Childcare: Key Info

Childcare: Key Info

1. Linking Development

   • Physical
     • Cognitive - by having a range of movements, it helps children to see and explore new things which helps them to learn more.
     • Emotional & Behavioural - it the children are not confident, theymay not be willing to try new skills.
     • Social - once children have a range on movements, they are able to join in and play with others.
   • Cognitive
     • Language & Communication - the has to learn new words from others to be able to say them.
     • Emotional & Behavioural - they have to be able to trust te key worker to be able to express their feelings.
     • Social - they have to learn new words to be able to communicate and make friends.
   • Language & Communication
     • Cognitive - children have to learn how to talk to one another.
     • Emotional & Behavioural - children are expressing their feelings by talking.
     • Social - to be able to socialise with other children, children have to learn to talk otherwise they will not want to make friends if they cant talk.
   • Emotional & Behavioural
     • Physical -you can express your feelings through physical activity.
     • Cognitive - if a child is sad, they will be less likely to want to learn.
     • Language & Communication - children will want to express their feelings more if they can talk.
     • Social - they need to be able to express their feelings to make friends.
   • Social
     • Physical - the more friends a child has, the more likely they will want to join in activities.
     • Cognitive - if children have the confidence, they will be more likely to want learn.
     • Language & Communication - children will socialise with others more if they are able to talk.
     • Emotional & Behavioural - if children feel able to express their emotions, they will more likely to want to socialise.

2. Growth

   • Growth = the increase in size of the body - in height, weight, and other measurable areas.
   • Centile Charts = a chart that you can plot measurements so you can see the growth of children and see if they are growing properly and are able to compare to other children.
   • Health Visitor = a person who visits peoples homes to assist parents with their children and monitoring their growth so use centile charts.
   • Factors Affecting Growth
     • Emotional Influences = children who have long periods of unhappiness are less likely to eat well, sleep and more likely to get sick.
     • Illness = lots of sickness may affect children's growth because they may not get enough nutrients or sleep.
     • Sleep = growth hormones are produced during sleep so is needed to grow big and strong. Babies need 12-14 hours sleep.
     • Nutrition = children need a balanced diet to gain a wide range of nutrients to allow muscles, bones and organs to stay healthy and grow.
     • Hormones = chemicals that act as messengers that tell cells to divide. Hormone production increases during periods of rapid growth such as puberty.
     • Heredity = genetic make-up inherited from biological parents. Some medical conditions can also be inherited and affect growth\ e.g. Turner Syndrome.
   • Key Aspects of Growth
     • Taller
     • Heavier
     • Longer Bones
     • Bigger Muscles
     • Bigger Brains
   • Measuring Growth
     • Height
     • Head Circumference
     • Weight

3. Development

   • Development = the gaining of skills and knowledge in all aspect of a child's life.
   • Holistic Development = looking at all the areas of development, not just one.
   • Milestones = the skills we expect a child to have achieved at a certain age.
   • Types
     • Social Development = focuses on relationships with others and how children maintain relationships e.g. being thoughtful.
     • Emotional Development = links to children's feelings and concerns for others and focuses on how children express their emotions and how they see themselves (self-concept) and feel about themselves (self-esteem).
       • Self-esteem = the way you feel about yourself which leads to high or low self-esteem.
       • Self-concept = this is what we believe we are like as a person and what we believe others think about us.
     • Communication & Language Development = understanding what people have said and making yourself understood.
     • Cognitive Development = concerned wit how we process information, called perception and links to imagination, problem solving and understanding concepts like colours and numbers.
     • Physical Development
       • Gross Motor Skills = large movements made with large bones e.g. running and kicking.
       • Fine Motor Skills = small movements made with small bones e.g. handwriting and sewing.
       • Locomotive Skills = these are required to move the body and allow the ability for balance.