Child Development

Early childhood is the most rapid period of development in a human’s life. According to the definition in Wikipedia, child development refers to the biological, psychological and emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of adolescence, as the individual progresses from dependency to increasing autonomy. Although each child develops at his/her own pace, all children progress through an identifiable sequence of physical, cognitive, and emotional growth and change. The early years of a child’s life are very important for his or her health and development. Parents, health professionals, educators, and others can work together as partners to help children grow up to reach their full potential.

The Early Child Development (ECD) approach is based on the proven fact that young children respond best when caregivers use specific techniques designed to encourage and stimulate progress to the next level of development. The ultimate goal of Early Child Development (ECD) programs is to improve young children’s capacity to develop and learn. A child who is ready for school has a combination of positive characteristics: he or she is socially and emotionally healthy, confident, and friendly; has good peer relationships; tackles challenging tasks and persists with them; has good language skills and communicates well; and listens to instructions and is attentive. The positive effects that ECD programs have can change the development trajectory of children by the time they enter school. A child who is ready for school has less chances of repeating a grade, being placed in special education, or being a school dropout.

Since children grow and mature at very different rates, it’s hard to say what “normal” is. There can be big differences in height, weight, and build among healthy children. Diet, exercise and genes are all factors. Some children begin puberty or are close to it before they are teenagers. Children start to become more independent from their parents. They may rebel. They also look outward —to their friends, who are usually of the same sex. Peer approval becomes very important. If children / teenagers associate with the wrong crowd, they can assimilate these behaviors and act out at home. Teen violence such as bullying, misuse of social media, physical violence with other children, etc., can be some emulated behaviors or a cry for help to other issues.

Whether these changes in behavior occur suddenly or progressively, parents need to find out the source of the problem. If these issues are not temporary and they cannot be resolved at home, as a parent, you need to seek professional help. Jennifer Nahrebeski is a mental health counselor who has dedicated her career to counseling children, adults and families, and provides a safe, calm and positive environment for families to process their difficult situations and begin to forward to a positive future together.

The optimal development of children is considered vital to society and so it is important to understand the social, cognitive, emotional, and educational development of children.

If you want to learn more about child development and how your child is mentally developing, contact counselor Jennifer for a consultation. All sessions remain confidential and will be conducted in a calm and warm atmosphere so you and your child can feel comfortable and safe. (716) 432-3656