Topic 1 Page 36

Sentry Page Protection

Unit 8 Student Login

Unit 8 Student Login

Welcome, (First Name)!

Enter Student Area

My Profile Log Out

(Unit 8) Topic 1: The Whole Child

4 Clock Hours of Early Childhood Education

Behavior and Development

Topic 1 Page 36

Children of all ages have long been labeled as “hyperactive” or “busy” sometimes even having serious diagnoses of ADD or ADHD. While there are many factors to consider with these diagnoses and conditions, they should not infinitely define the child. Behavior can be determined by a combination of nature, nurture, and much more. Temperament, as previously discussed, has a lot to do with a child’s disposition and energy level. Sometimes genetic and environmental factors also impact a child’s behavior and reactions in many situations. There are many factors that influence behavior and causes of behavior. In addition, there are many challenging behaviors that are perfectly normal when considering developmental guidelines.

The development of a child’s brain combined with adverse experiences can cause a myriad of behavioral and interactive challenges beyond the norm. Children who have experienced trauma or prolonged stress will likely learn to react before considering the consequences of their actions which is where their challenging behavior can stem from. This means that there are going to be times when the child has a fight or flight response to situations instead of taking a moment to consider the outcomes of their reaction. Many times, this is seen in interactions with peers and other children but can also occur during typical events and catch adults by surprise.

Early childhood educators should be careful to consider the developmental guidelines and milestones in conjunction with childhood behaviors. Frustration, confusion, curiosity, and fear are all byproducts of childhood development as children gain confidence in some areas and struggle in others. This in itself can cause some challenging behaviors that are usually temporary and completely normal but can be frustrating or confusing for adults. It’s important to support the development of positive behaviors by encouraging and praising those and not focusing on the negatives so much.