DAVAO CENTRAL COLLEGE, INC.

Juan dela Cruz Street, Toril, Davao City

Landline No. (082) 291 1882
Accredited by ACSCU-ACI

Unit 2: Typical and Atypical Development of Children

Topic:
Principles of Normal Development in Infancy and Early
Childhood
The Human Genome Project

Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify the deviations from normal human development
that can lead to developmental disabilities;
2. Define the examples of developmental disabilities
3. Cite the significant outcomes of the human genome project

Concept Digest (Discussion)

Principles of Normal Development in Infancy and Early Childhood

When there are problems in prenatal development and birth,
deviations from the normal developmental milestones in infancy
and early childhood can be expected. The general principles of
normal development are useful guides in observing the presence of
such deviations.

1. Normal development progresses in orderly step by step

sequences.
2. All areas of development are interrelated.
3. The skills acquired earlier determine how well later skills
will be learned.
4. Although there are developmental milestones in each of the
growth areas, children manifest individual differences in
their rate of development. Each child develops at his or her
own pace.

Gross Motor Skills

Approx. Approx.
Activity Activity
Age age
Raises chin while lying 1 mo. Walks alone unsupported 18 mos.
on stomach
Raises chest while lying 2 mo. Sit self in small chair 18 mos.
on stomach
Reaches for objects but
3 moss. Walks carrying large objects 20 mos.
misses
Head set forward, steady Raises self from sitting
4 mos. 22 mos.
lumbar curvature positions with hips first
Turns over from lying to 4-6
Runs well without falling 2 yrs.
supine position mos.
Sits on lap, grasps 5 mos. Kick ball without 2 yrs.
object overbalancing
Sits on high chair, 6 mos. Jumps with both feet on place 2.5
grasps objects yrs.
Sits alone with good Picks up object from floor 2.5
10 mos.
posture without help yrs.
Creeps and crawls, pulls Stands on one foot without
11 mos. 3 yrs.
to standing position help
 DAVAO CENTRAL COLLEGE, INC.
Juan dela Cruz Street, Toril, Davao City
Landline No. (082) 291 1882
Accredited by ACSCU-ACI

Walks with help, walks

12 mos. Pedals tricycle 3 yrs.
alone
Climb stairs step 13 mos.

Receptive Language
Points to 5 body parts on 1 yr.
Understands few words 11 mos.
self or doll 10 mos.
Points to 1 names body Follow 3-step command given
1 yr.
part on request once 2 yrs.
Stops activity to name Understands 200-400 words
objects 1 yr. 2 yrs.
Stops activity to Understands 800 words
respond to “no” 1 yr. 3 yrs.
Points to familiar
person, objects on 1 yr. 3 Verbalizes past experiences
mos. 3 yrs.
request
Follows one-step Points to big, little,
1yr.
simple command soft, loud 3 yrs.
3mos.
Points to 3 named body 1 yr. 5 Follows commands with 2-3
4 yrs.
parts on request mos. actions
Understands app. 1,500
Follows two-step 1 yr. 8
words 4 yrs.
command mos.

Expressive Language
Says first word 10 mos. Uses plurals 2 yrs.
Shakes heada and says 11 mos.
Asks questions 2 yrs.
“no-no”
Imitates sounds of 2.5
1 yr. Uses negatives in speech
others (“mama”) yrs.
Uses 3 words in 2.5
13 mos. Enunciates vowel sounds
speaking vocabulary yrs.
Use of verbs appear 14 mos. Enunciates consonant sounds 3 yrs.
Uses at least six Speech is about 75 to 80%
17 mos. 3 yrs.
words intelligible
Refers to self by name 21 mos. Uses 3 to 4 syllables 3 yrs.
Uses me and you 2 yrs. Says 6 to 8 words 4 yrs.
Speech is about 90 to 95
Says 50 to 200 words 2 yrs. 4 yrs.
intelligible
Knows full name 2 yrs.

Eating Skills
Sucks and swallow
Birth Holds cup with two hands 1 yr.
liquids
gagging reflex birth Chews table food 1.3 yr.
sucks and swallows Grasps spoon and places in
2 mos. 1.3 yr.
liquids from spoon mouth with some spilling
brings hands against 3 mos. can manage spoon without help 1.5 yr.
bottle while eating with little spilling
Eats strained baby foods
3 mos. Requests for food when hungry 1.11 yr.
from spoon
Sips from a cup that is Requests for liquid when
4 mos. 1.11 yr.
held hungry
Gets excited at sound of Can hold small glass with one
4 mos. 2 yrs.
food preparation hand without help
Holds spoon with 5 mos. Can use fork to get food
assistance 3 yrs.
 DAVAO CENTRAL COLLEGE, INC.
Juan dela Cruz Street, Toril, Davao City
Landline No. (082) 291 1882
Accredited by ACSCU-ACI

Can feed self, soft food 6 mos. Can spread butter on bread 3 yrs.
Holds own bottle 7 mos. Can help set table 4 yrs.
Can chew small lumpy 8 mos. Can use a fork to separate 4 yrs.
food food
can take bottle out of 9 mos. Can use a knife from pitcher 5 yrs.
mouth and put it back to glass
Can use fingers to feed Can set the table without
10 mos. 6 yrs.
self assistance

Dressing Skills
Can pull and tug at 3.4 Attempts to place feet in
30 mos.
clothing mos. shoes
Holds out limbs when 1 yr. Can choose own outfit 3 yrs.
dressing
Can remove shoes by self 1.2 yrs. Can unbutton clothes 3 yrs.
Can pull up pants 1.6 yrs. Places clothing on/in correct 3.6 yrs.
direction
Can unzip 1.7 yrs. Can dress and undress with 4 yrs.
supervision
Attempts to put on own 2 yrs. Can button front buttons on 4.8 yrs.
shoes clothing
Pulls up pants 2 yrs. can zip up and down/snap 5 yrs.
simple snaps
Undresses self 30 mos. Can tie shoes with bows 5.6 yrs.
Can put on shirt and coat 30 mos. Can unlace bows on shoes 5.6 yrs.
Dresses self completely 5.6 yrs.

Grooming Skills
Cries when removed from can brush teeth with 3.6
5 mos.
bathroom assistance yrs.
Splashes water with 6 mos. can wash and dry face alone 4 yrs.
hands and feet
Grimaces when face is 6 mos. Can brush teeth alone 4 yrs.
washed with cloth
Exhibits resistance to Can put toys away with
8 mos. 4 yrs.
washing face supervision
Can open and pull out 1.6
Can hung up clothes in hook 4 yrs.
drawers yrs.
can wash hands and face 5 yrs.
2 yrs. Brushes hair alone
but not well
Can wash front of body 2 yrs. Hangs up own clothes alone 5 yrs.
while bath
Can run a brush through 2.5
Washes face alone 6 yrs.
hair yrs.

Toileting Skills
About 4 bowels movements
1 mo. Climbs on to toilet 2.6
a day associated with
By self yrs.
waking up
 DAVAO CENTRAL COLLEGE, INC.
Juan dela Cruz Street, Toril, Davao City
Landline No. (082) 291 1882
Accredited by ACSCU-ACI

2 bowel movements a day

either at waking up or Can control bladder for 5 2.6
2 mos.
hours yrs.
after being fed
Some delay shown between Begins to develop a routine
4 mos. 3 yrs.
feeding and elimination for elimination
Stays dry for 1 to 2 7 mos. Attempts to wipe self but 3.6
hours interval fails yrs.
May awaken at night and 1.5
Stays dry at night 4 yrs.
cry to be changed yrs.
1.5 Can toilet self without
May indicate wet pants 5 yrs.
yrs. assistance
Has only occasional 1.10 Washes and dries own hands
5 yrs.
accidents yrs. after toileting
Uses same words for both 1.10
yrs. One bowel movement a day 5 yrs.
functions of elimination
Begins to differentiate
between elimination 2 yrs.
functions

When is a developmental disability present?

A deviation from the developmental milestones from four to six

months is enough ground to suspect that there might be a
disability. For example, at six months the infant is still not
able to raise his or her chin when made to lie on the stomach, a
gross motor skill that is observable at one month. At two years,
the child cannot walk alone with support. There is no receptive
language yet at one-and-a-half years of age, that is, the child
does not respond to the adult’s motivation. At 2 years when the
child is expected to understand 200 to 400 words, the receptive
vocabulary is less than 100. In the development of expressive
language, at age three, the child can only say a few words that
are mispronounced.

When deviation from the normal milestones of development are

observed, the parents and caregivers must seek help of medical
persons immediately. Many times, the situation worsens when long
periods of time are allowed to elapse before seeking professional
help. The medial doctor is the best person who can tell if there
is cause for worry in the presence of perceived deviations from
normal development.

The Human Genome Project

The Human Genome Project (HGP) is coordinated effort among

scientists from the United States, Japan, and other countries to
map and characterize all human genetic materials by determining
the complete sequence of the DNA in the human genome.

The Human Genome Project

Timeline  1992-2003
Goal  To discover and map the book of life, the
precise biochemical code for each of the
thousands of human genes and make the
information available
for further biological study
 DAVAO CENTRAL COLLEGE, INC.
Juan dela Cruz Street, Toril, Davao City
Landline No. (082) 291 1882
Accredited by ACSCU-ACI

Findings  Revealed a wealth of information on how each

gene functions and malfunctions to trigger
deadly diseases like cancer, AIDS,
cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and arthritis
 Include data on genes related to mental
retardation and other developmental disabilities
 Identified genes that undergo mutation
Benefits  Drugs can be created based on people’s unique
molecular information
 DNA tests can be developed to diagnose a
disease, confirm the existence of a disease in a
person without symptoms
 predict the risk of future diseases in healthy
individuals and their offspring
 make possible an entirely new approach to
biological research
 potential of treating or even curing inherited
and acquired diseases.

References
 Inciong, T.G., Quijano, Y.S., & Capulong, Y.T., (2002).
Introduction to Special Education: A Textbook for College
Students (reprinted), Rex Bookstore