Fredrick Nzeki Fredrick

 Name Institution Instructor Course Date Jean Piaget and Cognitive Development in School-Age Children Jean Piaget's cognitive theory is based on a Swiss psychologist who explained how children build knowledge during interactions with the surrounding world. His theory consists of four stages: Sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. All of them include specific cognitive development of the child. This essay will, therefore, be mainly related to the concrete operational stage, which children of school-going age are expected to be in, a discussion of typical expectations of children at this developmental stage, how illness interferes with their development and finally, the way that Piaget can be helpful to nurses in the way that they carry out their work with children. Since children have several stages of development, it is crucial to be familiar with such phases to ensure that they develop their cognitive and emotional skills. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development and the School-Age Child This theory of cognitive development describes the process in terms of stages, unilinear or sequential for children. School-going children fall in the concrete operational stage, ranging from ages 7 to 11 years. Here, children learn to reason, gain practical problem-solving skills, and comprehend simple relations between cause and effect. They also appreciate spatial features like conservation and reversibility. For example, they learn that the amount of an object remains the same whether in a round shape or a square one. Rabindran and Madanagopal state “Cognitive development at this stage is characterised by Logical thinking, Decentration, Reversibility, Cause and Effect relationship, Classification, Transitivity and Elimination of Egocentrism” (Rabindran 2155). It is at this stage that children are viewed to be going through a significant cognitive transition from the stages that came before it, in which children are considered and given credit for having single-slightly one-track-minded persons who cannot look at different aspects of a given situation. The children develop mental constructions actions that have been interiorized and help the child to think through the content of an object without having to manipulate the content. “Child development entails the psychological, emotional and biological adjustments that occur in human beings between birth and the ending of adolescence” (Kaur 20)​. Children of school age develop the capability to solve mathematical problems and come up with logical operations, which is essential for learning at school and in the process of solving day-to-day activities. Changes Expected During Illness in School-Age Children Whenever school-going children get sick, it affects their thought processes and their mental health; this is especially so for severe illnesses that take time to heal. Sickness can cause a child to ‘lose some developmental ground’ or ‘get developmentally behind,' meaning they can regress to previous modes of functioning for some time. A child who, for most of the time, as well as in home and school environments, displays independence and rationality may end up being more emotionally dependent on caregivers and become more embedded in behaviors that are more typical of the younger age group, such as needing comforting or demanding comfort and reassurance more often. “Cognitive processes are universal but that there are cultural differences in cognitive styles and pathways of development” (Dasen 789. In children, when sick, there is the likelihood that there is some alteration in how the child processes information in the brain, thus changes in their ability to comprehend or reason. They might be concerned with short-term pain and may not easily understand various treatment regimens or the long-term consequences associated with their disorder. In more complex situations, children may be oriented at the preoperational stage, going down the developmental line in terms of thinking (Dasen). This temporary change may make it challenging for the healthcare provider to convey to the child what they want or need, particularly when it relates to explaining a medical process that may be being undertaken or the need to follow medical regimens. Approaching School-Age Children as a Nurse Using Piaget’s Theory In the context of the healthcare facility, it is still essential for the nurses to notice school-aged children and relate to them cognitively according to the characteristics of Piaget's theory. Being in the concrete operational stage, children can think logically, but at the same time, they are better able to explain things concretely. Therefore, the nurses have to explain what has happened to them and what they can expect from the treatment simply and clearly. In working with a child, one should avoid generalizations and use concrete keywords when having an explanation of cause and effect. Alifatin highlights the importance of understanding the child's perspective: “Modeling is the process by which the nurse understands that model is unique in the context of scientific theory and, using that same perspective from her client's unique model, plans interventions that promote health” (Alifatin, 3)​. In Piagetian terms, this means understanding that school-age children require operational understanding and concrete modes of experience to make sense of health situations. For example, touching objects, watching videos, or learning simple explanations will assist children in understanding medical procedures much better. Nurses have to involve school-age children in care to promote their need for independence, which is a part of their developmental stage. Eyetsemitan also explains how getting individuals into prosocial acts is useful by mentioning that “The bereaved carries out prosocial acts that they would perceive as pleasing to the deceased because of an intrinsic joy that comes from prosocial acts toward others (in this case the deceased), which would help with mood elevation and coping for the bereaved” (Eyetsemitan). If the children are able to take small parts in the management of their small responsibilities, such as handling minor tasks or making minor decisions, then they would have a handle on the situation. Planning for the chance to solve problems may help a child feel responsible and capable. “Theories shape society and become a powerful influence on major social decisions” (Samsanovich, 1). Examples of subpoenas of questions of a logical nature that the nurses might ask school-age children include, "What do you think will happen if you do not take your medicine?" These questions aim to assist the child in responding to questions that can be solved by the use of the cognitive abilities that the kid is creating in their real-life situations, which help in cause-and-effect understanding. Jean Piaget's cognitive development theory presents the knowledge of school-age children during the concrete operational stage of learning. Problems are characterized by reasoning, problem-solving, and the ability to understand relationships between causes and effects. But the disease can, at least for a certain period of time, affect them, leading to the child's regression and emotional dependence on the parent. Here are some of the ways through which nurses can apply Piaget's theory to their nurse's practice: Health caregivers or nurses should avoid abstract language, give accountants specific details, involve children in decision-making, and encourage them to solve problems. As stated in the paper, focusing on the child's age may help healthcare professionals work on the child's cognitive development as well as on the child's coping traits during adverse health conditions. Works Cited Alifatin, Aini. Modeling and Role-Modeling Theory on Stunting Children in the Perspective of Philosophy. 14 June 2022, https://doi.org/-/preprints-.v1. Dasen, Pierre R. “Culture and Cognitive Development.” Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, vol. 53, no. 7-8, Aug. 2022, pp. 789–816, https://doi.org/10.1177/-. Eyetsemitan, Frank E. The Deceased-Focused Approach to Grief. Springer EBooks, 1 Jan. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/- Kaur, Gurdip, and Saminder Singh. "Evaluating the Factors Influencing Child Development and Strategies used by Educators in Teaching Low-performance Children in an International Preschool. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gurdip-Kaur-Saminder-Singh/publication/-_Evaluating_the_Factors_Influencing_Child_Development_and_Strategies_used_by_Educators_in_Teaching_Low-performance_Children_in_an_International_Preschool/links/64f57e96fa851147de12d66b/Evaluating-the-Factors-Influencing-Child-Development-and-Strategies-used-by-Educators-in-Teaching-Low-performance-Children-in-an-International-Preschool.pdf Rabindran, and Darshini Madanagopal. “Piaget’s Theory and Stages of Cognitive Development- an Overview.” Scholars Journal of Applied Medical Sciences, vol. 8, no. 9, 25 Sept. 2020, pp-, https://saspublishers.com/media/articles/SJAMS_89_-.pdf Samsanovich, Anastasiya. “THEORY and DIVERSITY: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY of ERIKSON’S PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT STAGES.” Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations, 1 May 2021, https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/1230?utm_source=scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu%2Fetd%2F1230&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages