Physical and Developmental Assessment of Children
Nurses perform various physical assessments on children of different ages in many settings, such as hospitals, clinics, homes, and schools. Physical examinations provide subjective and objective data about a child, which helps determine their health condition through findings. Nurses perform physical examinations of children’s developmental stages to provide the most appropriate evaluation and findings.
Developmental assessment refers to obtaining basic information about a child’s growth and development, such as their emotional state, cognition, and physical and learning abilities. Nurses require appropriate techniques to perform pediatric assessments since children’s needs differ according to their age and developmental stage. This essay explores and compares physical assessment among school-going children aged 5-12 years and applies Erickson’s theory to explain the evaluation of a particular child according to their age.
Physical Assessment Among School-Going Children
Physical assessments vary according to the age and developmental stage of a child. Children between 5 and 7 years require a caregiver or parents’ direction to obtain knowledge compared to children between 8 and 12 years, who can express themselves eloquently (Wilson et al., 2018). A general approach to physical assessment is observation and jotting down details, which can help identify behavior patterns and cognitive ability. The method can be applied to all school-going children since it involves the clinician collecting data from observing the child and using theoretical knowledge.
Other approaches include standardized tests, consulting a child’s history, and parents’ or caregivers’ information about the child. In other cases, nurses must modify assessment approaches according to a child’s developmental stage. Nurses can change methods of communication, such as using touch to communicate with children between 8 to 12 years and graphic tools to communicate with younger children (Barch et al., 2018). For instance, nurses can use graphical tools instead of numerical tools for children between 5 and 7 years who cannot read and interpret data like their older counterparts between 8 and 12 years old.
The Developmental Stage of Kira, a 12-Year-Old
Kira is a 12-year-old girl from a White American background. She was born healthy and breastfed exclusively for eight months before weaning on soft foods and fruits. The child’s milestones were outstanding as a toddler, and she joined the school at the appropriate age of four years. Kira is a vibrant girl and relates well with her two older siblings, parents, and classmates. She was diagnosed with being underweight at the age of ten due to poor nutrition. Despite eating a healthy diet, Kira’s condition has worsened, and she has begun withdrawing from family and friends at 12 years old.
The withdrawal symptoms have led to concerns about her health, which have warranted the physical assessment according to her developmental stage. Kira is in the early stages of adolescence, where self-consciousness and identity are paramount (Costa et al., 2019). She is aware of her body, self-identity, and thoughts influencing her behavior and health outcomes. She is capable of interpreting things and making decisions based on abstract thinking. Therefore, her cognitive, emotional, learning and physical abilities are developing rapidly to create her self-identity.
Erickson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development
According to Erickson’s theory, Kira is at the identity vs. confusion stage. The stage involves exploring self, identity, and independence (Maree, 2021). The transition creates conflict and confusion when a child tries to identify with a specific group in society. From a developmental assessment perspective, Kira is confused about her identity, given her minimal weight and physical appearance compared to her peers (Costa et al., 2019).
As she tries to fit into the teenage stage, she experiences self-consciousness, which may have led to her withdrawal. I will cooperate with Kira during the assessment and ask her questions directly to boost her self-esteem as an adolescent. Since her thoughts have become more abstract, I will engage her in one-on-one conversations about her feelings and social interactions. Possible findings include feelings of inferiority to peers, which has led to the withdrawal and search for self-identity, which may explain her loss of appetite and being underweight.
References
Barch, D. M., Albaugh, M. D., Avenevoli, S., Chang, L., Clark, D. B., Glantz, M. D., Hudziak, J. J., Jernigan, T. L., Tapert, S. F., Yurgelun-Todd, D., Alia-Klein, N., Potter, A. S., Paulus, M. P., Prouty, D., Zucker, R. A., & Sher, K. J. (2018). Demographic, physical and mental health assessments in the adolescent brain and cognitive development study: Rationale and description. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 32, 55–66. Web.
Costa, P. T., McCrae, R. R., & Löckenhoff, C. E. (2019). Personality across the life span. Annual Review of Psychology, 70(1), 423–448. Web.
Maree, J. G. (2021). The psychosocial development theory of Erik Erikson: Critical overview. Early Child Development and Care, 191(7–8), 1107–1121. Web.
Wilson, J., Andrews, G., Hogan, C., Wang, S., & Shum, D. H. (2018). Executive function in middle childhood and the relationship with theory of mind. Developmental Neuropsychology, 43(3), 163–182. Web.
