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Essay / 3-Sample Observation Report of a One-Year-Old Child: Physical and Cognitive Development 3-year-old boy named Christian was assessed by performing several exercises, which were recorded on video. A therapist led these activities, in which his six-year-old sister Clara also participated. Christian spends two days a week in kindergarten and the rest at home with his parents and his sister, when she is not at school. He is more interested in active games like riding a balance bike (without pedals) and skateboarding, which he is reasonably good at, rather than in sedentary activities like drawing. This assignment focuses on gross motor skills, fine motor skills, language and communication, milestones in cognitive and psychosocial areas and whether or not Christian has achieved them. Christian is observed in a class where multiple activities are offered such as drawing, playing with toys and various physical activities such as jumping and catching a ball. The information also comes from his parents. Their development will be compared to what is expected of a three-year-old (Queensland Health Child Development Milestones) to determine whether appropriate standards have been achieved. Theories of lifespan development, notably those of Piaget and Erikson, will be linked to Christian's performance. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In-Depth Analysis (Gross Motor Skills) Movement is a sequence of gross and fine motor patterns as well as fundamental motor skills. Christian engages in various activities that involve control of larger muscle groups; for example, walking, throwing or jumping. These abilities facilitate the development and coordination of the arms, legs, hands, feet, head, neck and torso. Important characteristics of global skills include postural control (both static stability and dynamic control), body awareness, and musculature. These are essential life skills, and supporting the growth of a child's overall motor development improves their short- and long-term physical outcomes. Catching and Throwing During the catch and throw assessment, Christian showed great enthusiasm and energy. Measuring deep catching ability is complicated because it depends on various factors such as the size, shape and speed of the ball. At the beginning of the activity, Clara threw the ball a reasonable distance and at high speed. As a result, Christian demonstrated ineffective catching techniques by having his arms too straight and performing reflexes too late, allowing the ball to bounce off his chest in an attempt to catch it. When the therapist started to throw the ball, she was closer to Christian and threw it more slowly. He began to have his arms outstretched, palms facing inward in preparation. He circled the ball with his arms as he hugged it to bring it towards his chest, absorbing the force of the ball, displaying more skill. Christian's throws and catches were reasonably weak and lacked coordination. This is normal for a three year old and Christian's unexceptional abilities in this area are not a major problem at this stage. RunningChristian met the criteria of a competent runner for the age of three, includingincluding the heel-to-toe technique. However, on some strides he landed relatively unprepared. When landing, the foot should touch the ground lightly, land between the heel and midfoot, then quickly roll forward. It was observed that Christian was not getting much flight between strides, as his knees were not fully bent at the right angle during his recovery swing. Additionally, Christian's arms were swinging forward in an opposite pattern, projecting out to the side and/or across his chest, an oblique plane at the level of the movement. Additionally, he ran in a relatively straight line and was satisfied with his abilities in this area, especially after the therapist complimented him. Overall, Christian reached the age of three in running, performing well in this activity on flat ground, avoiding a heavy and clumsy run. Jumping and Skipping The final set of activities that assessed Christian's gross motor skills included skipping and skipping rope. To become a good mover as an adult, an individual must develop these two skills during childhood. These presented more of a challenge for Christian, probably due to his poor static postural stability. When asked to jump, Christian was able to move in a straight line and in a way that allowed both feet to leave the ground and land almost at the same time. Demonstrating the ability to jump into the air with both feet at irregular intervals determines that he has reached the three-year mark. By age three, greater myelination of the cerebellum should have been achieved to allow for competent coordination and increased balance. . Likewise, the movement of the center of gravity from the upper body to the lower trunk due to changing body proportions should contribute to balance. The jump is a combination of a long step and a jump (step-hop), first on one foot then the other, and has an uneven rhythm. This involves shifting weight from one foot to the other with a narrow base of support. Therefore, the arms must be extended to maintain balance. When Clara was asked to jump, Christian quickly stepped in and attempted to demonstrate how she "jumped." After assessing his own jumping abilities, it was clear that he was unable to coordinate a step and land on the forefoot. In contrast, Christian landed flat-footed and heavy, with inconsistent jump and step heights and distances. His arms were out of sync with his legs and he had poor balance. The ability to jump rope with confidence usually develops around the age of six or seven. As Christian is already starting to build the idea of this skill and imitating his sister using Albert Bandura's classical and operant condition behavioral learning theories, he is considered to be on the right track to achieve this particular milestone of development. Overall, Christian's gross motor skills appear to be in line with the milestones. Factors such as environmental influences, learning theories and physical development affected his abilities. In examining Erikson's psychosocial theory, Christian fits into the third stage – Initiative versus Guilt, where he relies on the virtue of purpose. He demonstrated a sense of confidence by taking on his sister's jump rope challenge and overcoming the guilt of not being perfect at that particular skill. Additionally, looking at Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, it is evident that Christian has a microsystem including his family at home and his friends and teachers at daycare. His relationship..
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