The Needs of School-aged Child Between the Ages of 5 and 12 Years Old

Developmental Assessment and the School-Aged Child
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Developmental Assessment and the School-Aged Child
Part of child assessment involves physical examination to gather information about the child. The healthcare professional must apply knowledge on the stages of development when conducting a physical evaluation of school-aged children. Common assessment techniques include visual inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation (Forster & Fraser, 2018). These techniques can be modified to match the stage of development of the child. According to Nugent and Vitale (2017), school-aged children are eager to get the approval of their parents and teachers as they become competent at school and as such, are more likely to talk about school and their friends. Healthcare professionals can use this information to modify physical assessment techniques. For instance, children at this age are more cooperative and are interested in learning about their bodies. The nurse can enhance their cooperation by asking the child questions and answering the child’s questions appropriately. Although the assessment techniques are similar to adults’, the assessment should start with the most pleasant/comfortable and end with the most uncomfortable examination (Nugent & Vitale, 2017). Also, the evaluation of measures such as weight and height should be matched to the child’s age and developmental stage (Forster & Fraser, 2018). These should be measured against a standard chart that provides the ranges for normal weight and height.
A child aged seven years is considered to be in middle childhood. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2021), the typical developmental stages of a seven-year-old include; mental skills development, more independence from parents and caregivers, and enhanced social skills through increased teamwork and friendship as well as the desire to be liked by peers. They also enjoy learning and are more modest, valuing privacy...