Development during the preschool years

ONE YEAR

The child’s physical changes involve a transition from the plumpness of babyhood to the learner and more muscular body of a toddler. This is exciting time for a baby. 1-year-old begins to walk and talk. These skills, combined with a will of his or her own and a sense of independence, produce a determined explorer. Even though 1-year-old does not have a large vocabulary, he/she develops an increasing ability to understand language. This so-called passive language lays the groundwork for virtual explosion of language that occurs between ages 2 and 3. The average 18-month-old probably uses only about 10 words, but within a year he or she has a significant vocabulary and can speak in simple sentences. A child of this age is constantly exploring, by touching, holding, climbing, and mouthing.

TWO YEARS

At 2 years most children begin to communicate verbally. At some point after reaching 2 years, most children can tell you their name and the names of common objects. They can speak in three- to four-word sentences and even carry on brief conversations. Two-year-olds are most famous for negative behavior. Temper tantrums are common. Most 2-year-olds do not actively play with other children. Rather, they enjoy playing side by side with children their age. Two-year-old child is a great imitator. If you rake the lawn, 2-year-old may want to follow behind with a toy rake.

THREE YEARS

Three-year-old is more coordinated than he/she was at age 2. By age 3, most children can climb stairs with alternating feet, although most cannot descend in the same manner until age 4. A 3-year-old also can stand on one foot. Three-year-old’s vocabulary and pronunciation continue to expand. He/She can tell you his/her age and sex, and imitate simple drawings.

FOUR YEARS

A child of 4 speaks well enough for strangers to understand him/her, and sentences become increasingly complex. The imagination of a child this age is vivid, and the line between what is real and what is imaginary often becomes indistinct. Some children at this age develop fears. Common fears of the 4-year-old include the fear of death, animals, and the dark.

FIVE YEARS

A child of 5 is generally able to hop on one foot and even skip, can accurately copy figures, and continues to develop language skills. Children this age have the coordination required to write, and many have learned to do so. A 5-year-old is a social person. Unlike the younger child, when given a choice between spending time with his or her parents or friend, a 5-year-old child will almost invariably choose the friend.

Ex. 23. Say to what conclusion you have come after having read the text “Development During Preschool Years”.

Ex. 24. Give a summary of the following text in Ukrainian:

School years

Growth and development are slow and steady in the early school-age years, in sharp contrast with the rapid changes that occurred during the preschool years and those to follow during adolescence. A school-age child will gain about 7 pounds a year, and his/her height will increase by approximately 2.5 inches a year. The growth of a child’s head also will slow down. This is a time when a child’s brain has almost reached its adult size.

A child’s motor skills also will be refined between the ages of 6 and 12. During this period, running, jumping, and throwing show steady improvement.

During the period of rapid growth toward the end of the school-age years, children suddenly grow at dramatically different rates. School-age girls and boys have distinctly different growth patterns. There is a period during the late school-age years when girls are taller and heavier than boys. By the age of 13.5 years, most boys have grown taller than girls. Girls tend to weight less than boys until almost age 9 and after age 14, but they are heavier than boys between those two ages. Early puberty generally begins at about age 10 in girls and age 12 in boys.

In teenagers the external changes are obvious: body growth taller and heavier, and its shape changes. The bones grow too, even facial bones change. Fat collects on the buttocks and around the abdomen in boys and girls. Boys accumulate mostly lean tissue (muscle and bone), and girls add more fat. The result is that fat makes up 25 percent of the total body weight in girls and between 15 and 20 percent in boys.

OVERVIEW

The stages of life are as following: the germinal period; the embryo; the fetus; neonate; infant; child; adolescent; and adult. A great number of changes occur in the life of the newborn until 1 year of age. The brain is still developing at this time. By 6 weeks the infant is usually able to hold up its head and begins to smile in response to people. At 3 months of age the infant’s limbs are exercised aimlessly. The infant can follow a moving person with eyes. At 4 months the infant begins to do push-ups. It can begin to grasp things placed in its hand, roll from its back to its side, hold its head erect, and play with its hands. At 5 months the infant can usually laugh out loud, reach for objects, turn its head to follow an object, lift its head and shoulders, sit with support, and roll over. At 8 months the infant can recognize familiar people, sit up without support, and reach for specific objects. At 12 months the infant may pull itself to a standing position and may be able to walk without support. The infant can understand much of what is said to it and may say several words of its own.

LESSON 61

CHILD’S NUTRITION