Infancy and Early Childhood Development

All aspects of development begin in infancy and continue throughout one’s entire lifetime.  Some believe that infants and young children are greatly influenced by their surrounding environment.  Early in life, cognitive and social aspects of development are shaped and molded quite easily.  Language and speech, perception, and motor skills are also influenced early in a child’s life.  Parents and family members play a large role in a young child’s life, which is why they also have a significant impact on the child’s development.  As a young child reaches school age, he or she will also begin to adapt to an educational atmosphere, which will in turn affect his or her cognitive development and social skills