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Basic InformationMore InformationLatest NewsBlood Test Might Predict Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Study FindsCommon Childhood Vaccine Won't Worsen Juvenile Arthritis: StudyBPA Exposure Tied to Undescended Testicles in BoysSibling Bullying Can Lead to Depression, Anxiety in VictimsHealthy and Less Healthy 'Kid's Menu' Meals Similar in PriceHealth Tip: Protect Kids' EyesEarly, Severe Flu Season Caused Big Rise in Child Deaths: CDCTV Commercials May Spur Junk Food Habit in Kids, Study FindsUSPSTF: Evidence Lacking for Child Abuse Preventive EffortsMany Families in Underserved Areas Access, Use TechnologyCutting Unneeded CT Scans in Kids Could Lower Future Cancer RiskFlu Shots at School Boost Vaccination Rates, Study FindsKids With Past Concussions Take Longer to RecoverSummer Camp Health Tips for ParentsDrowning Prevention Measures to Keep Kids Safe in WaterHealth Tip: Get Your Child to the Eye DoctorHealth Tip: Choosing Your Child's PediatricianHealth Tip: Keep Kids Active During Summer BreakWhooping Cough Cases Rise as Parents Opt Out of VaccineMore Kids Being Poisoned by Prescription Drugs: StudyWebsite All About Child Health -- in SpanishWith Legalization, Marijuana Poisoning Up in YouthScientists Spot Genes Tied to Success at School, CollegeHealth Tip: Help Kids With Diabetes Deal With ShotsMissed Well-Child Care Visits Linked to More HospitalizationsA Strong Marriage Can Shield Kids From Dad's Depression: StudyPediatricians Can Aid Children Exposed to Military DeploymentWomen's Weight-Loss Surgery May Benefit Later OffspringMilitary Families May Need Help With Mental HealthType 2 Diabetes Progresses Faster in Kids, Study FindsToo Few Kids Use Fast-Food Calorie Info, Study FindsIodine Deficiency Has Negative Impact on Child CognitionChildren Who Have CT Scans May Face Higher Cancer RiskATS: Adenotonsillectomy Offers Relief to Kids With Sleep ApneaWeather Worries Can Threaten a Child's Mental HealthPrimary Care Docs Should Play Role in Kids' Dental Health, Experts SayStudy: Older Whooping Cough Vaccine More EffectiveHealth Tip: Help Children Eat Healthier1 in 5 U.S. Kids Has a Mental Health Disorder: CDCSchool-Based Smoking Prevention Programs WorkBrain Anatomy in Dyslexics Varies By Gender, Study FindsEven Mild Iodine Deficiency Can Affect Child's CognitionMany U.S. Kids Victims of Violence, Abuse: SurveyKids' Reading, Math Skills Tied to Future SuccessMore Time in Gym Class Equals Stronger KidsMagnesium-Rich Food May Help Keep Kids' Bones StrongGasoline Poisonings in Kids Spike During Summer: StudyPAS: Children With Strep Don't Need to Toss ToothbrushesMany Parents Texting, Phoning While Driving Their Kids: SurveyMany Suicidal Kids Have Access to Guns at Home: Study Questions and AnswersLinks |
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An Overview of Child Development TheoriesAngela Oswalt, MSWThis topic center provides a review of theories of child development. For information on parenting and child development of infants aged 0 to 2, please visit our Infant Parenting and Child Development topic center. For information on parenting and child development of preschool children (early childhood aged 3 to 7, please visit our Early Childhood Parenting and Child Development topic center. For information on parenting and child development of middle childhood children (ages 8 to 11), please visit our Middle Childhood Parenting and Development center. For information on parenting adolescents (ages 12-24), please visit our Child Development Theory: Adolescence topic center.
When babies arrive in the world, they are tiny, helpless people who depend entirely on adults to take care of all their needs and wants. Somehow, with the proper loving nurturing and care over the next 22 years, they grow to become independent adults who can take care of themselves and others. The journey from infancy to adulthood is an amazing time when children soak up everything in the world around them and mix it with the qualities they are born with in order to mature bit by bit, in every way.
 Over the years, people who study children have created theories to explain how children develop. While these theorists realize that every child is special and grow in his or her unique way, they also have recognized that there are general patterns children tend to follow as they grow up, and they have documented these patterns in their theories. This introductory document, which is the first in a series, which will cover child developmental theory and applications such as parenting skills, will attempt to explain these fascinating but detailed theories so as to make them more understandable. Specifically, this document will outline the various areas, or channels, of child development that have been recognized, to explain how children tend to develop through each of these channels over time, and to state in simple language the observations of the child development field's most important theorists.
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