CHILD DEVELOPMENT CASE STUDIES

Ashley Rowan
2016

Introduction

The case studies presented in this report are discussed in relation to development
across the physical, cognitive and social-emotional domains. The strengths, needs and
challenges of each child are examined, in order to identify for parents and carers the ways
this information may be used to assist parents and carers in supporting the children to reach
their full potential. The case studies are discussed with reference to development theories in
relation to teaching and learning, and the learning environment.

Case Study 1: Johnnie

Johnnie is 23 months old, he speaks around ten words clearly and is just beginning to walk.

Cognitive Development

Johnnie is at the end of the infancy, the phase beginning at birth and ending around
the second birthday. He may be said to be on the cusp between sensorimotor and pre-
operational stages of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, a time when language begins
to be used in a meaningful way (Peterson, 2004, p. 107).

From this constructivist viewpoint, mental development in infants may be

conceptualised as a process of assimilation, or constructing mental schemata by modifying
existing ideas to make them consistent with new information through accommodation. Within
this theory, Johnnie falls into Piaget’s sixth sub-stage in the growth of sensorimotor
intelligence. Occurring between 18 to 24 months, this sub-stage is categorised by increased
sophistication of motor action and perception, and the beginnings of symbolic representation.
It is during this time that children’s behaviour becomes more goal-oriented, experimental,
and creative, and they develop their understandings of object permanence, causality, deferred
imitation and conceptually-based categorisation (Berk, 2000, pp. 225, 231-5; Peterson, 2004,
pp. 130-135).

Johnnie’s cognitive development may benefit from increased participation in play in

stimulating environments. Play is one activity through which schemes are solidified in the
sensorimotor stage, with the emergence of mental representation. While Piaget considered
internal images of experience which children label with words as a result of sensorimotor
activity, recent research suggests that play both reflects and contributes to cognitive skills, in
addition to exercising an emotionally integrative function (Berk, 2000, pp. 224-7, 237).

An understanding of early oral language development assists in providing enjoyable,

stimulating and enriching language and literacy experiences (Talay-Ongan & Ap 2005, p.
79). A stimulating home environment equipped with objects the provide learning
contingencies promotes advances in learning (Peterson, 2004, p. 134). Parents are advised to
change toys regularly, and provide easily-categorised objects, accommodating for exploratory
behaviour (McDevitt, Ormrod, Cupit, Chandler & Aloa, 2013, p. 261).

In terms of language development, Johnnie may still be communicating through

protolanguage, the early utterances that precede true words (Talay-Ongan & Ap 2005, p.
83). It would be beneficial for Johnnie’s parents and carers to observe whether his utterances
resemble the words and structures of English, an indication that he is ready to transition from
protolanguage to mature language. Providing Johnnie with interactions which involve turn-
taking and joint attention, for example, through nursery rhymes and turn-taking games, may
assist in language development. These exchanges imitate fundamental features of language
and provide the basis for future language learning (Talay-Ongan & Ap 2005, p. 81).

Physical Development

From the perspective of dynamic systems theory, children integrate known motor
skills into more complex and dynamic patterns of behaviour (Burke, 2012, p. 221). Typical
gross motor skill development at Johnnie’s age includes the ability to walk and run, traverse
stairs, and kick a ball (Kearns & Austin, 2006, p. 66; Peterson, 2004, p.122; Twigg &
Jorgensen, 2013, p. 172); however, Johnnie does not appear to have attained sequential pre-
walking developmental milestones (Aloha & Kovacik, 2007, p. 101-2). Johnnie may be
experiencing delays in sensory integration and perception, an active process, one that both
fosters and profits from the baby's own increasingly skilled motor activities (Peterson, 2004,
p. 127).

One possibility to account for Johnnie’s lack of mobility could be dyspraxia, or motor
planning and execution. Children with this condition do not progress through the pre-walking
crawling stages, have trouble developing new motor skills, and are slow to achieve
developmental milestones. Early detection of this condition is important to avoid future
problems with social acceptance and low self-esteem (Aloha & Kovacik, 2007, p. 111). It is
therefore advisable that Johnnie’s parents are made aware of the symptoms of this condition,
and provided with support to seek a formal diagnosis if suspected.

Physical competencies may be fostered in Johnnie through a safe environment that

offers opportunities to practice a variety of motor experiences, through which he may develop
strength, flexibility and agility (Kearns & Austin, 2006, p.p 67-9) By the end of the infancy
phase, children generally exhibit a preference for moderately complex, intense or novel
stimuli, and integration of information, (McDevitt, Ormrod, Cupit, Chandler & Aloa, 2013, p.
261). Such factors may be beneficial to Johnnie’s physical development.

Case Study 2: Harry

Harry is 6 years old and has a twin brother. He loves sport and all things active. He is
experiencing difficulty listening to the teacher and being attentive and engaged in class

Cognitive Development

Harry’s difficulties listening and engaging in class has a number of possible

underlying causes. One such cause may be a deficit or other issue pertaining to auditory
perception skill, particularly auditory awareness, or the simple recognition of the presence of
sound. Early detected of impairments such as this is important for the timely execution of
supportive strategies, concerns should immediately to referred to parents for further
investigation and diagnosis (Kearns & Austin, 2006, pp. 71, 80).

Harry exhibits behaviours which may be attributed to undiagnosed attention deficit

disorder (ADD). Specifically, Harry is experiencing difficulties listening to the teacher and
being attentive and engaged in class, showing signs of inattention. Children with this
characteristic may daydream, have trouble listening to and following directions, or give up
easily when working on difficult tasks. They may also be easily distracted by their own
thoughts or external stimuli. Issues with cognitive processing, academic achievement,
interpersonal skills or classroom behaviour may also be apparent in these children (McDevitt,
Ormrod, Cupit, Chandler & Aloa, 2013, p. 280).

Delays in the typical neurological maturation process or specific brain abnormalities

may be reflected in a deficit in executive functions. It would be beneficial for Harry’s
classroom teacher to make observations of Harry in class, in order to determine the cause of
his inattentiveness, in addition to consulting experts when learning behaviour problems might
reflect a cognitive disability (McDevitt, Ormrod, Cupit, Chandler & Aloa, 2013, pp. 261,
280).

From the perspective of information processing theory, attention is an important

factor in the interpretation, storage and recall of information. This theory conceptualises
attention as the process through which information moves from the sensory register into
working memory. Attention is essential to the learning process, with brain maturation a factor
in the development of this trait, evidenced in the continuous development of the cortex in
early life. Other factors influencing attention include stimulus, familiarity and age. Strategies
to foster Harry’s cognitive development therefore include minimising distracting stimuli at
home and in the classroom, and provide extra scaffolding for studying, homework and other
learning tasks (McDevitt, Ormrod, Cupit, Chandler & Aloa, 2013, p. 281).

Social-Emotional Development

A number of determinants influence the effects of siblings on a child’s social-

emotional development, including, age, sex, and the quality of both parent-child and marital
relationships within the family (Hoffnung, Hoffnung, Seefert & Burton-Smith, 2010, p. 34).
Additionally, siblings may strive to be unique individuals, different from one another (Berk,
2008, p. 507), and this may be especially important in terms of twins. Harry has a twin
brother, a factor which may have effects on his social-emotional development, with both
positive and negative sibling interactions aiding the understandings of the needs, feelings and
intentions of others (Hoffnung, Hoffnung, Seefert & Burton-Smith, 2010, p. 34).

The attentiveness of parents to the social needs of all of their children may affect
social development. Negative sibling relationships may be attributed to child-perceived
parent treatment of other siblings (Hoffnung, Hoffnung, Seefert & Burton-Smith, 2010, pp.
34-5). Berk (2008) asserts that parental comparisons are more frequent for same-sex siblings
of a similar age, with quarrelling, antagonism and adjustment difficulties ensuing as a result.
This may be especially noted in family situations affected by financial stress, marital conflict,
or single parenthood. Berk also suggests that child favouritism by the father may incite
feelings of anger in a child, due to the relative lesser time children generally spend with
fathers as opposed to their mothers. Finally, the increase of sibling rivalry in middle
childhood may be attributed to parental comparisons between children based on traits and
accomplishments. A child may be resentful and possess decreased adjustment skills when
provided with disapproval and less parental affection (Berk, 2008, p. 507)

However, a number of positive counter-points exist to these effects. Siblings provide

school-age children with an important source of companionship, assistance and emotional
support, particularly in times of stress and parental conflict. Positive sibling relationships also
assist in establishing and fostering family values and social skills (Berk, 2008, p. 507;
Hoffnung, Hoffnung, Seefert & Burton-Smith, 2010, p. 35). Harry’s parents may assist in
offsetting these potential negative effects, such as sibling rivalry, by making efforts not
compare the twins (Berk, 2008, p. 507).

Case Study 3: Maryanne

Maryanne is 8 years old, has been in a wheelchair since birth and is linguistically moderately
gifted. She is starting to feel isolated from her friends.

Cognitive Development
 For Piaget, the concrete operational stage between seven and eleven years old
represents an important point in cognitive development. This stage is characterised by
operational reasoning that is increasingly logical, flexible and organised. Cognitive
developmental milestones between the ages nine and eleven include a larger and better
organised knowledge base, the enhancement of cognitive self-regulation, and the application
of a variety of memory and organisational strategies. Children become adept in problems of
conservation, spatial direction, distance, directions, cognitive mapping (Berk, 2000, pp. 251-
2, 256).

In information-processing theory, middle childhood is characterised by the

automation of many basic skills and increased symbolic nature of thought. Children begin to
explore hierarchies, cause and effect and other interrelationships among ideas in various
disciplines (McDevitt, Ormrod, Cupit, Chandler & Aloa, 2013, p. 261).

Maryanne is moderately linguistically gifted, and would benefit from support in

fostering a mastery approach to learning to maintain and further her success. This method
takes an incremental view of ability, purporting that effort is the key to success. A mastery
approach may be promoted through meaningful and cognitively-appropriate tasks related to
her interests, in addition to regular communication between teacher and parent to discuss
ways to foster effort and further progress between Maryanne’s teacher and parents. Support
and feedback which communicates confidence in a child’s abilities from both parents and
teachers is similarly beneficial, however caution should be taken in using trait statements as
praise, as this instead encourages a fixed view of ability. Finally, Maryanne’s ability may be
strengthened through cooperative learning and peer tutoring of less able children (Berk, 2008,
pp. 487, 523).

Social-Emotional Development

Social-emotional development is crucial for young children's understanding of

themselves and others (Twigg & Jorgensen, 2013, p. 173). Maryanne is beginning to feel
isolated from her friends, a situation which has potential impacts on her social-emotional
wellbeing. For example, children’s self-concept is related to physical appearance and
capacities and may affect self-esteem (Kearns & Austin, 2006, p. 59), as such Maryanne’s
confinement to a wheelchair may negatively affect her self-esteem.
 Friendship in middle childhood are characterised by mutual trust, reciprocity and the
organisation of peer groups. These attachments are often formed with peers of common age,
sex, race, ethnicity, personality, and academic achievement, with girls forming more
exclusive and closer friendships. The practice of rejection and exclusion from these groups,
as may be occurring in Maryanne’s case, may be countered by adult intervention and
guidance (Berk, 2008, p. 524-527; Hoffnung, Hoffnung, Seefert & Burton-Smith, 2010, p.
37).

In-school intervention may be of use in addressing some common aspects of social-

emotional development. For instance, a class discussion/learning module which addresses the
concept of perspective taking. Children’s development of perspective taking understanding
and skills are refined in middle childhood, improving their capacity to image the thoughts and
feelings of others. Maryanne is in level 2 of Selman’s (in Berk, 2008) stages of perspective,
in which she has or is developing the ability to view thoughts and feelings from another’s
perspective. Explanation of viewpoints by adults and peers, as well as experiences for
coaching and practice, fosters perspective taking, promoting empathy, sympathy, and positive
social skills (pp. 490-2, 523).

Maryanne may also benefit from assistance in employing strategies for stress of
problem-centred coping, in which the child identifies actions which may be taken in order to
overcome adversities in a changeable situation, and emotion-centred coping, a private and
internal means of controlling distress in unchangeable circumstances. Children alternate
between these coping techniques for regulating emotion in different contexts (Berk, 2008, p.
490, 523).

Furthermore, Maryanne’s long-term health and wellbeing may be nurtured through

resilience education (Twigg & Jorgensen, 2013, p. 173). Resilience is not innate, it is a
capacity that develops through childhood experiences and supported by factors such as the
child’s personal characteristics, positive family situation, authoritative parenting, and social
structures within school and the wider community (Berk, 2008, p. 525).
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