children with exceptionalities

Child with Exceptionalities
Name
Institution

CHILD WITH EXCEPTIONALITIES
DEVELOPMENTAL CHECKLISTS
Introduction
How a child learns, plays, acts, moves and speaks creates a vital understanding of the child’s growth. Most children can overcome various growth milestones as they age progressively. The purpose of this assessment is to observe (equipped with the right tools, inclusive of vision and hearing), record (checklists and surveys) and document the behavior and growth of a child. Observations are usually made on play-based interactions between the researcher and respective child, in this case a 3-year old child. The research was conducted in a child care center that clearly contributed to the social, physical, intellectual, communication and emotional (S.P.I.C.E.) development of a child. The center created an environment ideal for educational, health and entertainment of children. Presence of diverse toys and sporting activities made the center an epitome surrounding for positive development of a child.
However, the research was based on children with exceptional needs, but as reflected from the care center, the respective child (i.e. the 3-year old) despite the signs that she needs special attention, were not highly considered.
A parent/guardian requires an articulate checklist to identify the reaction of the child towards the stipulated milestones (Ali 2013), they include;
AGE
CHARACTERISTICS 3-YEAR OLD
SOCIAL Copies friends and adults Takes turns when playing games Separates with ease from dad and mum Undresses and dresses self Understands the meaning of ownership, i.

e. “mine” “his” or “hers” Develops strong bond with another child PHYSICAL Runs with ease Climbs easily and well Can pedal a 3-wheeled bike (tricycle) Takes step-by-step movement, up and down a staircase INTELLECTUAL Participates in make-believe with animals, people, and dolls Builds towers with at least 6 bricks Turns door handles, unscrews and screws jar lids Turns book covers progressively, i.e. one at a time COMMUNICATION Follows instructions simultaneously, can follow 2 or 3 progressive steps Can identify and name characteristic things Takes part in a conversation, i.e. can deliver 2 or 3 consecutive sentences in a held dialogue Can express self to strangers in a comprehensible manner Understands significant words like “on” “under” or “in” EMOTIONAL May get distraught with a sudden shift in routine Shows limitless affection to friends Shows concern for emotional (i.e. crying) friend When discussing about a child with exceptional needs, it is vital and highly crucial to examine the whole child, not being impartial to the needs alone. Any study conducted on a child should emphasize on how the child relates with other children and the exceptional capabilities the child possesses, rather than just focusing on the differential aspects of the child. Children are dissimilar from each other and they all possess unique needs. Sensitivity in language when dealing with children will be essential in attaining the right results.
From the above checklist one can deduce that the significant child (3-year old) is highly reactive to its emotional well-being at a very tender age, the way it interacts intellectually, however, grows with age. However, it can be deduced that the child is more inclined to introvert like behavior due to the anti-social traits demonstrated in the checklist. Despite this assumption, a decisive conclusion cannot be made since a child may react differently with a change of environment (i.e. loss of confidence when in a crowd). As parents watch their children grow they always have anxiety as to whether the child is growing normally. Behavioral traits are among the most substantial signs, let alone other physical related milestones, which dictate the development of a child (Chilton at el 2007).
In addition, the intellectual level, as much as this is an evolutionary phase, the checklist clearly illustrates that the child did not respond effectively to the checklist. Children, however, are curious of their environment and tend to relate with how people interact with them. Therefore, the results achieved by the checklist may be attributed to a number of assumptions such as; a shift from familiar environment, lack of confidence/stress, change in routine, emotional distress etc. Intellectual capabilities are highly interlinked with communication aspects, therefore, the child displays similar traits of anti-sociality as observed in the checklist. As a result, it can be deduced that the child might be of exceptional needs but further research is mandatory for articulate results.
Nonetheless, during the development of a child, there are a number of risks and/or concerns raised, which include;
Influence of nourishment (i.e. balanced diet) on child growth: a child requires a good diet that is rich in all nutrients requires for positive development. It boosts their cognitive and physical aspects as they grow progressively.
Influence of parents’/guardians’ literacy level on child growth: it has been discovered that poor education on maternal issues is a major variable that predetermines the development of a child. As much as literacy is connected with wealth, it is ideal for parents to understand the fundamental basis for child development. It is, however, discovered that children whose parents are of a low societal socio-economic stand tend to have challenges in growth. Such families tend to be involved in family matters such as; poor parenting, physical and verbal abuse etc.
Influence of wealth/poverty on child growth: the most vulnerable children are the most “imperceptible” despite the limitless efforts directed towards understanding human growth and poverty. Such children tend to survive in the most critical phases of emotional, social and cognitive development, despite the poor background. This, however, limits their chances to succeed, especially in school, since most of them lack adequate parenting.
In conclusion, based on the highlighted risks and concerns, the respective child under assessment should be observed keenly as she progresses with growth in order to avoid negativity in the overall development of the child. It is vital that the checklist offers a clear perspective of the child’s characteristics and how well to make the entire growth process of significant impact in her life. The study should be essential in making the child’s needs evident, but not subjecting the child to discrimination, rather making her develop like a normal child. References
Chilton, M., Chyatte, M., & Breaux, J. (2007). The negative effects of poverty & food insecurity on child development. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 126(4), 262.
Ali, S. S. (2013). A brief review of risk-factors for growth and developmental delay among preschool children in developing countries. Advanced biomedical research, 2.