Answer

 Developmental Assessment of a School-Aged Child

Before the determination of the most appropriate intervention, clinicians have to assess the appearance, work of breathing, and the circulation of the skin of a child (Yılmaz et al., 2016). Since the needs of pediatric patients differ based on the age of the child as well as the stage of development, it is vital to modify the assessment techniques to match the age and developmental stage of the patient. This paper provides the manner in which a 6-year old child can be assessed based on his age and developmental stage.

For a six-year-old, the typical developmental stages involve various physical, emotional, social, and cognitive milestones. For the physical milestone, the child has ever-improving locomotive skills and demonstrates stronger coordination of the hand and eye. However, according to Hietanen et al. (2016), the emotional milestone is that of the child being aware of his emotions, showing off his talents, and improved self-control skills. Social development of a typical 6-year old is that of more attention to friendship and teamwork, independence from family, and wanting to be liked by peers (Yılmaz et al., 2016). Cognitively the child can differentiate between right and wrong and has developed a longer attention span. In speech and language, the child should have begun to develop independent reading and even write simple stories.

According to Erikson, Kohlberg, and Piaget’s developmental theory, a six-year-old in the industry vs inferiority stage. In this phase, children have entered schools, and their behavior is dominated by intellectual curiosity (Lourenço, 2016). To developmentally assess the child, I would evaluate the motor skills; especially whether they are beginning to get coordinated. Additionally, I would assess whether the child’s thinking and development display that of a typical six-year-old. In specific, a six-year child should move towards abstract thinking and develop reasoning skills (Hietanen et al., 2016).  Moreover, in the social and emotional development, I would evaluate whether the child has grown more independent albeit being less secure.

During the assessment, I would try to explain to him the purpose of the evaluation and the importance of his cooperation during the process. The aim would be to calm him down, be relaxed, and hence get the correct results (Crain, 2015). To gain cooperation from the child, I would offer suggestions to him as opposed to commands and appreciate/praise him for any cooperative efforts he makes. Moreover, I would give him choices while at the same time maintaining the rules. According to Yılmaz et al. (2016), cooperation would be necessary in making sure that the assessment is done in a relaxed environment. One of the potential findings from the evaluation is that the child will be able to learn via language and logic as opposed to observation and experience. Additionally, the child will be curious, active, and increasingly engrossed in both school and new friendships.

In conclusion, in the assessment of a six- year old child, it is vital for the clinician to use strategies which align with the age and developmental stage of the child. Notably, a typical six- year old will have developed motor skills and can learn to ride a bicycle. Additionally, he can move toward abstract thinking and develop some reasoning skills. In the assessment of a six-year-old, I would ensure his cooperation by explaining to him the importance of the evaluation and praising any of his efforts to cooperate. I expect that the assessment will show that the child has developed more motor skills and has started to be more independent.