Abnormal Cognitive Development

Recognizing Abnormal Cognitive Development and Treating it Where Possible

Aim
What is normal cognitive development How can it be recognized How to recognize abnormal cognitive development What are some signs and tests for abnormal cognitive development What is one diagnosis that may be present What are some treatment options

Piagets Model of Cognitive Development

2 Processes of Learning Adaptation
Assimilation Adaptation

Normal Cognitive Development

Equilibrium
State of balance between what is coming in, and what is being retained (necessary for progress in learning)

Piagets Stages of Cognitive Development

Stage Age Characteristics of Stage The child learns by doing: looking, touching, and sucking. The child also has a primitive understanding of cause-and-effect relationships. Object permanence appears around 9 months. Sensorimotor 02

Preoperational 27

The child uses language and symbols, including letters and numbers. Egocentrism is also evident. Conservation marks the end of the preoperational stage and the beginning of concrete operations.
The child demonstrates conservation, reversibility, serial ordering, and a mature understanding of cause-and-effect relationships. Thinking at this stage is still concrete. The individual demonstrates abstract thinking, including logic, deductive reasoning, comparison, and classification.

Concrete Operations Formal Operations

711

12+

Abnormal Cognitive Development

Abnormal Behavior, or Individual Difference? Being slow
Jack spent 1 yrs in kindy Parents very concerned why child is not doing as well as fast as other kids! Insisted on moving child to grade 1 Child began to thrive after a while (was now ready to assimilate higher level material?)

Displaying abnormal characteristics

Problems in social interaction; Problem with communication (saying you want water instead of I want water) Restricted interests Repetitive behavior Be overly sensitive in sight, hearing, touch, smell, or taste (for example, they may refuse to wear "itchy" clothes and become distressed if they are forced to wear the clothes) Have unusual distress when routines are changed Perform repeated body movements Show unusual attachments to objects Communicates with gestures instead of words Develops language slowly or not at all Does not adjust gaze to look at objects that others are looking at Repeats words or memorized passages, such as commercials Uses nonsense rhyming Does not make friends and is withdrawn May not respond to eye contact or smiles, or may avoid eye contact Prefers to spend time alone, rather than with others Doesn't imitate the actions of others and prefers solitary or ritualistic play Shows little pretend or imaginative play "Acts up" with intense tantrums Gets stuck on a single topic or task (perseveration) Has a short attention span Has very narrow interests Is overactive or very passive Shows aggression to others or self Uses repetitive body movements

Other Signs and Tests

Babbling by 12 months Gesturing (pointing, waving bye-bye) by 12 months Saying single words by 16 months Saying two-word spontaneous phrases by 24 months (not just echoing) Losing any language or social skills at any age

Possible Diagnoses
Autism
Specialized Tests
Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised (ADI-R) Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Childhood Autism rating Scale (CARS) Gilliam Autism Rating Scale Pervasive Developmental Disorders Screening Test - Stage 3

Genetic testing General Observational Testing

Communication Language Motor skills Speech Success at school Thinking abilities

Treatment
Early Intervention
Family training - assist the family in understanding the special needs of the child Medical services - only for diagnostic or evaluation purposes. Nursing services - assessment of health status of the child Nutrition services Psychological services - administering and interpreting psychological tests and information about a childs behavior and child and family conditions related to learning, mental health and development as well as planning services including counseling, consultation, parent training, and education programs. Special instruction - includes designing learning environments and activities that promote the childs development, providing families with information, skills, and support to enhance the childs development. Speech-language pathology - services for children with delay in communication skills or with motor skills such as weakness of muscles around the mouth or swallowing.

Treatment
Medical treatment
Administration of medication such as stimulants or depressants Treatment of specific symptoms of autism or other disorder causing cognitive development problems
Eg. RJ needed medication to calm down so that mind could focus on specific things at hand

In the end
Proper examination rather than assumption of issues Seek immediate care Aim to integrate child into society

Bibliography
Autism. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2011, from PubMed Health. Early Childhood Intervention. (2011, March). Retrieved March 2011, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_childhood_ intervention Myers, D. G. (2010). Psychology (9 ed.). Holland, Michigan: Worth Publishers.