User:Eileen baez11/sandbox

The early years of an individual are by far one of the most important years of life. Children are all unique in their special way. However, a child’s developmental stages are similar and take on the same path towards development. “Child development occurs from birth to adulthood and in fact, learning begins at birth influenced by the surroundings of a child’s family, home and community,” (“Developmental Stages and Milestone, 1”).

The developing skills are classified as gross motor which is using muscles to sit, stand, walk, run, keep balance and relates to exercise and nutrition. This stage is developed within the first couple of months of a baby’s life. Fine motor is another developmental skill which is being able to use hands to eat, draw, dress, play, and write. An additional skill is language and this skill is speaking, using body language and gestures to communicate. The cognitive part of development consists of thinking skills which is learning, understanding, problem solving, reasoning and remembering. The final stage of child development is social interaction; which is interacting with others and having relationships with family, and friends.

In addition to the final stage of development which is social interaction, school age is an important role in the development of a child. Social interaction is divided within the fourth and fifth stage. The fourth stage is from the ages of 6-12. In this stage a child is interacting with the world outside of their home. “Their focus is to master new skills and expand their knowledge,” (“Switzer, 1”). Erickson would agree this stage of development is self confidence and sense of industry.

The fifth stage of growth and development is from the ages of 12 to 18. In this stage children are eager to experience choices and feel freedom. They explore different roles, paths and options in their lives. According to Erickson, a person develops a sense of identity during adolescence in preparation for adulthood.

The mechanisms of development can be both biological and genetic in nature. “Interaction of heredity and the environment shape who children are and who they become,” (“Cherry, 1”). “The genetic mechanism can be responsible for causing mental retardation,” (“Wagner, 1”). Researchers and psychologists relate genetics and child development to nature vs. nurture. “Nature endows us with inborn abilities and traits, nurture takes these genetic tendencies and molds them as we learn and mature,” (“Powell,1”). Basically sense of humor can be an inborn ability and learned trait because it is influenced by family. Eye color and hair color are determined by genes and is an example of the nature theory. “The nurture theory believes behavioral aspects come from environmental factors of upbringings,” (“Powell, 1”).

Environmental factors can influence development such as nutrition. For example, being in a low income environment can make it difficult for a pregnant woman to get the nutrition she needs to give birth to a fully developed baby. A baby’s height can also be impacted by a mother using harmful drugs which interferes with a baby’s development. This example can be classified as a gene environment interaction. These are both examples of how genetic direction can be determined based on environment. In conclusion, genetics influences how a child develops but genetics is one piece of the developmental process of each child. “Early child development is still one of the most powerful levers for accelerating Education for All. The developmental goals are essential for all education and the elimination of poverty,” (“Education, 1”).