Stages in Child Development: A Psychosocial Overview

Abstract

Children are valuable human resources for any nation. The universal fact is that childhood constitutes the most crucial period in the life because, during the period, foundations are laid for motor, sensory, cognitive, language, social and personality development. Development means changes in a forward direction. Child Development is not just child becoming bigger; it involves development in many areas – physical, mental, emotional, psychosocial and so on. We may define child development as a progressive series of changes of an orderly and coherent type toward the goal of maturity. It can be observed, appraised and measured. As commonly believed, development doesn’t start with birth. Birth is only a point, a stage, when the fetus emerges out to be independent of the mother. By then the newly born (neo-natal) will have developed considerably – physically and in sensory motor areas – even a fetus shows complex Behaviour. Development begins with conception. Prenatal development covers development from conception to birth, while post-natal covers development after birth.