Child Development
There are many different factors that influence a child’s development. In this essay I will discuss how heredity, culture, nutrition and parental affection all influence child Development across three different domains, the physical, cognitive and social-emotional. These four factors surround children in their everyday lives and they all influence child development in some way. Due to these factors child development is a unique and individual journey for every child. Firstly I will discuss heredity and the influences it has on the three domains of child development. Secondly, I will explain the influences culture has on them. Thirdly, I will discuss the influence of nutrition and, finally, parental affection and the impact it has.
“Heredity means the passing of traits to offspring from its parents or ancestors” (Wikipedia: the free encyclopaedia, n.d.). All humans have inherited human traits, some common and some individual. For example, eye colour, height, colour blindness, right/left handedness are all individual traits, whereas, all children have the capacity to learn how to walk, understand language, use simple tools, imitate others and draw inferences about how other people view the world (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, pp. 5-6). There are also heredity genetic disorders that are responsible for Cerebral palsy, Spina bifida, Cystic fibrosis and a wide range of other physical disabilities (McDaniel, n.d. para.7). By taking a child’s heredity traits into consideration there are many that may affect physical development. “For instance, children with Down syndrome are particularly susceptible to sprains and dislocations because of limited muscle tone and excessive mobility in their joints.” So therefore their physical development may be slower in some areas compared to an average, healthy child (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p.184).
Cognitive development is another domain that heredity is deeply grounded. “As Education.com reports, neurological
“Heredity means the passing of traits to offspring from its parents or ancestors” (Wikipedia: the free encyclopaedia, n.d.). All humans have inherited human traits, some common and some individual. For example, eye colour, height, colour blindness, right/left handedness are all individual traits, whereas, all children have the capacity to learn how to walk, understand language, use simple tools, imitate others and draw inferences about how other people view the world (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, pp. 5-6). There are also heredity genetic disorders that are responsible for Cerebral palsy, Spina bifida, Cystic fibrosis and a wide range of other physical disabilities (McDaniel, n.d. para.7). By taking a child’s heredity traits into consideration there are many that may affect physical development. “For instance, children with Down syndrome are particularly susceptible to sprains and dislocations because of limited muscle tone and excessive mobility in their joints.” So therefore their physical development may be slower in some areas compared to an average, healthy child (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p.184).
Cognitive development is another domain that heredity is deeply grounded. “As Education.com reports, neurological
References: Schreiner, E. (2010). Factors That Affect the Health & Physical Development of Children. Retrieved from http://www.modernmom.com/article/factors-that-affect-the-health-physical-