Webberley, 1990). At this age, girls develop breasts, which grow into a considerable size. Furthermore, the hips broaden, and some might develop pimples in the face to mark the onset of adolescence. Menstrual cycle might also commence at age fourteen or even younger than fourteen (Lee & Webberley, 1990). An alarming developmental deviation could probably be a lack of breasts and a late onset of the menstrual cycle. Such females could be referred to a doctor to establish the basis of the enormous developmental variation from the normal development. Cognitive development at the age of fourteen should be complete. Children at this age can comprehend abstract ideas (Watkins, 2007). Further, adolescents at this age can solve complex mathematical problems and understand sophisticated philosophical ideas that explain different concepts of life. Morality and religious teachings are already an integral part of children’s life. Although children may not show the same levels of cognitive competence, there should be an acceptable disparity, which does not deviate with a big margin from normal (Lowrey, 1978). Children who show serious difficulties in performing challenging cognitive tasks require intervention from their teachers; as such, children might require distinctive attention in class and remedial lessons. Competent social skills are crucial in every person because people are social beings and cannot survive on their own. We gain support from other people; the human race requires people to socialize, make friends and marry for the continuation of the species. Children with a wide disparity in social skills are those who cannot keep or make friends, and they quarrel all the time with other children (Lowrey, 1978). They might remain isolated from other children, and avoid any interactions with their age mates. Such children can draw the attention of an adult for help in the development of competent social skills; therefore, disparities are abnormal in children. Successful emotional development is evident in children who can handle their emotions in a decent manner and control them whenever need arises. However, children who demonstrate frequent emotional outbursts require assistance from a psychologist in order to tame their emotions (Lowrey, 1978). Emotional problems can emanate from childhood problems like mistreatment and child abuse. Regular guidance and counseling can successfully help such children to overcome the emotional problems (Lee & Webberley, 1990). Further, children who cry many times could be expressing horrible memories in their subconscious mind. Such children require adequate attention so that one can attempt to restore their dignity, self esteem and feelings of self worth. #2 The parent of this child is obviously an irresponsible person who seems to mistreat the child; she does not show any interests in the welfare of her child. She seems too busy for her child, and most of the times the child is picked from the day care after other children. The fact that the child is pale and listless shows that she is suffering from developmental problems, which may range from physical development, emotional, cognitive and social problems. Children begin showing signs of speech from as young as a few months by cueing and making sounds. At the age of twenty four months, children can utter a few words and basic phrases and sentences, which they can use to communicate (Watkins, 2007). The child who does not show any signs of speech could be deaf, and she should be taken to a specialist who can determine the problem. Further, children show a lot of interest in touching things and playing with other kids. However, the child in question was entirely disinterested in anything, showing her social and emotional development was lacking, and she seriously needed intervention. Harassed children become listless, and they fear all the time, and this fear hinders them from developing emotional attachment to other people. Such children can only associate people with abuse and violence. Such children lose interest in life and nothing matters to them (Watkins, 2007). The paleness of the child in question could mean that she is malnourished, or that the food the child eats lacks some essential food elements like vitamins and proteins. A balanced diet is essential in promoting cognitive development of children. Those children who do not receive proper food demonstrate mental retardation. A community worker has legal obligations of investigating and reporting all cases of child abuse and neglect to the authorities. The community worker can file a law suit to a parent who does not attend to the needs of a child as required by the laws that protect the rights of children. In the case of the child in question, a community worker has a legal responsibility of contacting the police to apprehend the mother of this child and make her answer for her neglect and carelessness (Powers & Wenucor, 2011). Further, the community worker has an ethical obligation of ensuring that children are handled with dignity and that the welfare of children should be given the first priority at all times. However, the community worker should observe a certain degree of ethical considerations of knowing that the mother of this child is a single parent, and she might have failed to pick her child because maybe she was held up at the work place. The procedural responsibilities involve ensuring that the child has received the help she requires. Further, the community worker has the responsibility of investigating the reasons as to why the mother of this child was behaving like someone who was not interested in her child. According to Powers & Wenucor (2011), the community worker can recommend that the child be adopted by people who can mange to take care of her, and follow up to ensure that the child is safe. References Lowrey, G.H. (1978). Growth and Development of Children. London: Year Book Medical Publishers. Lee, C.M. & Webberley, J. (1990). The growth and development of children. California: Longman. Powers, P.R. & Wenucor, S. (2011). Community Practice: Theories and Skills for Social Workers. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Watkins, A.M. (2007). The Growth and Development of Children. New York: Xlibris Corporation. Read More