Case study of

a child age 10
Janisse Badere
EDU 220-1004
 Brief overview of 10-year-old observation
Physical Development Emotional Development Cognitive/Intellectual
✘ Active and developed ✘ Concerned with peer Development
motor skills relationships ✘ Increased awareness/use
✘ Leaner and stronger ✘ Gains more independence of logic
✘ At risk for obesity ✘ Develops self-image ✘ Thinking influenced by
experiences
Psychosocial/Social Moral/Character Development
Development ✘ Respects rules/authority
✘ Desire to fit in/peer ✘ Actions done to please
pressure others
✘ Develops a sense of ✘ Focused on wrongs than
industry what is right
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 Typical physical development
✘ Fair body control & interest development of
strength, skill and speed
(University of Washington, 1993)
✘ Smooth and strong motor skills (Medline, 2017)
✘ “Feelings of prowess and being in control of the self
arise” (Ellsworth, 1999)
✘ Sexual awareness continues (Ellsworth, 1999)

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 Typical physical development according to snowman
✘ Both sexes become leaner, taller, and increases strength
✘ At risk for obesity with more control of their eating habits and
tendencies to overeat
✘ Boys outperform girls in activities that involve large muscle
movement
✘ Girls outperform boys in activities that involve “flexibility,
balance, and rhythmic movements” (Snowman, J. & McCown,
R., 2015, pg. 89)

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015)

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 10-year-old physical characteristics (observation)
✘ The ten-year-old boy with autism I observed is thinner than
most his age.
✘ He fails to interact/acknowledge other children. He is most
similar to a toddler with a lack of control of bowel movements,
can feed himself with a spoon, and can stack a few blocks at a
time (University of Washington, 1993)
✘ He is extremely flexible, but does not engage in any physical
activities.
✘ His family manages his eating habits by providing any food he
is willing to eat (limited to cookies, fruits, and cream cheese);
his fast metabolism makes up for his lack of exercise.
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 Physical development recommendations
✘ Healthier family meals; limit foods high in “solid fats,
added sugars, or salts,” (Center for Disease Control and
Prevention, 2020)
✘ At least an hour a day of aerobic activities, opportunities
to strengthen muscles and bones. (Center for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2020)
✘ Encourage team games/active play; fine-tune manual
skills through activities (University of Washington, 1993)

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 Typical emotional behaviors
✘ Expresses a sense of wholeness and comfort in
oneself (Ellsworth, 1999)
✘ Concerned with style, school and peer relationships
(University of Washington, 1993)
✘ Sudden bursts of anger, may cry during these
moments (Child Development Institute, 2015)
✘ Gains more independence (Child Development
Institute, 2015)

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 Typical emotional behaviors according to snowman
✘ Develop a complex self-image through:
✗ Self-descriptions (eg. “I am 10 years old.)
✗ Self-esteem (eg. “I am happy with myself.”)
✗ Self-concept (eg. “I am good at math.”)
✘ Sense of self influenced by views of family, teachers, and
peers
✘ Disruptive home environment, rejection from peers, and
academic failure can steer a child towards delinquent
behavior
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015)
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 10-year-old emotional behavior characteristics (observation)
✘ The ten-year-old with ASD I observed is non-verbal, making
it difficult to interpret his understanding of self-image.
✘ If unable to comply or finish an activity successfully, the
child shows frustration through temper tantrums and
crying. This is most similar to a toddler when they cannot
express themselves in words (University of Washington
1993).
✘ Rather than becoming more independent, he relies more on
others in bouts of laziness and lack of motivation.

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 emotional development recommendations
✘ Ensure proper exercise & a healthy diet to increase self-esteem
(Child Development Institute, 2015)
✘ Provide personal space, reassurance, & opportunities for
socialization
(University of Washington, 1993)
✘ Show forgiveness for unwanted behaviors & discuss ways of
social acceptance without pushing familial standards.
(Medline, 2017)

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 Typical cognitive/intellectual developments
✘ Able to exchange ideas with other peers with a consistent
stream of information (Ellsworth, 1999)
✘ Alertness with surroundings and argues with logic (University
of Washington, 1993)
✘ May read longer books, improvement of problem-solving skills
and math. (Child Development Institute, 2015)
✘ Can understand others’ views more distinctly. (Center for
Disease Control and Prevention, 2020)

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 cognitive/intellectual developments
according to piaget & vygotsky
PIAGET VYGOTSKY
Concrete Operational Stage Sociocultural Theory
✘ Reactions based on previous ✘ Learning/thinking is shaped by
experiences “the roles of culture, social
✘ More understanding of tasks interaction and formal
with logic, hierarchical instruction.” (Snowman, J. &
connections, and the order of McCown, R., 2015, pg. 50)
objects. ✘ Cultural values play a
significant role.

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015)

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 10-year-old cognitive/intellectual characteristics
(observation)
✘ The ten-year-old boy’s speech is closer to that of a toddler-
babble and incoherent sounds, so he is not able to hold
conversations with other students.
✘ His cognitive skills are similar to a toddler with his ability to
sort/recognize colors, identify some objects/body parts, and
understand simple commands (Medline, 2017).
✘ It is difficult to keep his attention for longer than a few minutes,
and his sense of alertness is low.
✘ He can comprehend tasks based on the repetition of previous
experiences (certain activities or routines).

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 cognitive/intellectual development recommendations
✘ Assign a set of chores, teach financial management (allowances), and
encourage continuing academics at home.
(Child Development Institute, 2015)
✘ Provide books in their interest, lessons of their interests, and teach how
to problem solve/think logically.
(University of Washington, 1993)
✘ Balance quality time, educational practices, free-time, screen time &
extracurricular activities.
(Medline, 2017)

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 Typical psychosocial/social development
✘ Selective friendships with a desire to fit in.
(University of Washington, 1993)
✘ Does not prefer to be around younger children
(University of Washington, 1993)
✘ Obedient towards adults and parents; usually
friendly. (Ellsworth, 1999)
✘ Still affectionate towards parents, may feel closer
to mother (Child Development Institute, 2015)

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Typical psychosocial/social developments according to erikson
✘ Encouragement to perform well with praise =
industry
✘ Failure despite efforts or chastised = feeling of
inferiority
✘ Inferiority may lead to a lack of pride and low
self-esteem

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015)

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 10-year-old psychosocial/social characteristics (observation)
✘ My ten-year-old prefers time alone rather than
interacting with others. This is similar to a toddler’s
preference for playing alone (University of
Washington, 1993).
✘ He performs well when praised/given reinforcers
for preferred behaviors.
✘ Typically indifferent when around younger children
(or any other children in general).

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 psychosocial/social development recommendations
✘ Have acceptance of the child’s desire to fit in and choice
in friends (University of Washington,1993)
✘ Serve as a good role model for preferred behaviors
(sharing/helping) (Ellsworth, 1999)
✘ Provide support & encouragement as they change
schools/peers (Child Development Institute, 2015)

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 Typical moral/character development
✘ “...has a strict ethical code and strong sense of
justice.” (Child Development Institute, 2015).
✘ Enjoys deal-making; fairness = best outcome
for own personal gain (Ellsworth, 1999)
✘ More focused on what is wrong than right
(University of Washington, 1993)

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 Typical moral/character development according to kohlberg
✘ “...moral reasoning proceeds through a fixed
sequence of stages.” (Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015,
pg. 60)
✘ Level 2: conventional morality
✗ Good boy-nice girl orientation: Actions done to
please or impress others
✗ Law-and-order orientation: Rules and being
respectful to authority figures are important
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015)
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 10-year-old moral characteristics (observation)
✘ My ten-year-old does not perform actions to please
others. He is more in Kohlberg’s Stage 1 of
punishment-obedience orientation.
✘ He often thinks that doing undesirable behaviors are
humorous; a lack of respect for authority unless
reprimanded.
✘ He does not show an understanding of right/wrong
similar to a three-year-old (Ellsworth, 1999).

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 moral/character development recommendations
✘ “Introduce and use natural and logical forms of
consequences” (Ellsworth, 1999)
✘ Acknowledge the child’s sense of injustice/morals are
limited to own perspective (University of Washington,
1993)
✘ Praise the child and teach respect for others; discuss
peer pressure (Center for Disease and Control, 2020)

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 references
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Middle Childhood (9-11 years old).
Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/middle2.html
Child Development Institute. (2015). Moving Onwards: Your Ten-Year-Old's Development.
Retrieved from
https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/child-activities/moving-onwards-your-ten-year-old
s-development/
Ellsworth, J. A. (1999). Retrieved from
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jde7/ese504/class/pepsi/PEPSIObserv/year10.html
Medline. School-age children development. (2017). Retrieved from
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002017.htm
Snowman, J. & McCown, R. (2015). Psychology Applied to Teaching, 14th ed. Stamford, CT:
Cengage Learning.
University of Washington. (1993). Child Development
23 Guide. Ten to Eleven Years. Retrieved
from
http://depts.washington.edu/allcwe2/fosterparents/training/cdevguid/cdg12.htm