Adaptive Development - A Guide for Parents and Caregivers
Adaptive development is development associated with self-care and personal responsibility. Self-care measures the child’s ability to perform daily tasks associated with daily routines such as eating, dressing, and toileting.
Personal responsibility assesses a child’s ability to assume responsibility for performing simple chores such as putting away toys, talking on the phone, or assisting to make his/her bed, and being respectful to others. Difficulty in any of the areas of self-care and personal responsibility would suggest a delay in adaptive development.
For more information please contact, Martha Fugate, ESS Preschool Coordinator (928) 373-3453.
Personal responsibility assesses a child’s ability to assume responsibility for performing simple chores such as putting away toys, talking on the phone, or assisting to make his/her bed, and being respectful to others. Difficulty in any of the areas of self-care and personal responsibility would suggest a delay in adaptive development.
For more information please contact, Martha Fugate, ESS Preschool Coordinator (928) 373-3453.
What to Look For
Your child’s adaptive development is mainly measured by their ability to perform daily tasks associated with daily routines. The ability to show personal responsibility, such as performing simple chores, is also a measure of your child’s adaptive development.
Developmental Milestones
Four-Five Years Old
In every area of development children may vary according to their age and the specific milestones they may achieve. Here are just a few of the expected milestones of children in the area of adaptive development.
- Requests food when eating
- Stays dry through the night
- With assistance, begins to do self care activities such as blowing nose, brushing teeth, or taking a bath
- Independent toileting
- Demonstrates responsibility when interacting with pets
- Increased understanding of safety principles
- Behaves appropriately in public
- Self-determines own activities
Suggested Activities to Encourage Adaptive Development
- Encourage independence with daily tasks by starting an activity, such as teeth brushing, and then just checking on the progress with continued encouragement.
- Model appropriate table manners including requesting items, such as “pass the salt,” etc.
- Practice appropriate cleaning up / putting away of toys
- Have your child help set the table.
Encouragement
Encourage self-esteem and a positive self-image in your child by using positive reinforcement and frequent praise for the things that he/she has accomplished. Encourage your child to be curious, explore, and take on new challenges.
If your child seems to be regressing or losing skills that he or she was able to do previously, please be sure to discuss these concerns with your child’s pediatrician.
If your child seems to be regressing or losing skills that he or she was able to do previously, please be sure to discuss these concerns with your child’s pediatrician.
