Child development in India

Child development in India (pronunciation: /tʃaɪld dɪˈvɛləpmənt ɪn ˈɪndiə/) refers to the biological, psychological and emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of adolescence, as the individual progresses from dependency to increasing autonomy.

Etymology

The term "child development" is derived from the English words "child", meaning a young human being below the age of puberty, and "development", which refers to the process of developing or growing. The term "India" refers to the South Asian country with the second-largest population in the world.

Related Terms

Childhood: The state or period of being a child.
Adolescence: The transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to legal adulthood.
Psychology: The scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context.
Autonomy: The capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision.
Dependency: The state of relying on or being controlled by someone or something else.

Child Development Stages

Child development is typically divided into the following stages:

Infancy: This is the first stage of a child's life, from birth to around 2 years of age.
Early Childhood: This stage typically includes the years from 2 to 6 and is a time of rapid cognitive, linguistic, social, and emotional growth.
Middle Childhood: This stage spans the years from 6 to 12, and is characterized by the development of logical thought and the ability to understand cause and effect relationships.
Adolescence: This stage typically includes the years from 12 to 18 and is marked by the onset of puberty and the transition to adulthood.