Running head: Case Study in Early Childhood 1 AC EARLY CHILDHOOD 4 Kenya Scott PSY 203-83 July 29, 2019 A Case Study in Early Childhood Development KS is a four-year-old African America female and lives with her mom in an apartment in a small city. Her mother is a Medical Assistant in a doctor’s office. KS is presently the only child. She loves dolls, animals, and dancing, and being inside and outside of her house. Her favorite movie is Frozen. While completing a case study you will come across weakness such as the observer can be bias, and you cannot generalize. (citation needed) But there are also strengths when conducting a case study, you get a lot in-depth and understanding, you also capture complexity. (citation needed) The purpose of this case study is to see where KS is excelling or lacking in her development within her early childhood years. Comment by Laurence Neely: No 1st or 2nd person reference Comment by Laurence Neely: No 1st or 2nd person reference Comment by Laurence Neely: No 1st or 2nd person reference Comment by Laurence Neely: No 1st or 2nd person reference KS developed normally through the prenatal, infancy, and toddler stages. She was born a little premature on November 27, 2014. At birth, she weighed five pounds six ounces. As an infant KS’s mother chose to breast feed and instead giving her formula. As a toddler, KS hit all the important milestones, according to her mother, which included learning to walk which occurred around ten months. As KS continued to progress from a toddler to preschooler, at four years, she is forty-one inches tall and weighs around thirty-six pounds, most of this growth occurred, as it should, during the toddler years. Comment by Laurence Neely: Need to provide developmental milestones that she has accomplish. Comment by Laurence Neely: grammar Even though KS just turned four, she has hit many of the required gross and fine motor skills. She can run, hop, jump, walk up and down stairs alone, dress and undress, and build with blocks. Write letters along with a lot of other skills KS performs these tasks very well for her age. During this age children began in what Freud describes as the psychosexual theory children began to discover the differences between little boys and little girls. KS at age 4 has a great understanding. But in the beginning stage of potty training there was a bit of confusion KS is in the Phallic stage ages 3-6. (citation needed) Children in this stage are learning more about genital areas (citation needed) at age 3 she was highly confused why she did not have the same private parts as boys she also would become upset that she could not stand to use the restroom as boys. Once getting pass this it was a big accomplishment for her because it took her a little while longer to mastered it however she does have accidents due to the fact when she is playing she doesn’t want to stop to go to the bathroom but she has gotten a lot better overtime. Also, the childre ...

1. Running head: Case Study in Early Childhood
1
AC EARLY CHILDHOOD 4
Kenya Scott
PSY 203-83
July 29, 2019
A Case Study in Early Childhood Development
KS is a four-year-old African America female and lives with her
mom in an apartment in a small city. Her mother is a Medical
Assistant in a doctor’s office. KS is presently the only child.
She loves dolls, animals, and dancing, and being inside and
outside of her house. Her favorite movie is Frozen. While
completing a case study you will come across weakness such as
the observer can be bias, and you cannot generalize. (citation
needed) But there are also strengths when conducting a case
study, you get a lot in-depth and understanding, you also
capture complexity. (citation needed) The purpose of this case
study is to see where KS is excelling or lacking in her
development within her early childhood years. Comment by
Laurence Neely: No 1st or 2nd person reference Comment by
Laurence Neely: No 1st or 2nd person reference Comment by
Laurence Neely: No 1st or 2nd person reference Comment by
Laurence Neely: No 1st or 2nd person reference
KS developed normally through the prenatal, infancy, and
toddler stages. She was born a little premature on November 27,
2014. At birth, she weighed five pounds six ounces. As an
infant KS’s mother chose to breast feed and instead giving her
formula. As a toddler, KS hit all the important milestones,
according to her mother, which included learning to walk which
occurred around ten months. As KS continued to progress from
a toddler to preschooler, at four years, she is forty-one inches
tall and weighs around thirty-six pounds, most of this growth

2. occurred, as it should, during the toddler years. Comment by
Laurence Neely: Need to provide developmental milestones that
she has accomplish. Comment by Laurence Neely: grammar
Even though KS just turned four, she has hit many of the
required gross and fine motor skills. She can run, hop, jump,
walk up and down stairs alone, dress and undress, and build
with blocks. Write letters along with a lot of other skills KS
performs these tasks very well for her age. During this age
children began in what Freud describes as the psychosexual
theory children began to discover the differences between little
boys and little girls. KS at age 4 has a great understanding. But
in the beginning stage of potty training there was a bit of
confusion KS is in the Phallic stage ages 3-6. (citation needed)
Children in this stage are learning more about genital areas
(citation needed) at age 3 she was highly confused why she did
not have the same private parts as boys she also would become
upset that she could not stand to use the restroom as boys. Once
getting pass this it was a big accomplishment for her because it
took her a little while longer to mastered it however she does
have accidents due to the fact when she is playing she doesn’t
want to stop to go to the bathroom but she has gotten a lot
better overtime. Also, the children in this stage deal with
Electra complex and Oedipus complex. (citation needed) With
the Electra complex, KS does not compete with anyone for
attention being that she is in a single parent household with just
her mother. However, she still needs practice skipping and
being comfortable using scissors. KS is right where she should
be with her physical development. Comment by Laurence
Neely: grammar Comment by Laurence Neely: grammar.
Comment by Laurence Neely: Great understanding of
what? Comment by Laurence Neely: grammar Comment by
Laurence Neely: grammar Comment by Laurence Neely:
grammar and no contractions Comment by Laurence Neely:
This has nothing to do with psychosexual development. Why
was this included here?
Theorist such as Vygotsky believe that society and culture

3. play a major influence in cognitive development in children
mostly in their preschool age. (citation needed) Observing KS,
she is well advance in this area of development. KS is very
independent and usually does not want any help doing anything
once shown how to do it. Such as learning how to tie her shoe
or put together a difficult puzzle Ks is very Observant of others
and quickly learns this is great especially in a school setting.
Comment by Laurence Neely: Grammar
Similarly to KS’s physical development, her cognitive develop
is also maturing at what theorist would say is a normal rate.
According to Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development, KS is
in the preoperational stage. At this age a child should be
rapidly expanding his/her vocabulary, beginning to think
intuitively but still thinking almost entirely on him/herself.
While observing KS throughout her life but more intentionally
over the past few months each of these characteristics has been
seen in one way or another. She progressed through the building
blocks of language beginning with babbling and moving through
her first word around ten months and first sentence a little later.
Currently, she is speaking in full complete sentences. KS is
developing cognitively a little more every day and seems to be
well on her way to accomplishing all the key milestones. Her
language skills are amazing and advanced, at the age of four
and she is continuously trying new things on her own with the
idea that she can always ask for help. Comment by
Laurence Neely: grammar Comment by Laurence Neely:
grammar Comment by Laurence Neely: what are the key
milestones and what has she learned. Language is not the only
indicator of coginitive development. Should also talk about
conservation etc. which are important parts of piaget’s theory/
As with physical and cognitive development, observers can see
that KS is attaining the social developmental milestones as she
progresses from the womb through the preschool age
toddlerhood. Within the moral reasoning/development stages
Kohlberg would say KS falls in conventional stage 3. Children
such as KS began to look for approval or acknowledgement of

4. others. (citation needed) KS loves the acknowledgement from
adults especially when she does something, she is supposed to
such as share or help others. Sometimes she gets sad if she is
not acknowledged. Comment by Laurence Neely: grammar
Through this case study, KS’s mother was also being observed.
On her parenting styles as far as how, she disciplines and her
interaction with KS. There are four different parenting styles.
Authoritative, Neglectful, Permissive, and Authoritarian.
(citation needed) KS and her mother have a wonderful loving
bond that you would expect from a mother and child. While
observing the parenting style KS mother would be listed
between Authoritative and permissive. KS mother is
Authoritative 1 because she has a great relationship with KS,
but she does make it clear to KS why certain things should not
be done. She does let her know the consequences for her
actions. She makes sure she has a very clear understanding
when being punish. But mom is also permissive. Even though
she gives consequences and sets rules she sometimes does not
follow through. Such as if KS breaks a rule she may say if you
do it again these are the consequences KS know right from
wrong and but like most kids KS may do it again to see if she
can get away and sometime she does. Comment by Laurence
Neely: grammar Comment by Laurence Neely: grammar
Comment by Laurence Neely: no 1st/2nd person
Comment by Laurence Neely: grammar. This should also
be listed as she is mostly authorative but at times maybe
permissive or etc. not between.
Also need to state exactly why authoritative. Ie, she sets
boundaries but allows for explanation from the child etc.
Comment by Laurence Neely: grammar Comment by
Laurence Neely: grammar Comment by Laurence Neely:
grammar Comment by Laurence Neely: grammar
In regards to discipline, the mother uses several techniques.
These techniques include punishment by addition and
punishment by removal. Examples of punishment by addition

5. include the use of spankings, and punishment by removal
include time-out or removal of pleasurable stimulus. (citation
needed) Punishment used by the mother includes sometimes
spanking KS, taking away her tablet/laptop, having her sit in a
corner, or sending her to her room. However, KS on the most
part follows directions very well, very respectful and well
mannered. She is very outgoing and lovable. Regarding learning
KS would be in the Operant conditioning and Observational
learning. Ks learns a lot by just observing what others do she
picks up very easily and this is great especially in a school
setting. But while at home and when it comes to chores and
learning different responsibility, she learns by be rewarded for
doing her chores such attempting to make her bed. Comment by
Laurence Neely: grammar Comment by Laurence Neely:
grammar Comment by Laurence Neely: grammar
This experience has shown how preschoolers act and why they
do the things they do. By observing KS for specific
characteristics in the areas of physical, cognitive, and emotional
growth. By completing this case study, a lot was accomplished.
One can now have a much better idea of where this preschool-
aged child is cognitively, emotionally, and physically
developed. Comment by Laurence Neely: grammar
Comment by Laurence Neely: grammar Comment by
Laurence Neely: grammar
References
Freud's Psychosexual Development in Psychology 101 at
AllPsych Online. (n.d.). Retrieved 7 22, 2019, from
Allpsych.com:
http://allpsych.com/psychology101/sexual_development.html
Feldman, Robert (2104). Development Across the Life Span,
pearson edcucation physical cognition development in preschool
years
WWW. kamloopschildrentherapy.org, 2011 children's therapy

6. and family resource center