A snapshot of the field of child development research and definitions of developmental benchmarks.
Child Development Research is a the field of study of the development of a child from infancy through adulthood that combines psychology, physiology and medicine. Research in child development focuses on the processes and mechanisms that contribute to the development of the child, with an emphasis placed on the stages of development: infancy, toddler-hood, elementary school age, preadolescence, adolescence, and young adulthood.
Most contemporary childhood development research is interested in the identification and description of developmental benchmarks that are either typical or atypical for a particular stage. Researchers look for benchmarks in the categories of speech, physical development, motor skills, cognitive development and socialization.
Milestones in physical development and motor skills for infants and toddlers include crawling, walking, smiling, waving, clapping, moving objects from hand-to-hand, and inserting small objects into larger containers. Researchers and specialists look for small children to reach all of these milestones before the child reaches eighteen months of age. If a child shows a lack of progress in meeting these milestones, or if a significant number of milestones are skipped, than an early intervention program may be prescribed by a doctor.
Speech development is an important field within child development research. Speech development issues may be an indicator of other problems. Delays in speech acquisition can signal a problem with hearing or cognition, and can also be an early sign of autism within a child. For example, a child who suddenly develops a stutter may be exhibiting signs of developmental stress. Researchers closely watch and analyze a child's speech acquisition including size of vocabulary, grasp of grammar concepts and pronunciation. Many speech problems can be rectified with individualized sessions with a trained speech therapist.
Milestones in adolescent development are closely tied to puberty: change in voice, development of facial and body hair, maturation of the genitals, growth of pubic hair and the beginning of menstruation. Individual development differs, but these changes should be carefully tracked to ensure that proper development is occurring within the adolescent.
Scientific research in child development occurs in many research institutes. In fact, most advances in the care of children are made by the researchers at universities and hospitals throughout the world. Since they are dealing with minors without the right to consent, researchers in child development adhere to a strict code of ethics which is maintained by professional societies and by the institutions. All procedures must be non-harmful to the patient. If there is any doubt about the safety of a procedure, then it will be subject to review by the institution's ethics board prior to initiation. Where possible, both parents and child will have full consent. Those participating in the projects are also anonymous, held in confidentiality and given fair incentives.
Childhood development is taught at most major universities and colleges, and is a popular subject for those interested in child psychology, teaching and working with children. The research done by those in the field has proven to be very beneficial to understanding the physical and mental health of children.
