Early Childhood: Age 2 to 6 Biosocial Development

Early Childhood: Age 2 to 6 Biosocial Development How does a preschool child’s body change?

What happens when children grow?  Body slims down – taller & thinner

 Center of gravity lowers  Enables swinging, gymnastics, etc.

2 years old

6 years old

How does nutrition effect children?  Overweight children  = overweight adults  Diabetes  Heart disease

How do cavities & gum disease effect children?  Early tooth decay = most common disease in young children

in developed countries  Harms permanent teeth  Jaw malformation, speech  Overall health

Do you remember?  What body changes do children go through from 2 – 6 years

old?  What is the effect of being overweight in young children?  What is the effect of poor dental hygiene in young children?

What about brain development?

Myelination  Myelin coating of axons

 Speeds brain processing  Focused on the motor and sensory areas

Corpus callosum  Connects right and left hemispheres

 Increases coordination  Increases communication between both sides of the brain  Lateralization  Each side specializing

Left hemisphere controls right side  Left is language & speech

 Left is logical  Detailed analysis  Detail focused

Right hemisphere controls left side  Creative

 Emotional  Big picture focused

All thinking required both sides of the brain

Prefrontal cortex  “Executive” brain  Planning, analyzing, prioritizing

 Immaturity = Impulsiveness & tendency to persevere (keep

repeating)  E.g. “Are we there yet?”

 Longest period of development  Matures during adolescence

Do you remember?  What does myelination do?

 What does the corpus callosum do?  What do the left and right hemispheres do?  What does the prefrontal cortex do?

Emotions  Based on the limbic system  Amygdala  Hippocampus  Hypothalamus  Aid in emotional expression

and control

Amygdala  Registers positive & negative emotions

 Related to night terrors  Children model after parents

Hippocampus  Memory  Can work with amygdala to recall emotions

Hypothalamus  Produces hormones to activate parts of the body in response

to signals from the amygdala and hippocampus.  E.g. stress and the fight or flight syndrome

Motor skills  Gross  Large muscles  E.g. riding a bike, swinging,

kicking a ball  Fine  Small muscles  Writing, drawing, pouring juice

 Girls tend to develop 6 mos.

Earlier than boys

Do you remember?  What does the limbic system do?

 What produces emotions?  What helps with memory?  What helps you in “fight or flight” situations?

 What are gross and fine motor skills?

Injuries and abuse

Three levels of prevention for avoidable injuries  Primary prevention  Preventing a high risk situation from

ever existing  E.g. Sidewalks and overpasses  Secondary prevention

 Reducing the risk in an existing high

risk situation  Salt on roads  Crossing guards

 Tertiary prevention  Reducing damage after injury  Emergency room procedures  HEPA filters for children with asthma

What are the types of child maltreatment?  Child abuse  Deliberate physical, emotional,

or sexual harm  Child neglect  Failure to meet physical or

emotional needs

Abuse

 Law required reporting

suspected maltreatment

Neglect

What are the symptoms of maltreatment?  Injuries

 Fantasy play – violence & sexual  Hostility  Impulsive reactions  E.g. Cringing

 Fear of caregiver  Hypervigilance

Do you remember?  What are the three levels of prevention of childhood injuries?  Give examples of each

 Which level pf prevention reduces injury after injury?  What is the difference between child abuse and child neglect?  Give examples of each

 What symptoms would you look for in children you suspect

of maltreatment?