Nely's Child Psychology Scrapbook

       In part of our readings this week, I was intrigued to search more about children, the effects of bullying, and why kids become bullies. In the book, bullying is a power imbalance. Usually, those bullied are perceived to be overpowered by the bullies. In the article, bullying is intentionally tormenting physically, verbally, or psychologically. It explains many reasons children become bullies, and there is a good mixture. Those who over-power others do so to feel in control and more important. I think a given scenario for why some children bully is the way they have been treated, hence the want for control and power. Unfortunately, most children act or treat others this way because this is the example set at home. Many homes aren't perfect, and abuse and mistreatment can lead to a kid becoming a bully. Many mental disorders can become difficult for a child to cope with regardless if they are the victim or the bully.       It is essential for...

       Separation Anxiety is a disorder in an individual, in this case, infants, toddlers, and children, in which feelings of distress become prominent when separated from someone they are emotionally connected with. The child tends to worry and fear being apart from those they feel closest to. Anxiety is a normal function when growing up but only to a certain extent. According to Stanford Medicine, nearly all children from 18 months to 3 years old have separation anxiety for some time, but the symptoms of Separation Anxiety disorder (SAD) are more severe. It is believed that both biological and environmental factors can cause SAD. An imbalance of 2 chemicals in the brain (norepinephrine and serotonin) most likely plays a part . ( Stanford Children's Health", 2022) . Children can learn anxiety and are more likely to have SAD/Anxiety if a parent has an anxiety diagnosis or if they have experienced any form of a traumatic event. It is said that SAD typically occurs/app...

        Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, is a syndrome that makes sustaining attention difficult. With a quick google search, about 6.1 million children in the United States have Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). That's about 9.4% of children between 2-17 to have ever been diagnosed in a 2016 study by the CDC. Neuroscientists have found a bizarre treatment for this disorder with the help of award-winning game designers. In June 2020, EndeavorRx became approved by the FDA as an authorized medical device. It must be prescribed by a medical professional and is not supposed to substitute for a child's regular medications, meaning it is not a stand-alone treatment.          EndeavorRx is a challenging, immersive video game created to formally target areas of the brain that play a significant role in attention function. Kids are challenged within the app to multitask and "ignore" distractions. T...

       With this week's readings and my new knowledge of IQ testing, I stumbled across this article and skimmed through the titles. I started to ask those questions to myself "should my child have an IQ test? Why? I took my time reading, and I have realized no, he probably doesn't need to. But I was intrigued that if my son ever does feel bored in class or unchallenged by the curriculum, he can take a test to see where his intelligence stands. The article stated, " it might be beneficial to have evidence of his or her learning capacity. In addition, IQ testing may help gain admission to educational opportunities available only to students with a demonstrated level of aptitude." ("IQ Tests and Your Child | Gifted Support Center", 2010) IQ tests can test children's general intellectual abilities, one of the best school success predictors. The test assesses specific logical, spatial, memory, and verbal skills, which can also help underachieving kids—gi...

       It is safe to assume that almost everybody can tell babies' first words are babbles. Clearly, babbles aren't actual words, but they are baby words. Even if there isn't much to the oohs, ahhs, ma's, and pa's, these sounds/baby words are essential to how babies come to learn and develop their language. As babies continue with the constant makings of the smaller word fragments (ma, ah, la, etc.) and move their mouths to become comfortable with the different patterns, they are one step closer to talking correctly. Some people may think the babbles are useless, but this is not true. Babbles are the starting point for talking. When babies start creating consonant-vowel sounds, it is encouraged to finish the words they've begun to influence the entire word fragment. As a mom, I didn't realize I would do this every day without realizing it. Imagine simply speaking to your baby; happy talk and simple expressions will help them learn as they start to pick up an...

  Many changes can happen to a child's brain as they age. Adverse effects can occur in brain development when children grow from causes such as emotional abuse and more horrific abuse. During the "critical period," babies and children can lose many essential brain responses throughout development when exposed to abuse and reoccurring trauma. Up to 14% of U.S. adults reported experiencing emotional abuse during childhood  (Holmes, 2021) . Though nothing physical occurs, children's rapid brain development can still be affected, disrupting the brain within the critical development periods.     Dr. Martin and his team from different hospitals examined nine different scans, finding many differences in young adults who were emotionally and physically neglected as a child. The most noticeable changes in these scans showed regions in the brain that controls emotions, impulses, and self-awareness were affected—also concluding that those who experience abuse are more likely to...