Explain the reasons why children and young people??™s development may not follow the expected pattern
There are many reasons why children??™s and young person??™s developments might not follow the expected pattern unfortunately in some cases although investigation takes place no reason is found but in most of the cases a reason is found and it might be one of the following.
Disability
Disability might minimise the possibility of development in a specific area of development but if the problem is tackled early the problem might be minimised an example of this might be of a child with a disability in one of his feet making it difficult for him to walk and it the problem is detected early and early support is provided for the child like specific walking aides to help him walk the developmental problem might be minimised.
Emotional reasons
How children feel emotionally plays an important part in their development as children that might be suffering from a depression or a low self esteem might not be keen and motivated to take risks in life and try out new things while children emotionally balanced take all the opportunities they might come across giving them the possibility to achieve their full potential
Physical reasons
Some children??™s development might not follow the expected pattern because of their genetic code which makes them develop at a slower rate than another children with to specific reason. Some children??™s development might also be affected by the rate the gorw physically. An example of the is a 2 year old that is not yet able to speak yet and so he/she is not able to reach his/her full potential.
Environmental Reasons
The environment in which the children are brought up affects their development this relates to the factors that influence children and young person??™s develpment like for exapmle children that are brought up in poverty and in stressed environment might not be offered the same opportunities as other children that might be brought up in a high class environment.
Cultural Reasons
The way families from different countries bring up their own children may vary enormously thus affecting the expected developmental pattern. This might be also where in some families the boys are given a different approach than girls and so affecting their development. An exampple of this is that in some countries the boys are thought that they have to study and do their most so as to grow up a work to earn money for their own family where as girls are tought to stay at home and learn how to take care of the house and the family as that is what they will be doing when they grow up. This affects their developmental pattern as they are not given the possibility to fulfil their needs.
Social Reasons
The expected developmental pattern may also be affected because of the family structure and the lifestyle the children are living in. Children with separated parents and that live in poverty are more likely to have negative thinking in life therefore not allowing them to develop as they should. Another possibility is when the parents are overprotective on their own children therefore not allowing them to explore in their life as well as not allowing them to take risks resulting like for example not allowing their own children to play outside on the soil resulting in affects in their own children??™s develpment. Children need to be included in family discussions as to show them that their opinion is valued and appreciated in order to help them develop their social skills.
Learning Needs
Children might be in need of specific learning needs that if they are not supported with the needs they require they might have problems with following their expected developmental pattern. The needs might be related to specific chromosomes, disease and difficulties during birth. An example of this might be a dyslexic child which if he/she is not given the support he/she needs, he/she might not reach his/her full potenitial.
Communication Skills
Communication is really important in a child??™s develpment Children with low level of communication might become frustrated easily as well as become aggressive; these children might find it hard to concentrate during activities that involve listening and processing the information. As communication links to literacy children with communication problems are affected in learning how to read and write.
All the above shows how important it is to recognise that a child??™s development is not typical to his/her age while it also shows how assessment should be done carefully and sensitively. In some cases assessment will pinpoint the problem while in other cases the primary carers of the child will notice a difference in behaviour than other children of the same age. Routine observations help to record any achievment achieved by the support that might be given to the child concerned
