Pediatric Community Day

For the pediatric clinical day, I was able to observe gross and fine motor skills displayed

by the varying age groups of children. In the toddlers, gross motor skills included jumping and

running with fine motor skills of grasping toys and picking up small objects. With the children

closer to infant ages, I was able to see fast-paced walking as a gross motor skill and picking up

cheerios as a fine motor skill. In the eldest group of children, I oversaw the group running and

jumping as a gross motor skill. Furthermore, the group also scratched a specific part of their nose

with less than their whole hand, stacked blocks, and held utensils and cups. They also could draw

and color very skillfully as a fine motor skill. The infants and younger toddlers mostly

communicated through grunting and gestures, as the older preschoolers talked in a very intuitive

and clear manner. The school-aged children were able to throw balls, run, and jump as gross

motor skills. They also turned pages in a book, held pencils, and cut pieces of paper as fine

motor skills. I was able to establish therapeutic relationships with the children as I actively

engaged in play and conversation, as applicable, with each group. I was able to see creativity in

the children’s drawings, intellectual development in questioning what objects were in a book,

and socialization among various children.

At the location, I was able to learn the play and routines of varying ages of children. I

began with younger toddlers and worked my way to infants and then a preschool-age group. I

was able to see how the toddlers played near each other and did not engage as much as the older

groups did. Also, the younger toddlers and infant children showed their communication through

noises, grunts, and expressions, and this was very interesting to see. The older children surprised

me with their dexterity and cognitive development. I was mostly able to hold a very intelligent
conversation with them, and they seemed to understand everything that was said. The day helped

me greatly in gaining experience with communication. I was able to learn how to change

communication styles among groups and play with them in a way that was appropriate to their

development. I was also able to help the school-aged children with homework and take part in

their teaching project at the school. They were very attentive and responded with great intuition

and creativity when asked questions. Regarding cultural implications, I noticed the classroom

had various items in the room from different cultures and explained their meanings. This was

very interesting and fit the group well, as there were various instances where I encountered

children speaking in their native tongue. It was a very culturally welcoming environment.

Regarding teaching for the children at the location, I would propose the topic of

handwashing. I noticed that after going outside, some children did not go to wash their hands

before eating lunch. According to A.H. van Beeck, Zomer, E. van Beeck, Richardus, Voeten, and

Erasmus (2015), “According to national guidelines, children should have performed HH before

eating, after toilet use, and after playing outside” (297). This teaching could work to prevent

illness and infection from any foreign contaminants, as the children may lick their hands during

meals. Furthermore, it would work to protect other children from cross-contamination, as a child

may touch another child’s food items.

 References

van Beeck, A.H. E., Zomer, T. P., van Beeck, E. F., Richardus, J. H., Voeten, H. A.C.M., &

Erasmus, V. (2015). Children’s hand hygiene behavior and available facilities: An

observational study in Dutch day care centres. The European Journal of Public Health,

26(2), 297-300. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckv228