Physical description of the child
Laura is wearing a red, turtleneck, long sleeved shirt. She is in dark blue pants, with white open shoes. She is wearing two little ponytails on her head, each on the side. A silky hair band, which is dark blue in colour to match the pants she is wearing, holds the two ponies tight. She has medium, long dark hair. Laura is chocolate in colour of her skin. She has dark, brown eyes with a round nose situated just slightly above her small, thin lips.
Interview with the parent or caregiver
The interview was with the caregiver, who said that Laura is an extremely playful and jovial girl, who cries only when she is wet or hungry. She smiles at everyone and likes to be held all the time. The caregiver insinuated that she is extremely frightened with loud noise, and she can be able to tell who her mother is. The caregiver also said that she sleeps for most part of the afternoon after bathing, and has many friends. In addition, the caregiver said that Laura likes to look at brightly coloured pictures. She likes imitating the facial expressions that she sees within her surroundings. She can be able to hold two different things in her hands.
Interpretation of the Data
Introduction of the child
Laura has grown like any other normal child without any complications during her growth and development. However, sometimes she tends to act slightly more mature than her age. She has particularly strong attachments to her mother who goes to work and only comes back in the evening. When her mother delays from work, a change in her emotions can be seen clearly. She relies on the presence of the mother to feel secure. She likes experimenting with objects and sometimes she can hit someone to find out what they feel. Retaliating by hitting will make the child assume that hitting is an acceptable behaviour.
Physical development assessment
Laura’s weight is approximately thrice her birth weight, which was approximately 3.5 kilograms at birth. Depending on the activity that she does, her respiratory rate varies. Her rate of growth has significantly reduced. This is because of the increase in physical activities, which increases the rate of metabolism in the body. On observation, her chest circumference is slightly larger than the head circumference. Her legs are still bowed but not so much, and the body shape has started to change since she has started to lose baby fat. She can run around the house and sometimes, though, with difficulty, she tries to climb the stairs. Toys such as nestling boxes and shape fitters fascinate Laura. She likes almost anything that has a hidden surprise in it; this interest is increasing each day. Sometimes she even looks at the thrash-can after throwing of the litter to check what remains inside the can. She sometimes takes her toys and dumps them in the thrash-can so that they could also be emptied.
Cognitive development assessment
Laura enjoys playing games of hiding objects and then at the same time trying to find the same objects that she had hidden. When she was given a snack, she was capable of placing one of the toys she was playing with on the other hand in order to hold the snack in the other hand. The caretaker says that she likes looking at picture books. She is able to name many of the daily objects that she comes across. She makes toys or dolls then she insists that someone should look at them. Sometimes when she is playing, she dumps some coins inside a container and is able to dump them out again. She is capable of responding and understanding some facial movements that are commonly used. She sometimes imitates facial expression used by her caretaker.
Social/ Emotional development Assessment
Laura is capable of putting one of her feet on the ground while the other foot walks towards a number of toys that are piled up on the floor. Based on the assessment of this reaction, it is a clear indication that she has well developed gross motor skills. Gross motor skills can be defined as the physical abilities of the child, which involves large body movements such as walking and playing. Walking appears at about 15 months of the child’s development. Based on this judgement, Laura is within the correct age limit for her development, since at this stage she is in a position to walk around. When she is given a plate of snack, she claps as a sign of excitement. She picks up the snack and starts to eat it. This is a clear indication that she has developed finer motor skills, which entails small body movements. This movement includes the movement of the hands and fingers. According to this development, Laura is within the rightful age for her development, since the ability to use the hands and the fingers appears towards the end of the second year of a child development.
Summary of interpretation data
In summary, Laura’s growth and development is normal. Based on physical assessment done, she has significantly increased her weight since birth. Based on the cognitive assessment she has developed an attachment to her surrounding, and she feels safe being close to people she knows. Based on the assessment of this reaction, it is a clear sign that she has developed well gross motor skills as well the finer motor skills. She is capable of responding and understanding some facial actions commonly used. She even from time to time imitates facial expression worn by her caretaker. According to all the assessments made, this baby is growing well. She fits in well with all the stages of development. Generally, her physical, cognitive, and emotional developments are on the right track.
Theorist Application
Psychologists have proposed various theories of child growth. These theories include cognitive, behavioural, and psychoanalytic theories. All these theories play a crucial role in the general understanding of the development of the child.
An understanding of child development is necessary and essential. This is because it gives people a chance to recognise the cognitive, bodily, expressive, societal and instructive growth and development that kids undergo from birth to adulthood. Some of the concrete theories of child growth and development are referred to as grand theories. These theories attempt to illustrate every characteristic of improvement in a kid’s life; often by means of a stage method. Other minor theories are known as mini-theories. The mini theories centre on somewhat limited facet of growth and development of a baby, for example cognitive or societal development. The overall development of the child is dependent on the care and other environmental factors that she is exposed to. Most children growing in a hostile environment tend to be withdrawn and less social.