Development assessment entails the collection of basic data about a child’s growth and
development. The vital components of data collected for assessment include language, physical,
cognitive, social-emotional development, and approaches to learning. Besides monitoring
growth, development evaluation is vital for physicians and caregivers to identify gaps and special
needs of children that may require support. Thorough examination provides a basis for
determining appropriate interventions to support the special needs of a particular child.
Additionally, it allows evaluators to design personalized approaches for individuals of groups of
children of the same age to provide care. Parents and guardians of the child are a vital component
of the evaluation process; thus, providing grounds for engagement and consensus on child
support. Hence, child assessment plays a critical role in determining the developmental level and
gaps of children and designing appropriate support measures to support their special
development needs. Since different children have distinct needs, varied methods are used to
assess them.
Comparing Physical Assessments
Indeed, different children need distinct evaluation approaches given that human
development needs vary across different ages. One of the most effective way of assessing
children’s development process is observation through interactions with them to note vital signs
in their conduct. While the observation through interaction method is applicable for children
across all ages, assessors may require modifying the approaches to match the development needs
of different children. For example, parents are best placed to provide information of a 5-year old
compared to 10-year old children who can explicitly express themselves. Other approaches of
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child assessment include parent and caregiver ratings, standardized tests, and portfolios (Ensink
et al., 2017). During interactions with a 5-year-old child, assessors can read out questions and
write answers for them or ask parents to describe certain elements; however, this approach can
limit the efficiency of interactions with a ten- or twelve-year-old child. This variation is
attributed to the different psychological, emotional, and physical aspects that distinguish ten-
year-old from five-year-old minors. ten-year-old children have greater cognitive abilities than
five-year-old child, it is important to use approaches that can determine the level of development.
For instance, physicians can modify the data collection method to include interactive observation
with such a child since they can effectively express themselves through either verbal or written
ways.
Typical Development Stages of 1O Years Old Children
Children undergo various development stages. Ryan is a 10-year-old African American
boy attending the 4 th grade at a neighborhood school. Ten-year-old children are at a stage
characterized with social-emotional, physical, and cognitive development. physical growth
occurs steadily as puberty approaches. Moreover, at this age, the child typically demonstrate
ability to solve problems and be more independent. Boys are between 4 and 5 feet tall and weigh
between 65 and 90 pounds (Morin, 2019). At this stage, children can have a growth of about 4
inches annually. Additionally, the child becomes stronger in stamina, balance develops, and
coordination improves. Participation in team activities also increases as they enhance ability to
perform detailed activities, like painting. When it comes to cognitive development, 10-years old
children grow their reading and writing abilities and can speak clearly (Morin, 2019). They can
now develop abstract and critical thinking, which manifests in the ability to follow detailed
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instructions, reason through problems, and plan. At the age of ten years, boys are still attached to
the parents although they may begin to form stronger relations with peers.
How to Developmentally Assess the Child
There are various ways of evaluating the development process of children of different
ages. For 10-year old children, it is critical to take note of the changing physical and cognitive
aspects. During this stage, they begin to become more aware of their physical body and sign of
puberty develop on their bodies. Besides, as an assessors, I would critically evaluate the child’s
ability to integrate new skills and ability to interact with others and form new relationships. To
determine effective developments, children must exhibit competence in reading and writing and
possess the capacity to do things on their own. Besides, the nature of relationships a child
established with people and things in their environment is a crucial marker of development.
Erickson’s ego-centric theory of development provides insights into a person’s
development process. Ryan and other 10–12-year-olds fall in the industry vs. Inferiority stage,
also known as latency stage (McLeod, 2018). Erickson posits that this is the final stage of
childhood marked with child’s ability to learn and integrate new skills to interact and form
relationships with peers. This stage is critical for developing a sense of independence and pride
for their capabilities. If supported, children can develop their confidence and foster positive self-
esteem (Rubin et al., 2015). However, if not supported, they become frustrated. Besides, children
begin to group self-identify relating to contextual conditions and encounters that contribute to
shape own perception and self-image.
Assessors can use different approaches to foster cooperation such as encouraging
children to continue trying and praising them for the results they attain. Evaluating children and
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providing feedback and guidance can help children to develop. When children excel in certain
tasks, encouraging them can reinforce growth. Praising children for their efforts and efforts can
help children to grow emotionally and socially. Besides, it is important for children to learn that
failure is part of the growth process. Through written responses, the evaluator can obtain
information about his friends, likes, and dislikes, which is critical to note the things that make
him feel superior and inferior. The Erikson’s psychological theory is vital to determine what is
expected of a child at a particular stage of development. .
Conclusion
Child development assessment is crucial to determine the welfare and progress of
children. The assessment process allows caregivers to identify children’s special needs and
influence decisions on appropriate support. Besides, it provides an opportunity for collaboration
between parents and care providers to support children’s special needs. However, physicians
must recognize the changing needs of children with time to modify assessment mechanisms for
accurate results. Moreover, physicians must incorporate some theoretical aspects such as
Erickson’s development stages to determine what is expected of children of different ages in the
assessment process.
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References
Ensink, K., Leroux, A., Normandin, L., Biberdzic, M., & Fonagy, P. (2017). Assessing
reflective parenting in interaction with school-aged children. Journal of Personality
Assessment, 99(6), 585-595. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2016.1270289
McLeod, S. (2018, February 5). Eric Ericson’s stages of psychosocial development. Simply
Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html
Morin, A. (2019). Developmental milestones for fourth and fifth graders.
Understood. https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/signs-
symptoms/developmental-milestones/developmental-milestones-for-typical-fourth-and-
fifth-graders
Rubin, K. H., Bukowski, W. M., & Bowker, J. C. (2015). Children in peer groups. Handbook of
Child Psychology and Developmental Science, 1-
48. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118963418.childpsy405