Introduction Taking a step back to observe a child’s physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and moral (PRISM) development gives great insight into the behaviors of a child. I observed nine year old, Abigail, also known as Abby. She is in the fourth grade and has no known disabilities. Abigail is the fifth born of six children. She has three sisters and two brothers—a twenty-four-year-old sister, twenty-three-year-old brother, sixteen-year-old sister, thirteen-year-old brother, and an eight-year-old sister. Married for twenty-five years, Abigail’s parents own their own home and reside in the home with five of their children. Abigail was raised in this home from birth. Her father is a teacher with a Master’s Degree in Education and her mother is a paraprofessional with some college education. They are considered a …show more content…
Abigail is a rather reserved and shy child. Due to her reserve, I originally believed she was developmentally behind her peers. After extensive research, in the final analysis, Abigail consistently favored typical development in all five categories of the PRISM (physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and moral development) in her age range. Abigail showed no sign of being developmentally behind or ahead of her peers. This observation demonstrated that one’s personality does not necessarily dictate developmental progress. At the same time, it clarified the necessity of recognizing each developmental milestone as an essential tool in understanding childhood behavior. At this time, Abigail is a typical, healthy nine-year-old child with the gains and challenges that come with child development. Her family and teachers are a good support system for Abigail. In the words of Vygotsky, “Through others we become ourselves” (Snowman & McCown, 34, 2013). If the recommendations for each of the sections of the PRISM are followed, she will continue to meet her developmental