Introduction
Physical assessment of the patient is one of the core skills of any nurse. As such, it is important to find the right approach for any age demographic, both adults and children. An assessment of a child usually consists of various practices, often depending on the child’s age and mental development. This paper will be focusing on the developmental assessment of a school-aged child and its peculiarities.
Differences in assessing school-aged children
The usual assessment techniques for the age group in question vary from age to age. They generally include physical, social, emotional, moral, and intellectual evaluation based on both the information provided by the parental figure and by the children themselves (Carey, 2009). There are particular distinctions to be made within the 5 to 12-year-old group, largely due to the difference in comprehension and mental development (Carey, 2009). Children around 5-7 years old have a basic understanding of their physical and mental condition, able to describe their feelings in simple terms. This means that when examining younger children, the nurse should use simple language and listen to their feedback on various possible issues. Kids aged a bit older have a more diverse vocabulary and can often more accurately pinpoint what makes them feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, older children have already studied in school for some time, having a behavior history for each grade they have been in, making the assessment more complete.
Examination of a 6-year old
As an example of a normal child’s development, a 6-year old will be examined. By this age, the child is usually able to perform complex physical actions, such as riding a bike or skipping rope, practice and improve skills like drawing and painting, take up many different activities (“The Growing Child: School-Age”). They are also capable of understanding numbers, letters, and some shapes, following instructions, and reading age-appropriate books (“The Growing Child: School-Age”). Concerning their interactions with others, a 6-year old has a general concept of cooperation and friendship, though for now prefers to play alone, can have fits of jealousy or temper tantrums (“The Growing Child: School-Age”). This evaluation shows that a child this age has already formed a strong base for their future life and development.
Erickson’s developmental theory
According to Erickson’s developmental theory, an individual passes through 8 distinct stages of growth in their life (Amidon, n.d.). Taking a 6-year old as an example, one can access its abilities through this theory. The first stage, trust vs. mistrust, is passed in infancy and can be evaluated by observing the relationship between the child and their parents, as well as their general behavior and body language. If the child shows reluctance to engage with their parents or the medical professional, it might mean that the child did not receive an appropriate amount of support in their infancy (Amidon, n.d.). The second stage, ages 1-3, is the development of autonomy and independence. It can also be evaluated by examining the child’s interaction with their parents. At this age, the child starts to harbor a desire to prove their worth and do things by themselves, so when they are denied that opportunity, they may grow doubtful of their own abilities (Amidon, n.d.). This doubt manifests in an inability to perform some tasks by themselves and often require the help of their parent. The third stage, Initiative vs. Guilt, starts at about 3 years and ends at 6 (Amidon, n.d.). It may be examined in the child’s interaction with their peers during play. When the child shows eagerness to contribute to the task and has a sense of ambition, it displays their self-confidence (Amidon, n.d.). By the age of six, a child should already pass these three first stages of development. When accessing a six-year-old, one should try to connect with the child by showing an interest in their hobbies or activities, asking them questions about their well-being. This way the kid can open up about their well-being and it would be easier to evaluate their current abilities.
References
Amidon, J., Monroe, A., & Ortwein, M. (n.d.). Erikson’s 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development. Education, Society, & the K-12 Learner. Web.
Carey, W. B. (2009). Chapter 80 – Developmental assessment of the school-age child. In Developmental-behavioral pediatrics. Saunders/Elsevier.
The Growing Child: School-Age (6 to 12 Years). (n.d.). Standford children’s health.