How Old Am I?

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Test your developmental stage assessment abilities - wow your friends at parties by guessing their children's ages  with a few simple hints...

H McGurk 8-23-06 (With a bow to Sandra Ortiz, MD and Mattie Irigoyen MD)

1.  I am so cute, and I love to look at you, especially when you talk.  I can hold my head pretty steady if you sit me up, but I get tired and wobbly fairly soon.  I talk with a little inflection now, and some guttural sounds, but I haven’t learned consonants yet. I clasp my hands together and get them up to my drooly mouth.

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2. I can sit well now and have my hands free to pass objects across midline.  I can reach for cubes from the table in front of me, and hold one in each hand.  I say da-da-da-da- .  Mom is trying to teach me ma-ma but I don’t have it yet. I like to have a baby cookie or a piece of bagel and chew on it myself. Until I decide to throw it on the floor.  Could you pass that back, please?  If you get in my face, and you’re not my mom,  I’ll fuss and I won’t get over it.

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3.   I enjoy running and climbing and am getting smart about figuring out how to find hidden things. I am a picky eater except for those delicious containers Grandma keeps under her sink.  I like to dust and use the sponge, but I’m afraid of the vacuum cleaner if it’s too noisy.  I pretend to feed the dolly or drive my toy truck down the ramp.  I can say “no”, “mine” Mama, Dada, and about 10 other words. My art work looks a little like a fight between the pencil and the paper.

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4. When I tell people what to do, everyone can understand almost everything I say. I can draw a circle and know some colors and my body parts. I wish I could hop.I like picture books, and can tell you all the animal soundsMy favorite present is a pink tu-tu / fireman’s hat.

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5.   I get ready for school every day but sometimes I dawdle. I can draw people with faces and arms and legs and can draw the house   if you help me.  I know opposites and prepositions, but don’t expect me to know which way is left.  I speak in paragraphs, can tell you my name and the story of how I got those stitches.  It was 10 whiles ago.

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ANSWERS

  1. (4 months)
  2. (8 months)
  3. (18 months – Gross motor ahead of fine and of judgment.  Language taking off, receptive >espressive.  Pretend play, with language, new concept.  Autonomy vs dependency.)
  4. (3 ½ years – bossy,starting to learn pragmatics, manners,  integrating body and language control-Play: pretend with story, role-playing, costume.. (magic))
  5. (5 Year old dress no help (can, not will) draw a person 6 parts (50%), copy square demonstration.   History by sequence, no abstract units yet. # concepts starting now.)