Principles of Growth and Development

Principles of Growth and Development

  1. Understand the basic principles of child growth and development: Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social (PIES).
  2. Acknowledge that each child is unique, and growth and development occur at different rates for each individual.
  3. Recognize the main stages of child development: Prenatal, Infancy, Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, and Adolescence.
  4. Identify the milestones that children typically achieve at various stages of development.
  5. Acknowledge that growth is a physical change and involves an increase in size or mass, while development involves complexity, including improvements in skills and abilities.
  6. Understand that a child’s cognitive development involves learning, understanding, problem-solving, reasoning, and memory.
  7. Emotional and social development involves understanding and expressing emotions, forming relationships, and learning to interact with others.
  8. Understand the theories of child development such as Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development and Piaget’s stages of cognitive development.
  9. Recognize the importance of nutrition, exercise, and sleep in promoting child growth and development.
  10. Understand the potential effects of various genetic and environmental factors on child growth and development.
  11. Recognize the role of professionals and agencies in supporting child growth and development.
  12. Understand the importance of observation and assessment in identifying children’s developmental needs.
  13. Know the signs of developmental delay and the importance of early intervention.
  14. Understand the potential impact of developmental delay on a child’s well-being and future life chances.
  15. Understand how to support children’s development through planning, implementing and evaluating activities which stimulate development and learning.
  16. Understand the role of play in child development, and how toys and activities can be used to support growth and encourage learning.
  17. Recognize the impact of cultural and societal attitudes towards childhood on a child’s development.
  18. Understand how children’s development can be negatively affected by factors such as poverty, instability, and neglect.
  19. Know the different types of developmental disorders, their symptoms, causes, treatments and how to support children with them.
  20. Understand the legal and ethical considerations related to assessing and supporting children’s developmental needs.