Prenatal

During the prenatal development, there are three stages that occur. The three stages are called
trimesters. According to (Berk,2012) many external body structures (face, arms, legs, toes,
fingers) and internal organs form. Production of neurons begins, occurring at an astounding pace.
The sense of touch emerges, and the embryo can move. Growth is rapid during this time of
development. During the second trimester the fetus can be stimulated as well as irritated by
sound. The brain continues to grow and make great strides during the third trimester. The mother
will begin to feel movement at this point in development. During the prenatal development stage,
families can sing, talk to, and listen to the fetus as it becomes a fully developed baby.
Berk, L. E. (03/2012). Child Development, 9th Edition. [Bookshelf Online]. Retrieved from
https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781269576192/

Infancy and Toddlerhood

During infancy children are holding their heads up and making smoother movements with
their arms and legs. The infants hand eye coordination is improving during this stage. The infant
will suck on his hand during this stage. During this stage the infant will babble and mimic the
sounds that he or she hears. A sign that may signal atypical development during infancy would
be if the child does not respond to loud sounds. One strategy that parents can use during this time
is to continue talking to the baby. Babies enjoy people talking to them. During toddlerhood,
children are standing and taking small steps. Toddlers will begin to try and repeat things they
hear and wave bye-bye. Cognitively toddlers like to explore things and pokes with index finger.
A sign that may signal atypical development during toddlerhood would be if the child doesnt
crawl or point to things. I would encourage the parents to talk to their toddler and play different
games with him.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_baby-milestones-1-to-6-months_1496585.bc
Berk, L. E. (03/2012). Child Development, 9th Edition. [Bookshelf Online]. Retrieved from
https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781269576192/
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-1yr.html

Early Childhood
During the early childhood stage children are able to walk up and down stairs without
assistance. They can also run easily, however, running is what they like to do during this stage.
Their language is improving and getting larger. Children will use a spoon and fork like an adult
at this stage of development. They can name most familiar things. They can follow 2 to 3 step
instructions. Playing make believe with toys is one of their cognitive developments as well as
copies a circle with a pencil. One sign that may signal atypical development during this period of
development would be if the child doesnt understand simple instructions. I would encourage the
parents to contact their pediatrician if this happens. One strategy that families can use to
influence their childrens learning and development during this period of development is
continue to use complete sentences, however, the child should be using 5 to 6 word sentences at
this time.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_what-to-expect-this-year-social-cognitive-and-physicalmiles_72303.bc http://www.babycenter.com/0_what-to-expect-this-year-social-cognitive-andphysical-miles_72303.bc
Berk, L. E. (03/2012). Child Development, 9th Edition. [Bookshelf Online]. Retrieved from
https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781269576192/
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-1yr.html

Middle Childhood
Middle Childhood is when the child does self-care development. The child should be able to
pack his or her own school bag as well as fix a sandwich and clean their room. Children in the
middle childhood stage are able to use proper grammar and read books above grade level. They
should be able to converse at adult level. The middle years of childhood are characterized by a
gradual increase in logical reasoning using concrete examples, increased awareness of memory
and learning strategies, and the achievement and consolidation of important academic skills, such
as reading, writing, and computing. http://www.education.com/
The child should have an increased attention span for listening and paying attention as well as a
more precise word use and sentence structure according to baby center.com. One sign that may
signal atypical development during this period of development would be poor living conditions.
One strategy that families can use to influence their childrens learning and development during
this period of development would be to encourage them to volunteer in the community and a
sports team at school.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_physical-development-milestones-speech-language-skillsages_3659052.bc
Berk, L. E. (03/2012). Child Development, 9th Edition. [Bookshelf Online]. Retrieved from
https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781269576192/
http://www.education.com/reference/article/developmental-milestones-middle-childhood/

Adolescence
Adolescence is the time when pre-teens and teenagers sleep a lot and will hit a growth spurt at
this time. They will comprehend over 40,000 words and continues to refine complex
grammatical structures. They are logical thinkers and they think hypothetically during this time.
One sign that may signal atypical development during this period of time would be the child
going through peer pressure and picking his own friends. This is a time when depression is
increased. One strategy that families can use to influence their childrens learning and
development during this time is to communicate with the adolescent and assure him that you are
there for them.

Berk, L. E. (03/2012). Child Development, 9th Edition. [Bookshelf Online]. Retrieved from
https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781269576192/
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002003.htm

http://www.rsd.k12.pa.us/Downloads/Development_Chart_for_Booklet.pdf