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Age periods of child development: stages and main features
The age periods of a child’s development are classified in different ways. Psychological periodization is associated with age-related crises of a person.
The main stages of medical periodization
There are different age classifications. There are pedagogical, legal, biological and psychological systems. The pedagogical one is interested in the age periods from the point of view of the development of cognitive functions, the legal one is the degree of responsibility before the law. The psychological system separates the age intervals by crises, and the biological system links the periods with physiological changes.
Age periods of development from child to adult have their own characteristics.
Based on these changes, it is customary to consider the following periods:
- neonatal – the first 4 weeks;
- chest – up to 1 year;
- early – up to 3 years;
- preschool – up to 6-7 years old;
- junior school – up to 10-12 years old;
- puberty up to 17-18 years.
From the age of 18, the adult stages of development are counted.
Features of children’s crises
The first crisis occurs in a child at 3 years old. This is a conditional time, it can begin in 2,5 years. Like any crisis, this one is associated with major changes. The child begins to separate himself from the world around him. He suddenly feels like a personal unit and tries to state it. At this time, the child requires a special attitude towards himself, giving him the right to decide everything for himself. He has riots, protests, negative attitudes towards family members, stubbornness and despotism. The more rigid the upbringing was, the brighter the manifestations of this crisis.
The crisis of 7 years is associated with the transition of a toddler from a preschooler to a student. From the family circle, the baby enters the society. He has new authorities vested with power in society – teachers. The child gets a new social experience for himself, he “meets” his self-esteem.
The crisis of 13 years is associated with physical and psychological changes.
There is a hormonal shift and fear and self-doubt appear on its basis. The perception of the world is changing, school performance is declining, protest phenomena appear as in a crisis of 3 years. The child feels like an adult and rushes in search of new sensations. Parents are losing authority in his eyes.
The crisis of 17 years is associated with determining the path in life.
There is a feeling of high responsibility for the choice made. If admission to a university fails, it seems that the whole world has collapsed. Failure breeds anxiety and fear of adulthood.
Age periods mark the growing up of a child. Crises arise as dividing lines, from which a person comes out literally renewed.