Profile of a Child Assignment

Introduction

In the child's developing stage, it is better that the mother or both of the parents is guiding their child to achieve the mind and body development. Through the encouragement of the pediatricians, the parents are aware about the conditions of their child. The period where the child is starting to discover his abilities is considered as one of the crucial parts of his full development and developing his other potentials. During the early childhood that usually ranges in the age 18 months and below, there is an early detection of the capability and incapability of the child that is usually seen in the motor skills of the child.

The motor skills are actions that involve the movement of the body. The motor skills are usually divided in to two groups which are the fine motor skills and the gross motor skills. In the first definition, the fine motors can be described as the movement of the body in smaller actions such as the movements of the hands, wrists, fingers, toes, lips, and tongue. Meanwhile, the gross motor skills, which is also the applied method in the observing a child, can be describe as the counterpart of the fine motor skills. Meaning, the gross motor is the movement of the body which includes the large muscles such as the arms, legs, feet, or the entire body. Both of the motor skills are usually develop together because there are many activities that a child alone or with the guidance of the parents can do. The reason on choosing the gross motor skills is for that it creates a big impression on the side of the observer. (Pan and Snow 229-50)

The gross motor skills are obvious in the child's actions and it can develop over a relatively short period of time. Because most of the development occurs during childhood, there is a chance or possibility that the gross motor skills my not develop well.

Elements of Child Development

Child development refers to the biological and psychological and emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of adolescence then through adulthood, as the individual progresses from dependency to increasing autonomy. Because these developmental changes may be strongly influenced by genetic factors and events during prenatal life, genetics and prenatal development are usually included as part of the study of child development. Related terms include developmental psychology, referring to development throughout the lifespan, and pediatrics, the branch of medicine relating to the care of children. Developmental change may occur as a result of genetically-controlled processes known as maturation, or as a result of environmental factors and learning, but most commonly involves an interaction between the two. It may also occur as a result of human nature and our ability to learn from our environment. Human beings have a keen sense to adapt to their surroundings and this is what child development encompasses. (Ingram 73-97)

One kind of environmental guidance of development has been described as experience-dependent plasticity, in ...