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Birth of Carmelo
This is the day that Carmelo was brought into this world through a cesarean section in which he was delivered through an incision of the abdomen of my partner. -
Apgar Score
Just minutes after Carmelo was born, his Apgar score was recorded as a 7-8. The Apgar scale is named after a checklist in which the Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity and Respiration is checked to ensure a healthy baby (p. 100). A healthy score is 7-10. This was great to hear after Carmelo was not born in a correct position and via a Cesarean Section. -
Egocentrism
Carmelo hits his little sister with a toy and doesn't realize what he has done wrong because it was an accident. He has Ego centrism and doesn't have the ability to distinguish perspectives(p 242). He solely sees that an accident happened and he doesn't hold himself accountable for his actions. This is common for young children as they only view things from their point of view, but can be fixed with aging and discipline. -
Conservation
At this early age, carmelo has begun to grasp number conservation and the ability to understand strategy in games. Conservation is the ability know that a physical substance doesn’t change if its physical appearance changes (p.242). This is something that children don’t grasp at a young age and struggle with until they are older. But number conservation is the ability to understand how numbers work and solve math problems. This is a great age to understand numbers and strategy. -
Attention
Carmelo struggles in class to pay attention in class, he daydreams and can’t understand a set of instructions from the teacher. According to the text, toddlers struggle with paying attention, but by age 5 they should have a good grasp on being able to pay attention. The part of the brain responsible for attention span is called the reticular formation and its myelination is complete around age 5 (p. 232). Carmelo could be struggling with attention because of delayed myelination. -
Gender Roles
Carmelo now realizes that boys and girls are seperated at recess because the boys play in the field and the girls are left out. He now has a realization of gender roles, or the norms and expectations for men and women to behave (p 265). Carmelo has made the norms of what he observes of each sex in his head and realizes their roles. -
Vocabulary improvement
Carmelo is now 10 years old and has a vast vocabulary. He absorbs words like a sponge and can repeat back stories with clarity. According to the text, vocabulary increases vastly in middle childhood. Children on average at age 6 have 10,000 words at their disposal, and at age 10 have 40,000 (p. 306). This is necessary as they need to learn the details of language in order to become well spoken individuals. At this age their vocabulary expands like never before and it is important that it does. -
Morality
Carmelo started to complain what is fair and not fair. He has developed a sense of morality with some principles that he has learned through observing other kids and challenging his parents authority. According to the text, in early childhood children begin to develop moral principles and they continue to change and grow over time (page 255) . Carmelo has begun to question what is right from wrong and it is important that he learns through discipline and explaining what is right or wrong and why -
ADHD
Carmelo has been very distracted and is having problems with concentrating on school work. He has been told that he may have ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a disorder that includes problems with impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention (p. 297). This disorder has become a lot more common recently and there are medications that help children or even adults to pay attention and control themselves. Carmelo was thought of having this but he refused to take any medication.
