Arnold Gesell Developmental Milestones

Arnold Gesell developed some of the first milestones that children should meet. These milestones are called the Gesell Developmental Schedules. The schedule is supposed to be able to give the level of possible intelligence. Children who show early development were likely to have high intelligence according to the schedule. The schedule has fallen out of favor in regards to studying intelligence over the years. There is not enough proof to show that the schedules accurately measure intelligence potential. Gesell observation of children describe developmental milestones in ten major areas motor characteristics, personal hygiene, emotional expression, fears and dreams, self and sex, interpersonal relations, play and pastimes, school life, ethical sense, and philosophic outlook . The scale is used to this day to measure an infant’s intellectual development in which the infant may have developmental
issues Gesell began the idea that child development happens in stages. Gesell believed that child development was more biological than environmental; however, he explained that stable environment was important for development of their genetics.
Gesell Maturational Theory is an idea that children grow according to their biology, according to this theory, children or teenagers will only develop according to how they have programmed their genetics. The Gesell Maturational Theory implies that all environmental factors such as experiences or injuries play only a small role, if any, in child development. Gesell used criteria for early screening for cognitive growth, hand eye coordination, number familiarity, short term memory, visual and spatial perception and pre-mathematical skills are observed. For language screening, ability to understand speech, sentence structure, semantics, ability to verbally express one and ones vocabulary. Motor characteristics screening involves; fine motor skills, coordination balance and general motor skills and lastly social screening involves interaction with other children and adults, self regulation and self
help. According to Gesell, development of a child was more biological than environmental; whereby, he explained that stable environment was important for development of their genetics The Gesell Maturational Theory implies that all environmental factors such as experiences or injuries play only a small role, if any, in child development; according to Dr. Shonkoff healthy development of young children in the early years in life literally provides a basis for just about all the challenging social problems they face in their society . On he explains that the experience before and after that one gets as they grow up is what shapes their learning capacity, behavior and physical and mental health. Dr. Shonkoff explains that the brain is prepared to be shaped by the experience. It is expecting the experience that a young child has to experience. The interactions between genetics and experience shapes brain architecture and is mostly brought about by the reciprocal relationships that chat children have with adults; just like Gesell explains, stable environment is important for development of their genetics, however, according to Gesell, the environments effect on behavior is very minimal but according to Shonkoff this serve and return nature of children on any adults seems to be the main source of impact on a child’s brain that later results to a child’s behavior. If a child is emotionally and well put together and socially companied it results into positive and productive learning. Preoccupation of a child with fears and anxiety or any amount of considerable stress regardless of any intellectual gift he or she may possess will interfere with their learning .This concurs with Gesell’s theory. Shonkoff however doesn’t classify child development in stages; he explains that social and cognitive social developments are inseparable therefore happen almost simultaneously. According to Shonkoff, healthy or unhealthy child development is largely affected by the environment which is contrary to Gesell who explained that child development is more affected by biological factor than environment.