Create two 2-3 page reference guides for pregnant teenagers. One guide explains practices that support prenatal and neonatal development. The other guide explains environmental issues or practices that are detrimental to prenatal and neonatal development.
Introduction
Note: Child development occurs in a specific sequence. Therefore, the assessments in this course are presented in sequence and must be completed in order.
The product of this assessment may be something you could actually use in a professional role. The purpose is to synthesize key child developmental theory and practices into a comprehensible education piece for a specific target group. It is a skill to be able to break down complex concepts into simple language. It also demonstrates your understanding of concepts and theory.
The field of child psychology has undergone a period of dramatic expansion. New understanding about how the brain continues to develop after birth and how a child’s physiology interacts with his or her sociocultural context has increased our understanding of child psychology. This evolving knowledge can be studied with respect to traditional developmental theories. Professionals who work with children are now in the role of providing education and guidance about how to apply this information with the goal of supporting children’s optimal development.
The earliest years of life are characterized by rapid, dramatic growth in all systems within the infant, continuing into toddlerhood. Understanding these early years of psychological development supports and guides professional practice with children, parents, and families.
There are a variety of prenatal factors that affect a child’s development. Influences originating from the genetic heritage of the developing fetus have a direct effect on the health and potential development of the newborn. The interrelationship of complex elements, both prenatal and external, is a rich area of continuing research and controversy.
The period of gestation is subject to numerous maternal, familial, and environmental influences. Some of these influences may create vulnerabilities to psychological conditions (such as shyness or schizophrenia) or to physical conditions (such as genetic diseases) after birth or much later. Exposure to specific teratogens (agents such as drugs and conditions such as poverty) may also negatively impair prenatal development and may result in birth defects, causing developmental abnormalities. For example, most of us are familiar with the effects of nicotine and alcohol, two common teratogens, on prenatal development.
The prenatal environment, in combination with external environmental factors, contributes to the etiology of a child’s overall development. By identifying and understanding major prenatal factors, the psychologist or counselor is better equipped to provide advice and counsel to parents both before and after their child’s birth. Educational programs that address the decisions that parents must make with reference to teratogenic risk factors (risks to the developing fetus as a result an environmental agent) should be tempered with sensitive counseling methods.
Instructions
Note: Child development occurs in a specific sequence. Therefore, the assessments in this course are presented in sequence and must be completed in order.
Assume you are a health educator working with a group of pregnant teenagers, ages 13–17. You have been conducting group sessions about prenatal care and development and have decided this group needs some quick reference guides that summarize the essential points of prenatal and newborn development. Perform research on these topics using the Capella University Library and the materials listed in the Resources. Then complete the following:
• Create an age appropriate, 2–3 page guide entitled “The Top 10 Things to Do for Your Baby” that explains the practices that support optimal prenatal and neonatal development.
o Explain practices that support prenatal and neonatal brain development.
o Explain how environment affects prenatal and neonatal development.
o Explain how the involvement of the baby’s father aids in the baby’s development.
o Illustrate your points with visuals and examples.
o Include a separate references page with APA citations.
• Create an age appropriate, 2–3 page guide entitled “The Top Things Not to Do When You Are Expecting a Baby” that explains environmental issues or practices that are detrimental to prenatal and neonatal development.
o Explain prenatal influences that negatively affect child development.
o Identify substances to avoid during pregnancy, and explain the risks posed by these substances.
o Provide a list of foods and practices that aid prenatal and neonatal development, to contrast with foods and practices to avoid.
o Illustrate your points with visuals and examples.
o Include a separate references page with APA citations.
Additional Requirements
• Though you must provide references, do not write these guides in APA format, as they must be comprehended by a specific group. This assessment is not an academic paper, although you must draw on academic skills and knowledge to create it.
• Keep your audience in mind, and be sure to create your guides using language and concepts suitable for your readers.
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:
• Competency 1. Analyze how children develop physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively from the prenatal period to adolescence using psychological theories or research concepts.
o Explain the prenatal influences that support optimal development.
o Explain the prenatal influences that negatively affect child development.
• Competency 3. Evaluate the potential impact of individual and cultural differences on development from the prenatal period to adolescence.
o Explain how the involvement of the baby’s father aids the baby’s development.
o Explain how environment affects prenatal development.
• Competency 4. Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the psychological professions.
