3.5 Abnormal Development

Question 1

what is abnormal development based on?

Answer 1

• premise: development is predictable
• milestones and age ranges to reaching them –> e.g. speech delay
• when is a delay too long e.g. walking

Question 2

what approach should be used when figuring out if a child is ‘abnormal’?

Answer 2

a multidimensional approach, taking into account the child’s whole trajectory and context

Question 3

what approach is usually used towards abnormal development, and why is this bad?

Answer 3

a DEFICIT approach, focusing on children who are late to milestones etc
BAD because it means largely only the delayed children get help - many kids very close to top academically/developmentally have social and drop-out issues

Question 4

why does abnormal development usually focus on deficits?

Answer 4

• identify areas of intervention
• easier to detect early
• often coincide with other problems
• we have more diagnoses for them

Question 5

what is the problem of giftedness? i.e. IQ in top 2%

Answer 5

• difficult to fit in with peers - preferring company of older people –> loneliness
• schools may not be able to cater for needs
• frustration, disruptive behaviour
• labelling = pressure, fear of failure

Question 6

define expressive language impairment and outline the symptoms

Answer 6

communication disorder - difficulty using spoken/written language to EXPRESS
* difficulty putting words and sentences together to express
* reduced vocabulary, grammatical errors
* inability to engage in/hold conversation

Question 7

outline common treatments of expressive language impairment

Answer 7

• early identification
• speech pathology
• classroom/special ed assistance

Question 8

common causes of expressive language impairment

Answer 8

developmental disorders - Down’s Syndrome, ASD, ADHD
head trauma

Question 9

define receptive language impairment and outline its symptoms

Answer 9

communication disorder causing difficulty understanding spoken/written language

• difficulty understanding word meaning
  difficulty in comprehension: not answering questions, following instructions, listening

Question 10

outline receptive language impairment treatments

Answer 10

• speech therapy
• classroom assistance
• psychological treatment if accompanied by behavioural/cognitive problems
• family education to increase language use at home

Question 11

outline receptive language impairment causes

Answer 11

• global developmental delay
• insufficient language exposure
• attention disorders
• hearing/vision impairment

Question 12

expressive language delays consequences for child

Answer 12

frustration, tantrums, behavioural problems, bullying

Question 13

receptive language delays consequences for child

Answer 13

apparent misbehaviour, not following instructions, misbehaviour, disinterest

Question 14

what are the two types of language acquisition?

Answer 14

analytic language processing, gestalt language processing

Question 15

outline analytic language processing

Answer 15

typical language acquisition pattern - process words first and learns words referentially (e.g. the word ‘ball’ refers to a ball)
“part to whole”

Question 16

outline gestalt language processing

Answer 16

common pattern in neurodivergence
“whole to part” - picks up phrases instead of words, learns a situation where that phrase worked and so replicates it –> learns language through experiences

Question 17

what are the stages of gestalt processing?

Answer 17

1. delayed echolalia - repeating phrases/sentences taken from people, media, books
2. mix and match - combining chunks of gestalts
3. single words and two-word combinations - breaking down into one-word units, make new combinations
   4-6. new original phrases/sentences of various levels of complexity

Question 18

why is advice about screen time a contentious issue?

Answer 18

• infant development concerns
• development milestones impact e.g. motor skills
• less extended family and social support = technology as baby sitter
• screens part of our culture
• parent guilt

Question 19

what are the current recommendations about screen time for kids?

Answer 19

• allow kids under to WITH adult interaction
• differentiate between video chatting, learning, entertainment
• all video chatting any age
• no screens at mealtimes or 1hr before bed
• importance of parent/family engagement with media content

Question 20

what are the primary problems with too much screen time

Answer 20

• sleep prolems
• sedentary behaviour
• limited awake time in toddlerhood to gain skills

Question 21

what are the primary predictors of screen time?

Answer 21

• mother’s mental health
• mother TV viewing time
• indicative of family dysfunction/stress

Question 22

why has there been a boom in neurodivergence diagnoses?

Answer 22

better understanding of individual differences across development