Childhood is the stage of life that goes from birth to puberty. However, even within this stage there are different moments that mark the rhythm of the child's development, both physically and psychologically.
It is therefore possible to distinguish between the different stages of childhood . It is a classification that both psychologists and health professionals in general are very aware of to understand how humans think, feel and act in the first years of their lives.
childhood stages
Next, we will briefly review these stages of childhood and the physical and mental changes that take place from one to the other.
However, it should be borne in mind that the boundaries between these phases are diffuse and not always in the same way; Every boy and girl is a world.
1. Intrauterine Period
Although childhood is thought to begin at birth, it is sometimes believed that it may begin earlier, particularly in cases of prematurity . This stage includes the early and late embryonic periods, and includes the processes of rapid formation and improvement of the senses.
It should be borne in mind that, although at this stage it is completely dependent on others, the main learning already arises, especially through the ear. However, they are subject to a very simple and basic type of memorization . For example, at this stage the areas of the brain that are related to the basis of autobiographical memory are not yet developed.This stage of life is characterized by the fact that neither the biological structures of the organism have matured, nor have the child had the opportunity to learn by being immersed in a socially and sensory stimulating environment.
2. Neonatal period
This stage of childhood begins at birth and ends almost at the end of the first month. In the neonatal period, children learn the main regularities of the world around them and establish more direct communication with other human beings. Still not in a position to grasp the concepts of "I" and "you" because language is not yet mastered. is .
In addition, since the first day babies show an amazing ability to differentiate vowels, and in fact, they are able to discriminate different languages based on how they sound.With regard to physical changes, this stage of childhood begins with the development of the whole body less than the head. Also, you are very vulnerable in this phase , and sudden death is very much in this time space.
3. The postpartum or infant period
It is still one of the early stages of childhood, but in this case, unlike the previous stage, it is easy to notice physical and psychological changes.
In infancy you begin to develop enough muscles to maintain an upright posture and, within 6 months, begins to emit Babylonian and false words. In addition, you learn to coordinate parts of the body so that it is easier to accurately move them at once (fine motor development).Of course, breastfeeding is a very important element at this stage of development, as it provides food and a channel of communication with the mother that allows emotional ties to be strengthened.
4. Early Childhood Period
Early childhood extends from the first to the third year of age, and roughly coincides with the stage at which children attend daycare . Here you begin to control the use of the language itself, although in the beginning it is a telegraphic language with single words and later you acquire the ability to form simple sentences with common sentences (such as a dog saying "cat") We do. ,
On the other hand, in this stage you begin to gain control of the sphincters and show a strong will to explore and find things; According to Jean Piaget, this curiosity was precisely the motor of learning.Furthermore, thinking at this level is basically indifferent in the sense that it is difficult to imagine what others think or believe .
In terms of physiological changes, the size of the larynx and limbs continues to increase, and the difference in size between the head and the rest of the body has decreased, although this growth is slower than in previous stages.
5. Preschool Period
The preschool period ranges from 3 to 6 years. It is the stage of childhood in which the capacity for theory of mind is acquired, that is, the ability to communicate specific intentions, beliefs and motivations (that are different from one's own) to others. This new ability greatly enriches social interactions, but allows lying to be more useful and effective as a resource.
In addition, here his ability to think in abstract terms is more developed , partly because of the division of his brain and partly because he usually begins to deal with large communities that are not just fathers and mothers.
On the one hand, myelination makes more parts of the brain more connected to each other, which allows more abstract concepts to be formed by combining a variety of ideas, and on the other, increases the enrichment of the types of interactions that lead to Presents the boy or girl so that their cognitive abilities learn to deal with more complex tasks.
- 6. School Duration
The school period is the final stage of childhood and the one that gives way to adolescence. It lasts from 6 to 12 years and at this stage the ability to think in abstract and mathematical terms is highly developed, although it does not reach its maximum. This is because the demyelination of the brain continues its course (and it will not slow down until the third decade of life). The frontal lobe begins to be better connected with other parts of the brain, and this leads to better mastery of executive functions such as attention management and consistent decision making.
In addition, the image that is given at the school stage has even greater significance , and it is about winning the friendship of those who are considered important.
The social circle outside the family is one of the factors that shape children's identities, and it makes family norms often seem to break down and become aware of it. It is this part that makes this stage of childhood vulnerable to addictions, which can leave significant changes in the brain, as is the case with alcohol consumption that in many cases begins with puberty by the beginning of adolescence. In.
Impulsivity is also a characteristic of this stage, as is the tendency to prefer short-term goals over those that are distant in the future. At the end of the school term the body begins to reveal the signs of puberty, breast changes in girls in men and changes in voice among other things.
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