Development in Children

Question 1

Describe the developmental milestones for a one-month-old across the skill domains of:

• Gross motor
• Fine motor
• Speech and language
• Adaptive and social

Answer 1

• GM - turns head sisde to side when supine
• FM - hands fisted
• SL - cries, starles to loud noises
• AS - calms when comforted

Question 2

Describe the developmental milestones for a two-month-old across the skill domains of:

• Gross motor
• Fine motor
• Speech and language
• Adaptive and social

Answer 2

• GM - briefly raises head when prone
• FM - pulls at clothes
• SL - variety of coos/gurgles etc.
• AS - tracks with eyes, smiles responsively

Question 3

Describe the developmental milestones for a four-month-old across the skill domains of:

• Gross motor
• Fine motor
• Speech and language
• Adaptive and social

Answer 3

• GM - holds head steady when sitting, rolls prone to supine
• FM - briefly holds objects
• SL - turns head towards sounds
• AS - laughs responsively

Question 4

Describe the developmental milestones for a six-month-old across the skill domains of:

• Gross motor
• Fine motor
• Speech and language
• Adaptive and social

Answer 4

• GM - tripod sit, pivots when prone
• FM - objects hand to hand, hand to mouth
• SL - babbles
• AS - stranger anxiety, object permanence

Question 5

Describe the developmental milestones for a nine-month-old across the skill domains of:

• Gross motor
• Fine motor
• Speech and language
• Adaptive and social

Answer 5

• GM - sits without support, stands with support
• FM - early pincer grip
• SL - mama, dada, responds to no regardless of tone
• AS - plays games e.g. peek-a-boo

Question 6

Describe the developmental milestones for a 12-month-old across the skill domains of:

• Gross motor
• Fine motor
• Speech and language
• Adaptive and social

Answer 6

• GM - stands without support, walks holding on
• FM - neat pincer grasp, releases ball when throwing
• SL - 2 words, follows 1-step command
• AS - responds to own name, separation anxiety

Question 7

Describe the developmental milestones for a 15-month-old across the skill domains of:

• Gross motor
• Fine motor
• Speech and language
• Adaptive and social

Answer 7

• GM - walks without support
• FM - picks up finger foods, scribbles, stacks 2 blocks
• SL - 4-5 words, communicates needs/wants
• AS - looks to see other’s reactions e.g. after falling

Question 8

Describe the developmental milestones for a 18-month-old across the skill domains of:

• Gross motor
• Fine motor
• Speech and language
• Adaptive and social

Answer 8

• GM - runs, walks carrying toy
• FM - 3-cube stack, eats with spoon
• SL - 10 words, follows simple commands
• AS - shows affection, points to show interest

Question 9

Describe the developmental milestones for a 24-month-old across the skill domains of:

• Gross motor
• Fine motor
• Speech and language
• Adaptive and social

Answer 9

• GM - walks up and down steps
• FM - tower of 6 cubes, undresses
• SL - 2-3 word phrases, understands 2-step commands
• AS - helps to dress

Question 10

Describe the developmental milestones for a 3-year-old across the skill domains of:

• Gross motor
• Fine motor
• Speech and language
• Adaptive and social

Answer 10

• GM - tricycle, stairs one foot at a time, stands on one leg
• FM - copies a circle, turns pages one-by-one, dresses except buttons
• SL - combines 3+ words into sentences, recognises colour, counts to 10
• AS - knows sex, age, plays make-believe, sometimes shares

Question 11

Describe the developmental milestones for a 4-year-old across the skill domains of:

• Gross motor
• Fine motor
• Speech and language
• Adaptive and social

Answer 11

• GM - hops, down one foot per step
• FM - copies a cross, uses scissors, buttons
• SL - speech intelligible, uses past tense
• AS - cooperative play, toilet trained by day, comforts upset people

Question 12

What is cerebral palsy?

Answer 12

• Describes phenotype only (non-progressive motor/movement/posture disability following CNS injury, causing activity limitation). Unknown root cause
• Can be accompanied by sensation/cognition/communication/perceptive/behaviour/orthopaedic complications

Question 13

What are some common elements of a cerebral palsy presentation? How can these presentations differ?

Answer 13

• Tone, spasticity, dystonia, choreoathetosis, deformity/contracture, hip dislocation, need for mobility aid equipment
• Individual experience, extent of brain injury, co-morbidities

Question 14

How is intellectual disability defined? What do people presenting with this often have in common? How might they differ?

Answer 14

FSIQ - full scale intelligence quotient < or = 70

• Specific learning difficulties, difficulty managing ADLs
• Degree of disability, adaptability, associated co-morbidity

Question 15

What is autism? What might people presenting with this have in common? How might they differ?

Answer 15

• Neurological disorder that affects normal brain function, especially social interaction and communication skills, giving rise to difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions and leisure/play activities
• Common elements - communication and social difficulties, repetitive and stereotyped behaviours
• Differing elements - co-morbidities, degree of disability, mental health issues