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Developmental Assessment and the School-Aged Child

Developmental Assessment and the School-Aged Child

Developmental assessment is meant to evaluate a child’s physical and psychosocial developmental milestones based on the child’s age and the milestones required from children of that particular age. Developmental assessments also help identify developmental disorders early and thus help plan management interventions (Coscini et al., 2022).

Pediatric patients of different ages have different health needs depending on their ages. The assessment done on pediatric patients also differ; thus, the nurses must have the assessment techniques that suit the age of the child being assessed.

This essay examines the needs of a school-aged child between the age of 5 and 12. A comparison of the physical assessments among school-aged children, assessment techniques, the typical developmental stages of an 8-year-old, and the application of Piaget’s developmental theory to assess the child will be discussed.

Physical assessment for school children of different ages may differ. Comparing the assessment of a 5-year-old to that of a 12-year-old child will require different assessment techniques. The 5-year-old may not have information on their health history, thus requiring the presence of a parent or caregiver, while the 12-year-old may give all the responses required. The patient’s needs differ in age. Thus, the assessment technique should be modeled in consideration of these needs.

For instance, a physical assessment of the 12-year-old may require privacy, while a physical assessment of the 5-year-old may be done when the parent is present. Physical assessment of the 5-year-old may include fine motor skills assessment and shedding of deciduous teeth, while assessing a 12-year-old may include evaluating whether puberty onset is occurring. However, the assessments for both ages may also have some similarities. For example, both assessments require a physical examination.

The developmental stages and milestones of children depend on age. The typical developmental stages that an 8-year-old should have achieved include language, cognitive, sensory, motor, physical, and social/emotional development (Malik and Marwaha, 2018).

A child at this age will develop complex language skills such as pronunciation. They will be more physically active doing physical activities such as jumping and skipping, have begun to make social friends, and are learning to cooperate and feel comfortable in a group. If the child’s language, emotions, thinking, movement, and behavior meet these developmental milestones, the child is said to be developing as expected.

Various developmental theories exist to explain the developmental stages human beings go through and guide developmental assessments at various levels. Jean Piaget developed a cognitive development theory that explains children’s cognitive development from birth to 12 years (Sangyhi, 2020).

Based on the theory, cognitive development occurs in four stages: the sensorimotor stage occurs from 0-2 years, the preoperational stage occurs from 2-7 years, the concrete operational stage occurs from 7-11 years, and the formal operational stage occurs at 12 years. School-aged children fall at the preoperational stage and transit to the concrete and formal operational stages. In this case, for the 8-year-old, who is at the concrete operational stage, the assessment should focus on the ability of the child to use logic, reasoning, and solve concrete problems. The developmental milestones of this stage are the ability to use reasoning and logic and solve complex problems.

The strategies I would use to ensure maximum cooperation from the child during the assessment include being friendly, ensuring the assessment environment is child friendly, and allowing the child to be accompanied by a parent or caregiver to prevent them from fearing me.

According to Rose et al. (2018), making the assessment environment child-friendly enhances the child’s cooperation. I would also ensure I offer explanations to the child and the parent where necessary, consider the child’s level of understanding in acquiring the assessment results and ensure there is nothing left out. The potential findings of the assessment include the ability to use logic, and the child can solve concrete problems.

A child’s developmental stage is an essential factor to consider when developing the appropriate techniques for developmental assessments. Assessing a child’s development against the standard developmental milestones enables the care provider to identify any deviations and plan interventions to correct them. Maximum cooperation from the child should be encouraged.

References

Coscini, N., Heyes, P., Bedford, H., Cohen, E., D’Aprano, A., Goldfeld, S., Hargreaves, D., Loveday, S., Nejat, S., Roberts., Saradi, A., Saunders, N. R., Woolfenden, S. & Milner, K. (2022). Multicountry review: developmental surveillance, assessment, and care by outpatient pediatricians. Archives of Disease in Childhood. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2021-322799

Malik, F., & Marwaha, R. (2018). Developmental stages of social-emotional development in children. Retrieved from https://europepmc.org/article/PMID:30521240

Rose, E., Lehrl, S., Ebert, S., & Weinert, S. (2018). Long-term relations between children’s language, the home literacy environment, and socioemotional development from ages 3 to 8. Early Education and Development, 29(3), 342-356. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2017.1409096

Sanghvi, P. (2020). Piaget’s theory of cognitive development: a review. Indian Journal of Mental Health, 7(2), 90-96. https://indianmentalhealth.com/2020/vol7-issue2/5-Review-Article_Piagets-theory

Developmental Assessment and the School-Aged Child Instructions

WEEK 2 NRS-434VN-O505

Developmental Assessment and the School-Aged Child

Assessment Description

The needs of the pediatric patient differ depending on age, as do the stages of development and the expected assessment findings for each stage. In a 500-750-word paper, examine the needs of a school-aged child between the ages of 5 and 12 years old and discuss the following:

  1. Compare the physical assessments among school-aged children. Describe how you would modify assessment techniques to match the age and developmental stage of the child.
  2. Choose a child between the ages of 5 and 12 years old. Identify the age of the child and describe the typical developmental stages of children that age.
  3. Applying developmental theory based on Erickson, Piaget, or Kohlberg, explain how you would developmentally assess the child. Include how you would offer explanations during the assessment, strategies you would use to gain cooperation, and potential findings from the assessment.

You are required to cite a minimum of three peer-reviewed sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years, appropriate for the assignment criteria, and relevant to nursing practice.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Attachments

NRS-434VN-R-CLC-Agreement-Student.docxNRS-434VN-R-CLC-Agreement-Student.docx

REFERENCES NEED TO BE WITHIN 2017-2022

RUBRIC

Developmental Assessment and the School-Aged Child – Rubric

Rubric Criteria

Comparison of Physical Assessment Among School-Aged Children

Criteria Description

Comparison of Physical Assessment Among School-Aged Children

  1. 5: Excellent

A detailed comparison of physical assessments among different school-aged children is presented. How assessment techniques would be modified depending on the age and developmental stage of the child is thoroughly described. Insight is demonstrated into the physical assessment of school age children.

Typical Assessment for a Child of a Specific Age

Criteria Description

Typical Assessment for a Child of a Specific Age

  1. 5: Excellent

The typical developmental stage of a child between the ages 5 and 12 is accurately and thoroughly described.

Developmental Assessment of a Child Using a Developmental Theory (Erickson, Piaget, Kohlberg)

Criteria Description

Developmental Assessment of a Child Using a Developmental Theory (Erickson, Piaget, Kohlberg)

  1. 5: Excellent

A child assessment based on a developmental theory is thoroughly described. Well-developed strategies to gain cooperation and for how explanations would be offered during the assessment are presented. The potential findings expected from the assessment are all accurate and described in detail.

Thesis Development and Purpose

Criteria Description

Thesis Development and Purpose

  1. 5: Excellent

Thesis is comprehensive and contains the essence of the paper. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.

Argument Logic and Construction

Criteria Description

Argument Logic and Construction

  1. 5: Excellent

Clear and convincing argument that presents a persuasive claim in a distinctive and compelling manner. All sources are authoritative.

Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use)

Criteria Description

Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use)

  1. 5: Excellent

Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English.

Paper Format (use of appropriate style for the major and assignment)

Criteria Description

Paper Format (use of appropriate style for the major and assignment)

  1. 5: Excellent

All format elements are correct.

Documentation of Sources

Criteria Description

Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style)

RESOURCES

Health Assessment: Foundations for Effective Practice

Read Chapter 2 in Health Assessment: Foundations for Effective Practice. Use the Appendix as needed to complete your assignments

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https://www.gcumedia.com/digital-resources/grand-canyon-university/2018/health-assessment_foundations-for-effective-practice_1e.php