Why Children's Development May Not Follow The Expected Pattern Essay

Explain the reasons why children and young people’s development may not follow the expected pattern.

Experts have devised a standard pattern of development for a healthy child in ideal conditions. But it is not possible that every child is born fit and gets the deserved conditions. Nature and nurture both equally contribute to the development of a child. Deficiencies in nurturing and/or abnormalities of nature may cause development not to follow the expected pattern. Natural factors are mainly personal, physical, emotional, etc. while nurturing is contributed by family, environment, culture, expectation, exposure, etc.

 Disability: may have limitations to physical activities and affect several areas of development. If physical movements are restricted due to disability, then certain skills are hard to develop. Early support might help minimize the effects of disability. These children require additional support to help them develop which can involve providing the child with equipment that can allow the child to be more independent. for e.g. wheelchairs, walking equipment can help child move around and access resources.

 Sensory impairment or Genetic disorders: This could affect child’s communication and reading-writing ability. Children with hearing

impairment often have problems with speech and communication.

 Learning difficulties: cognitive difficulties, Dyslexia or slow learner have limitations on their ability to read write so their language, intellectual and communication skills may not develop as expected.

 Emotions: Children with emotional problems like depression are very moody do not participate in activities or do not have strong friendships lack confidence or fall behind. This affects their social and communicational development.

 Family: healthy relationship has positive effect on child’s development.

Love, warmth, comforting, encouraging support from parents, siblings and other relatives brings the best out of the children. Every family has own style and beliefs which affect child’s development. Parents Aspirations and expectations have fruitful or stressful effects on development. Changes in family relations by divorce or death, redundancy or family financial crisis changes many things in child’s development. Also a child who has not formed an attachment or bonded with a primary carer, or whose attachment has been disrupted, may also be affected, as their feeling of personal identity and security will not develop as

expected.

 Culture: How parents bring up their children has great effect on development. Cultural beliefs, rituals can impose restriction on child’s freedom affecting their development. For e.g. in some countries in China, India girls are deemed second class to boys resulting less or no exposure to education. So despite having capability, girls are not able to develop intellectually, language or communication

 Environment: Where child grows the community and conditions around effect on development. Poverty and deprivation means basic needs of food, shelter, education may not be fulfilled. This has a great impact on child’s health, knowledge and wellbeing. For e.g. Situations in Syria has affected so many individuals.