Middle Childhood Development Interview
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Grand Canyon University *
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PSY-355
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Arts Humanities
Date
Jan 9, 2024
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docx
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Uploaded by LieutenantWillpowerCaterpillar33
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Middle Childhood Development Interview
Miranda Sue Davis
College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Grand Canyon University
PSy-355: Child and Adolescent Psychology
Dr. Minaj Vallo
October 18, 2023
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Middle and late childhood is defined as the developmental period that extends from about the age of 6 to
the age of 11 years old. It is sometimes also called the elementary school years (Santrock, Lansford, Deater-
Deckard, 2022). Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) per the National Autism Association (NAA) is a bio-neurological
developmental disability that generally appears before the age of 3. What does autism spectrum disorder affect?
Autism Spectrum Disorder has an impact on normal development of the brain, especially in the areas of social
interaction, communication skills, and cognitive function. Individuals that fall under the autism spectrum disorder
have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communications, social interactions, and leisure time or playtime activities
(2023). Statistically, Autism affects 1 in 36 children, mostly four times boys than girls. Of Autistic children about
40% do not speak. Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder, yet it is also the most underfunded. In the
last 20 years the rate of Autism has steadily grown (National Autism Association, 2023). Per the National Autism
Association, with autism spectrum disorder steadily growing, there are no two Autistic individuals the same, several
types of therapies help people with Autism, and it does not affect ethnicity or socio-economic status (2023).
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by problems in social interaction, problems in verbal and
non-verbal communication, and repetitive behaviors (Santrock, Lansford, Deater-Deckard, 2022). Some children
with ASD may also show atypical responses to sensory experiences. In some cases, children with Autism Spectrum
Disorder intellectual disability is present, while others have shown average or above-average intelligence. What is
intellectual disability? Per Merriam-Webster, intellectual disability is a mild to severe impairment in intellectual
ability equivalent to an IQ of 70 to 75 or below that is accompanied by significant limitations in social, practical,
and conceptual skills such as interpersonal communication, reasoning, or self-care, which are necessary for
independent daily functioning and that has an onset before age 18 (2023). Per Santrock, Lansford, and Deater-
Deckard, Autism Spectrum Disorder children tend to show deficits in cognitive processing or information (2022).
Also, per Santrock, et. al., in 2013 the American Psychiatric Association proposed that “new DSM-V psychiatric
classification of disorders, autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, and several other autistic variations ought to be
consolidated in the overarching category of autism spectrum disorder (2022).
In the interview titled, “Parent of Child with Autism Interview”, the interviewer did address and ask the
parent and child’s name, which was Olga (parent) and Anakin (child). She also asked the child’s age and what grade
is he in? Olga said, “Anakin is 11 years old, and he is about to be in sixth grade”. We found out that Anakin is in a
special day class, also known as SDC. Special day class is a special education classroom with a special education
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teacher that has a smaller group of students (YouTube, 2017). We could see that Olga and Anakin were of Native
American ethnicity.
Olga told us in the interview that raising a child with Autism does get better but it does grow in different
areas. She also mentions to us that are always challenges. Some of the things she struggles with are that her son,
Anakin, is non-verbal and still does not speak to this day. He struggles with socializing and gets anxious when he is
asked questions because he gets extremely uncomfortable. She struggles with looks from other people when Anakin
covers his ears due to loud sounds.
When it comes to asking any additional questions, I do believe that the interviewer and Olga covered a lot
in the ten-minute interview. They even covered what advice can be given to other parents or parents raising a child
with autism can do. Some of those things are talking to other parents that are raising a child or children with autism.
She also said that to not be afraid to reach out because there are many therapies and groups that are willing to help
parents cope with raising a child or children with autism.
Piaget’s theory of cognitive development has four stages. Those stages are birth to age 18-24 months is
sensorimotor, age 18-24 months to early childhood or age 7 is preoperational, ages 7-11 is concrete operational, and
adolescence to adulthood is formal operational (Santrock, Lansford, and Deater-Deckard, 2022). According to
Piaget, “children are born with a very basic mental structure (genetically or evolved) on which all subsequent
learning and knowledge are based” (Mcleod, 2023). Based on the above statement, I would say that autism spectrum
disorder falls under Piaget’s first stage of Cognitive Theory of Development, which is sensorimotor.
Most autistic children, as we have previously learned, are non-verbal. The Autism Specialty Group tells us
that, “some autistic children may reach early milestones on time but then fall behind as time goes on. Or a child may
achieve a milestone but struggle to actually apply it in their day-to-day life (2023). Center for Disease Control and
Prevention, tells that autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain.
People with Autism Spectrum Disorder are impacted socially because 40% are nonverbal, so they must learn to
communicate. People with Autism Spectrum Disorder find ways of learning, moving, and paying attention
differently than one who does not have a disability (2022). The impact this has on a family with a child with autism
can make them feel like an outcast, due to having a child with a disability. It can make feel stared at, talked about,
and pointed at aw well.
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When it comes to having a child with Autism, as Olga stated, “You are not alone” (YouTube, 2017). She
tells us that there are many organizations and groups that are out there to help parents and children cope with
Autism. She tells us even though you may be afraid to reach out due to being stared at and pointed at that it is ok any
people will learn to accept or they will not, but either way do not let others get you down.
In conclusion, autism spectrum disorder can have many different advantages and disadvantages, however, it
does not make you a person. It makes us a special person that just needs a little bit more help along the way and in
some cases having autism can make you a genius. Autism spectrum disorder does not have any two people who are
the same, it does not choose a specific ethnicity, and there are several therapies.
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References
Autism Specialty Group. (2023). Autism Milestones: Tracking Development of Children with ASD.
https://www.autismspecialtygroup.com/blog/autism-milestones#:~:text=Some%20autistic%20children
%20may%20reach,day%2Dto%2Dday%20life
.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Signs and Symptoms.
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/signs.html#:~:text=People%20with%20ASD%20often%20have,have
%20some%20of%20these%20symptoms
.
Mcleod, S. (2023) Jean Piaget and His Theory and Stages of Cognitive Development. Simply Psychology.
https://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html#:~:text=According%20to%20Piaget%2C%20children
%20are,mental%20representation%20of%20the%20world
.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (2023). Intellectual Disability.
https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/intellectual%20disability
National Autism Association. (2023). What is Autism?
https://nationalautismassociation.org/resources/autism-fact-
sheet/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw84anBhCtARIsAISI-xfuT8-qXWaVawlXPqHWRuZ8fbOzvu1K5V81V_twEHYc-
Ardt0oXlcQaAqWiEALw_wcB
Santrock, J. W., Lansford, J. E., & Deater-Deckard, K. (2022).
Children
(15
th
ed.). McGraw Hill LLC. ISBN-13:
9781260726794
YouTube.com (2017). Parent of Child with Autism Interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfMWrlDZdI0
6
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