Gordon’s functional health patterns provide a comprehensive system for studying and comparing the development and advancement of young children. These designs incorporate health discernment and management, nutritional-metabolic, elimination, activity-exercise, sleep-rest, cognitive-perceptual, self-perception-self-concept, roles-relationships, sexuality-reproductive, coping-stress resistance and value-belief.
Comparison of cases:
Toddler A: 18 months old
Toddler B: 30 months old
1. Discernment and Health Administration:
Child A is almost completely dependent on her caregivers to manage her health and her understanding of the concepts of well-being and health is limited. Little B has more developed cognitive abilities and may be able to begin to recognize schedules related to well-being and health, such as taking medications and washing hands.
2. Nutritional-Metabolic:
Little A, at 18 months, is transitioning from breast milk/formula to strong foods and is experiencing rapid growth and physical development. Child B, at 30 months, regularly incorporates a more developed and stable feeding pattern and may begin to show self-feeding inclinations and abilities, thus reflecting more prominent dietary autonomy (Kuo et al., 2021).
3. Elimination:
Child A is most likely still in diapers and may not show any signs of potty training. On the contrary, little B, in any case, can begin to show preparation to perform her bodily functions, showing awareness of real capabilities and the ability to communicate the need to perform them (Mota & Barros, 2022).
4. Activity-Exercise:
Toddler A may be improving basic motor skills, such as walking and climbing objects. Child B, on the other hand, has more refined motor skills, being able to concentrate on more complex exercises such as running, jumping and exploring the play area equipment, which illustrates better coordination and power.
5. Sleep-Rest:
Both child A and child B require considerable rest, but the rest patterns may contrast. Little A may need two breaks each day, while Child B may structure the rest into a single nap, thus reflecting changes in her rest needs and schedules.
6. Cognitive-Perceptual:
In child A at 18 months, it includes investigating the environment through encounters with sensory experiences. Child B, at 30 months, appears to have more advanced problem-solving skills, typical play, and improved dialect, showing improved cognitive abilities (Pierroutsakos et al., 2021).
7. Self-Perception-Self-concept:
In child A, the self-concept is barely developing, with restricted self-awareness. However, child B, with developing autonomy, begins to create a sense of self and can declare independence, demonstrating a more complete self-perception.
8. Roles-Relationships:
The two little ones establish connections with their caregivers, but little B can undoubtedly develop a more complex social intelligence with his peers, relatives and adults, which illustrates the advancement of social components and connections.
9. Sexuality-Reproductive:
Both children at these ages, this design fundamentally revolves around understanding the nature of sexual orientation. Toddler B may have an essential understanding of sexual orientation contrasts, more so than Toddler A.
10. Resilience to face stress:
In the case of child A, he is intensely dependent on the people who care for him to comfort him and manage any stress he has. Meanwhile, little B can begin to use simple adaptation tools, such as expressing feelings or looking for objects of comfort.
11. Belief of value:
The two little ones are impacted by family values and convictions. Little B’s most notable cognitive abilities allow for a simple understanding of concepts such as decency and sharing, which are less clear in Little A.
By applying Gordon’s useful health designs to young children, it is obvious that formative and developmental benchmarks essentially change with age. This approach shows the importance of age-appropriate assessment and dynamic nature in advancing development.
References:
Kuo, A. A., Dunn, M. E., and Trost, S. G. (2021). Behaviors and determinants of physical activity in young children: a systematic review. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 321. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10363-6
Mota, DM and Barros, AJD (2022). Potty training: Methods, parental expectations, and associated dysfunctions. Journal of Pediatric Urology, 18(1), 30-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpurol.2021.09.003
Pierroutsakos, S.L., Fine, J.G., and McMullen, E. (2021). Cognition and development of the young child. Child Development Perspectives, 15(4), 235-241. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12423
