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How Personal Factors May Affect Child Development

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When children experience a traumatic event, not only does it affect their emotions but it can affect many areas of development if not all of them. Equally, health and learning difficulties can also have a less desirable effect on holistic development. By looking at how such factors can affect child development, we can work towards finding a suitable learning method and helping children overcome and recover from their experiences. Personal factors affecting a child’s development involve those affecting the child only and is more likely to be a characteristic rather than a situation or an occurrence. An example of a personal factor is a disability or an impairment. Over 60,000 people in the UK live with Down’s Syndrome, each and every one …show more content…

Children with asthma can experience wheezing, shortness of breath, a tight chest and coughing and carry an inhaler with them to help control their breathing. This may mean the affected child is limited to certain physical activity therefore causing a possible delay to their physical development. Cystic fibrosis is another condition that may affect a child’s physical development; people with the condition can become very unwell if they are over-active. Due to a build-up of mucus in the lungs and digestive system, children can experience a persistent cough and recurring infections and have to undergo remedies like physiotherapy to reduce this risk. Lots of movement can result in fatigue as a result. Depending on how the child’s mother’s health was during pregnancy also affects the development rate of her child. For example if the mother drank alcohol, smoked and took drugs, her child is more likely to be born premature with a low birth weight which can result in a slower development rate. The average child’s development can also be affected by lack of sleep or an unbalanced diet. If a child isn’t eating the correct food types or getting enough sleep, they are unlikely to have the energy to learn new information or practice their physical skills. Diet and sleep are very important factors to child …show more content…

A child living in poverty will not have the same access to a good education, a balanced diet and opportunities to play as a child with a well-provided background. Their diet and housing may mean that the child becomes ill often because of nutritional issues and living in cold, damp conditions. As a result, the child will lack energy and concentration for development. The deprived child’s chances of a good education appear slim and don’t have the opportunity to use books, equipment or the internet. Lack of encouragement and motivation from parents because of their situation is a factor that can affect child development also; as their opportunities are limited, the child’s holistic development is very likely to be

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