Ch 2: Childhood & Adolescent Development
About This Chapter
Childhood & Adolescent Development - Chapter Summary
From fine and gross motor skills to self-identity awareness, the formative years of childhood and teenage development are highlighted by many emotional, cognitive and physical changes. This chapter is designed to present detailed information about key stages and developments during this part of human development.
You'll have the chance to study how children develop self-esteem, physical and brain development in children aged 2-12 years, changes in thinking during the teen years and changes marked by puberty. After you complete your review of this chapter, you should be able to:
- List changes in balance, coordination and intellectual abilities in early and middle childhood
- Define and discuss the development of gross and fine motor skills in children
- Identify the stage of mental growth in children and adolescents and explain how playing positively impacts a child's cognitive development
- Discuss social development stages in children and adolescents that impact self-esteem and identity
- Describe physical and cognitive changes in adolescents
- Provide details about sexual maturation and growth during adolescence
These short video lessons are taught by experienced instructors and offer illustrations, definitions and examples to make learning this material quick and easy. With 24/7 accessibility on any device, the lessons provide a flexible study schedule that's convenient for even the busiest of students. Helpful tools include the personal Dashboard that tracks your progress through the chapter and self-assessment quizzes that measure how much you have learned and retained from the lessons.

1. Physical Development in Early Childhood
Between the ages of two and seven, children grow and develop dramatically. Watch this lesson to look at some of the physical developments in early childhood, including balance, fine motor coordination and brain development.

2. Physical Development in Middle Childhood
Between the ages of seven and twelve, children physically grow and change in ways that influence every part of their lives. In this lesson, we'll look at the ways that physical and brain development impact emotional and intellectual abilities.

3. What Are Gross Motor Skills in Children? - Development, Definition & Examples
Gross motor skills allow children to control those body movements that require the use of large muscles in the legs, arms, and torso. Learn more about gross motor skills from examples and test your knowledge with a quiz.

4. What Are Fine Motor Skills in Children? - Development, Definition & Examples
Think of toddlers at a daycare, or the young actors in the movie 'The Kindergarten Cop.' What comes to mind? Is it small children doing arts and crafts or possibly running around with scissors? These are examples of fine motor skills, which children should develop around this age.

5. Cognitive Development in Children and Adolescents
If you were to observe children growing into their teenage years, you would notice their thinking and understanding develops over time. In this lesson, you will learn about the specific stages of mental growth in children and adolescents as outlined by Jean Piaget.

6. The Role of Play in Cognitive Development
When we think of childhood, we often think of playing. But did you know that playing is vital to a child's healthy development? In this lesson, we will learn about the various types of play that aid a child's cognitive growth.

7. Social Development of Children: Self-Esteem
The social development of children has a strong influence on self-esteem. In this lesson, we will explore the way children feel about themselves and look into several ways caretakers can improve a child's self-esteem.

8. Physical Growth in Adolescence
Adolescents go through many physical changes. Watch this lesson to find out some of the physical developments that happen during adolescence, including those related to puberty, growth spurts and differences in growth.

9. Changes in Cognitive Development During Adolescence
Adolescence is a period of great change. Changes in the way teenagers think can cause them to do things like argue with adults. Watch this lesson for more information on the cognitive changes that occur in adolescence.

10. Social Development of Adolescents: Identity
Adolescents often go through a process of discovering what they believe and who they are. In this lesson, we will examine how a teenager develops his or her self concept and identity. We will also take a look at common factors that influence a teen's identity.

11. Sexual Development and Maturation of the Adolescent
In this lesson, explore the changes that take place during puberty. You will meet Dick and Jane as they experience these changes, and you will be able to test your knowledge with a quiz at the end.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Exam: Study.com's Test Prep & Study Guide course
- Prenatal & Infant Development
- Types of Development in Adults
- Understanding Atypical Development
- General Medical Conditions & Vocabulary
- Neurological Conditions
- Musculoskeletal Conditions
- Evaluations in Occupational Therapy
- Frames of Reference & Models in Occupational Therapy
- Developing OT Treatment Plans
- Advocating for OT Client & Community Needs
- Implementation of OT Treatment Plans
- Groups in Occupational Therapy
- Feeding & Eating Skills for Occupational Therapy
- Orthotic & Prosthetic Devices
- Using Assistive Technology
- Environmental Accessibility
- Professional Development in Occupational Therapy
- Laws & Regulations in Occupational Therapy
- Ethics & Safety in Occupational Therapy