Human Development in Different Areas - Essay Example

? Human Development Working with a 14 year old female, one would expect to see development in physical, cognitive, psychological, social and emotional areas. There are certain aspects of each of the following areas that would be seen as alarming deviations from normality and they are considered as follows. Physical The first alarming sign would be if the female is not having her period, since this is the normal age to be having periods, and it could a physical issue with the client. I would also notice the motor development of the female; that is her ease with exercise such as running, jumping, balancing etc. and if she is having difficulty with these aspects then this would also come as alarming. I would also take into account any other aspects that the client is disgruntled about in their physical structure, such as their weight, their height, facial structure, their skin etc. as it could turn out to be an alarming issue that the client is concerned with.(Berger, 2001) The overall development of the body would also be observed, such as their sight, their height, body mass and proportion, appearance, heath etc. to check for any deviation from the normal development in 14 year old females. Being over or under height or weight is considered an issue that is alarming. Also, at this age, some maturity in the body is also expected; such as the growth of some pubic hair, breast and hip development, and if this isn’t the case, then the client may not have developed sufficiently. These deviations can also point towards another issue that females face; that of anorexia or bulimia, which can be pointed out by their physical over development or under development.(Sutton, 2010) Psychological At the age of 14, females would have the psychological ability to make appropriate connections with the world, be able to have a control over their surroundings, take care of relationships and other mental developments. It would be alarming if the client was lacking in the aforementioned aspects. Self-confidence, esteem, freedom and values are some aspects that build in when the female is fourteen years of age. The client should also have a feeling of security and self-worth, and a concept about the world we live in. These are classified as normal development patterns. Even understanding what is right and what is wrong, having knowledge about one’s surroundings and understanding it is something that is expected. Any deviation from the norm described above, such as the client having a demeaning attitude, not understanding the world and unable to make connections etc. is concerned to be alarming and needs to be looked into. (Santrock, 2009) Cognitive This is the age where the client would have an idea of identity and would be differentiating herself from other individuals. The client should also have developed language skills, cognitive abilities of memory, knowledge, the ability to grasp ideas and problems and be able to find a solution. This is due to the brain developing and establishing neural connections. However, if the patient fails to do any of these, then it is alarming. Also, if their mood isn’t consistent, and she has mood swings and falls extremely depressed or has mood swings that deviate from the norm, then it needs to be looked into. She should also be able to focus, have the ability to learn without grave difficulty and not become depressed if she faces difficulty in learning. This also points towards her confidence level, her ability to make decisions and manage her time. If she cannot perform the following functions, there is a lack of cognitive development and she needs to be checked further. Her memory also helps her grasp information and retain it, and therefore a good memory is considered normal whereas frequent memory losses aren’t considered normal. (Peterson, 1996) Social and emotional Teens experience various changes at the age of thirteen and fourteen such as puberty which is one of the biggest changes. Therefore they develop a sexual identity, become more aware of their body and its changing needs and start showing more confidence and knowledge. They also develop a sense of where they are from, called ethnic identity. She would also have a sense of wanting privacy, and notice her peers at school and how they’re changing. But substance abuse and not liking the way she appears, shying away from personal talks and compliments are alarming deviations from the normal behaviour. Also, they are developing their own identity etc. therefore they like to probe more and have different opinions. Keeping the opinions to her and having a panic attack or getting very anxious if she does display her point of view wouldn’t be considered normal behaviour. (Berger, 2001) 2. A caretaker for an elderly person would have to fulfil different requirements than if he was taking care of a younger person. The issues that I would face would be mental, emotional and physical needs of the elderly person. There are also many laws for elderly people and I wouldn’t want to violate those either. Loss of memory is one of the primary concerns in elderly people, and I would want the elderly person’s memory to be intact. So I would have to engage him in activities that keep his or her mind active such as puzzles and other participative activities in which the individual would have to use his mind. They can also stupor into mental illness or depression quickly, or become distant and sensitive if they feel they’re not being heard, since their productivity goes down as they age. And so I would make sure the person is heard enough so that they are satisfied and feel important in life. At the same time, since I am not of the similar age bracket, I would advise the elder person to coordinate and engage with other members of the same age so that they can establish a rapport and a group where they feel they can understand each other and share ideas. Therefore making they join recreational and other groups such as support groups would be a good idea to keep them interested and active in life. Their health is also an issue since they develop health problems quicker as their immune system gets weaker with age. The importance of eating healthy food becomes even more important and if I fail to deliver it to them, they may fall sick. We can get physical fitness tests done, and eye check-ups etc. done for the patient, as well as get a history of their health by contacting family members, his or her doctor, or the individual itself, if they are able to provide the information. This information would not only help for reference as to how to deal with the patient in daily life, but also how to take care of the person in case they fall sick. The aim as a caretaker and one issue I would face would be to provide the safest environment for my client in whom he can get medical assistance and any other support he needs. Also, elderly people become weaker and more accident prone and therefore I want to make sure that the lighting is proper in the place they are staying and I can keep a check on them at all times to make sure that there are no grave accidents due to lack of vision or some physical disability that they have developed. Minor accidents can also have major impacts of elderly people due to weaker body structure, so a more vigilant eye has to be kept on them. (Engdahl, 2011) 3. 3.1. A normal child of two years old is usually very expressive, at least laughs or cries often and the fact that this child doesn’t show any emotion and is listless is alarming. This is because in this age their brain is developing and they experience feelings that they cannot understand or control. They also learn speech by two years due to the development of the brain and cognitive development; however this child rarely speaks or interacts with others which may show some lack of development in her brain. She is also pale and uninterested which may not just indicate a lack of brain development but a low self-image and esteem. She could have a non-verbal disability, which is a speech disability; however her behaviour could be due to lack of confidence because of which she would prefer to stay quiet than give her opinion while most two year olds are usually very curious and talkative. Also due to the fact that her mother is aversive to touch and picks her up last or doesn’t come at all, would have led to her having emotional and social issues as well since she doesn’t interact with other children while other kids of this age usually do and she is always pale, indicating that she may have some problems at home or with herself that she cannot express. 3.2 As a community service worker, I would have the responsibility to provide the child with a safe environment and do what is best for them as it is my duty. My work is to help the child, and I would start doing so, by making a report of the child and her behaviour in the centre. Also I would write about her single mother, who always picks up her late as well as the lack of contact with her in case of her absence. Also I would mention the fact that she didn’t come three days and I had to arrange for a neighbour to come and pick her up. It is the duty of the parents to provide this safe environment for children and give them importance, under which would come the picking of the child on time or at least attending calls or letting the centre know when she would be unable to pick her child. If not a report, I would tell my supervisor in person about these mishaps. It is also my duty to get to the root of the problem that the child is having due to her mother; the reason her mother picks her up late or doesn’t pick up at all since the child is my responsibility as a community service worker and I need to find out because it is having a bad impact on the child to have such an absent mother who doesn’t even touch her and often forgets her. The child may be having these developmental issues due to her mother. 3.3 Children have certain rights according to the Amendment Act and they need to be fulfilled. In the failure of them being fulfilled, I would have to take action on behalf of the child who is not capable of reporting her mother, or doesn’t know where her safety is. I found quite a few weak areas with the child; she doesn’t interact, she doesn’t speak and she is pale and touch averse. I would tell my supervisor or someone influential in my agency and suggest that she should be put under child protection services since her mother is unfit to do her duty. I would also find the reasons for the child often being abandoned or picked up last and not shown any affection and I would also want my agency to report that to child protection. (Corporation, 1997) Bibliography Berger, K. S. (2001). The developing person through the life span. Worth Publishers. Corporation, N. L. (1997). Community service worker. New York: National Learning Corporation. Engdahl, S. (2011). The elderly. Greenhaven Press. Peterson, C. (1996). Looking forward through the lifespan : developmental psychology. Prentice Hall. Santrock, J. W. (2009). Child development. McGraw Hill. Sutton, A. L. (2010). Adolescent health sourcebook : basic consumer health information about adolescent growth and development, puberty, sexuality, reproductive health, and physical, emotional, social, and mental health concerns of teens and their parents, including facts abou. Omnigraphics. Read More