Introduction
According to Choo et al. (2019), child development refers to the continuous but predictable biological, emotional and psychological changes in individuals from birth to the end of adolescence. Choo et al. (2019), children’s developmental milestones vary depending on their developmental stage and age. Therefore, conducting a developmental assessment is vital as it helps promote health, early detection of diseases and offering counselling to avoid injury and health problems that may occur in the future (Srinath et al., 2019). This paper aims at conducting physical assessment for school-aged children taking a ten-year-old as an example during a typical assessment. It will also apply Piaget’s developmental theory to the child’s developmental assessment.
Physical Assessment Among School-Aged Children
School-aged children are in the age bracket of 5-12 years. Children at this age have different personalities and abilities and can easily manifest them in their interactions with others (Srinath et al., 2019). They enjoy being active and engaging in playful activities with their friends. Their motor skills are also developed, and by the age of 7, most children can count numbers, write their names, follow instructions to complete tasks, read age-appropriate books and name the days of the week in order. Developmental milestones common among children in the age bracket of 9-12 years are that they can engage in different sports activities, do various house chores, and know how to groom themselves. They can also read fluently, write stories and make decisions independently. Moreover, they value trust and can be hurt if trust is violated. Again, they are very interactive and start developing an attraction to the opposite gender.
While conducting an assessment among school-aged children, I would use various approaches based on the child’s age bracket. I would be friendly to children in the age bracket of 5-8 years to establish trust, as this would help them be at ease during the assessment (Srinath et al., 2019). I would also explain the importance of the procedure to them using simple language. For those aged 9-12 years, I would use questionnaires written in simple language where they can express themselves freely. Where they are okay with having open sessions, I would observe their body language as they answer questions. I would also ensure I obtain information about them from their parents, caregivers or peers.
Typical Developmental Assessment
The child in this assessment is Jason, ten years old. He is very interactive and enjoys playing football. He also feels some form of independence and prefers hanging out with peers other than his parents and caregivers. Children’s bodies at this age begin to grow and change drastically, and they start feeling attracted to the opposite gender. They have great independence, and they have increased concentration. In addition, they feel more concerned about their physical appearance and acceptance by peers (Srinath et al., 2019). Some kids at this age can handle conflicts with siblings, while others may have recurrent squabbles with younger siblings. Academically, they can write and read fluently and complete assignments independently.
Piaget Developmental Theory
Winstanley (2023) This theory was developed by Jean Piaget. It is a cognitive theory that suggests that children undergo stages of learning. The four stages are the sensorimotor stage for 0-2 years, the preoperational stage for 2-7 years, the concrete operational stage for 7-11 years, and the formal operational stage for ages 12 and above (Winstanley, 2023). Children aged ten years fit in this stage. According to Piaget’s theory, a ten-year-old child can use operations, think logically about issues and show improvement in inclusion tasks. However, they still experience difficulties with abstract thinking. Again, children in this stage become less egocentric and begin thinking about other people’s feelings.
The developmental assessment would involve asking the child more direct and simplified questions. These questions revolve around academic performance, peer interaction, siblings and parents. The caregiver or parent involvement will be needed to confirm the authenticity of the child’s responses. I would create a friendly environment for the child to express himself (Srinath et al., 2019). I would offer logical explanations during the assessment as the child at this age can think logically. From the findings, Jason has developed some form of independence and feels confident making his own decisions. He is skilled in various operations such as addition, multiplication, division, subtraction and fractions.
Conclusion
Children undergo various developmental changes in their various stages of development. Nurses conducting developmental assessments should know the various developmental milestones at every age to know what to assess. Various developmental theories explain the developmental milestones in children. One of them is Piaget’s theory, which explains cognitive development. Nurses use this theory to assess the cognitive development of children of all ages.
References
Choo, Y. Y., Yeleswarapu, S. P., How, C. H., & Agarwal, P. (2019). Developmental assessment: practice tips for primary care physicians. Singapore Medical Journal, 60(2), 57. https://doi.org/10.11622/smedj.2019016
Srinath, S., Jacob, P., Sharma, E., & Gautam, A. (2019). Clinical practice guidelines for assessment of children and adolescents. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 61(Suppl 2, 2019), p. 158. https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_580_18
Winstanley, M. A. (2023). Stages in Theory and Experiment. Fuzzy-Structuralism and Piagetian Stages. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 57(1), 151–173. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-022-09702-7
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