FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE CHILD DEVELOPMENT

2.1 Introduction

Anything that contributes causally to a result is known as factor. (WordWeb) In the matter of factors that influence the child development varies. But they can be mainly divided into two main factors which is nature and nurture factors.  Nature factors are factors that carried by the individual from conception to birth. On the other hand nurture factors are factors that affect the individual from after birth often regarding with the environment. All the following information is gain from lecture by Miss Kamalawati, 2007.     

2.2 Nature factor

2.2.1 Genetic                                                                                                        

          It is what that have been half inherited by the mother and the father in the form of gene. This gene is a segment of DNA that actually controls the physical, mental and many attributes in the body. The height, type of hair or color, skin color, blood groups are actually being control by the DNA. When it comes to gene you can do nothing about it to change it especially the internal factors such as blood group and also inherited diseases. Besides physical attributes, gene is also affects the character and mental intelligence or IQ of an individual (Whitaker et al, 1997). If the parents are temperament it is said that the child might also inherited it and so the IQ. However to those parents who have mental disability or when there are mutation occurs during the multiplication of gene or cross of gene during the fertilization of egg and sperm might causes mental disability. Mental disability is an abnormal condition that causes significant distress or dysfunction that can involve with cognitive, emotional, behavioral and interpersonal impairment. Example is Down Syndrome.

2.2.2 Maternal nutrition.                                                                              

       The second factor is the maternal nutrition. What the mother consume during pregnancy is very important to the health and well being of the baby. Mother should have a well balanced diet that has all the food classes that are required in the correct amount and portion for the needs of the mother and the baby. A pregnant mother should ingest more acid folic, iron, zinc and calcium besides the usual daily food. Acid folic play an important role in the creation of baby nervous system and iron is required because more blood is needed to send the supply to the baby through placenta. Zinc and calcium is needed for the development of embryo. If the mother has a poor nutrition it may affect the growth of the baby physical body and brain cell. Hence when the baby is born the size of the baby is not healthy and deformities might occur. The cognitive development also slows down.

  

2.2.3 Mother’s health

 What a mother does during pregnancy can affect the growth of the baby overall. So a mother should take care of herself well by having a well balanced diet. Food that contains high level of sugar and salt should be avoided. Going for medical check-up according to the doctor’s schedule is a must to ensure the condition of the baby is perfect. Personal hygiene is also very important to avoid getting ill. Try to wear comfortable clothing that does not obstruct the growth of the baby so tight clothes is not advisable. Finally exercise regularly and have enough rest. Unlike before pregnant a mother should sleep more and have more rest because pregnant women is easier tired out and the baby also needs a good rest.

2.2.4 Teratogens

The forth factors are teratogens which refer to any agent that interferes with normal embryonic development: alcohol or thalidomide or X-rays or rubella are examples. These teratogens can actually cause abnormalities to the baby because they affect the preventing or modifying normal cell division and differentiation of the baby. By taking drug the baby can suffers from deformation and mental retard. Excessive alcohol consumption causes fetal alcohol syndrome where the baby will suffers from poor growth, distinct patterns of unusual facial characteristic, small head and brain dysfunction. Meanwhile mother should also avoid from smoking or being a passive smoker because the smoke can decrease the amount of oxygen received by the baby. This will cause the rise in fetal heart rate and premature delivery. Prematurely delivered baby usually suffers from low birth weight and are apt to have impairments in cognitive, sensory and motor capabilities.

Ever heard that pregnant mother are disallowed to go near or even worse working in the area where radioactive is. It is very important to let the pregnant mother to know that high radioactive level can cause the death of a few moths old baby in the womb. While places with lower radioactive level should be avoided such as photostatting machine and x-rays. Laser rays from the x-rays can caused the deformities of the baby. So be well aware.

Other than that for future mothers please be well aware that there is a type of germs called German measles that are not harmful to adults but it is fatal for baby. Therefore the government takes a preventive measure even before the misfortune can take place. Under the measure taken Ministry of Health send doctors and nurse to provide injection named BCG to the female student at the age of 12 besides the one taken during baby. The injection id needed as it provide so immunity to the person that taken the injection. Sometimes a couple before married or planning to have baby also takes this preventive measure. This German measles can cause Congenital Rubella. Infected in early pregnancy can lead to fatal death, premature delivery, congenital defects, spontaneous abortion, deafness, heart defects or mental retardations.

        

Mothers that are HIV positive should be prepared as the baby born has a big chance to be infected by HIV. If this occurs child whole life will be a HIV patient. This usually happens in country where HIV disease is rampant such as Africa that has a high rate of HIV and other examples are Cambodia and Ukraine.

2.2.5 Rh blood factor

Rh a type of protein in the blood that contributes to the existence of Rh positive and Rh negative in the blood type. It doesn’t contribute much trouble if both the parent of the child belongs to the same type of Rh either both positive or negative. But when it happens that both parent have different Rh blood factor the problem happens. As an example mother with Rh positive carries a baby that is Rh negative due to the heredity from the father. The difference of blood type causing the mother’s body antibody system recognizes the baby’s blood as foreign material or bacteria that trigger the formation of antibody against child’s blood. This doesn’t bother the first born as the antibody of the mother isn’t that strong but if the second born is with Rh negative the child might causes miscarriage or anemia as the mother’s body reject the baby’s blood.

2.2.6 Emotional stress

Emotional stress is also identified as one of the nature factors. What ever the mother feels will bring the effects. A stress mother’s body will stimulate the production of adrenaline which alters the blood flow. When a pregnant mother is often stressed the baby will have a shortage of oxygen and nutrient supply. Somehow this will implement to the prematurely and low birth weight. Lack of oxygen and nutrient supply is a matter but excessive adrenaline in the blood may enter into the baby’s blood. The not suppose to exist hormone in the baby’s body causing the baby having newborn irritability and behavioral problems.

2.2.7 Maternal age

According to Dessner, 1973 there is a relation between the risks of fetus’s death with the mother’s age. It is said that teenage mother having a higher risk of miscarriage than the early twenties mothers. Although teenage is said to be fertile but the condition of the womb is said that have not been perfected for the carriage of the baby. Women older than the age of 35 to have first born will have a higher probability to experience chromosome abnormality. One of the good examples is Down syndrome that is caused by presence of three copies of the 21^st chromosome instead of two. This situation is also known as Trisomy 21. Down syndrome effect is mental retardation.

2.3 Nurture Factor

2.3.1 Child’s Nutrition and Fitness

Food has been put into a very important role in a child’s growth. That is when various brains of healthy food for baby and children sprung up at the supermarket’s shelf. The main food source for baby is milk. What is the best milk for baby? Of course the mother’s milk is the best. Comprising all nutrients and supply antibodies needed by babies where can you get better as cow or goat milk don’t provide the instant antibody. Mother’s milk comes with the correct temperature and it’s free. When the baby is getting older enough protein and calcium is needed to make sure the child will grow up healthy with strong bones and teeth. Of course balance meal is required too. Correct food amount helps child to grow in the correct rate and size. Malnutrition on the other hand causes many problems such as slow growth and many deficiency diseases (J.L Brown & Pillot, 1996, McDonald et al. 1994) .Sufficient amount of exercise is important too. (Wolf et al.,1993). Playing basketball and skipping rope can help the child to grow taller.

2.3.2 Family

         Family is important as they are the person that support and educate the child. Parent’s choice for suitable parenting method is significant in molding up a child’s character. (Developmental Psychology, 1998)Autocratic is a method where the parent decides everything for the child and the child must follow strictly. Democratic method is the opposite of autocratic where the child is given the freedom to whatever they want. Child is said to be feel neglected and not having the enough attention or love by the parent and lower self esteem. So it seems like neither both of the method is good enough. Like what Buddha said take the middle way where don’t give either too many freedom or no freedom to the child in this context. Thus authoritative method a combination of both is born. The child is given freedom but with limitation. The child can have the freedom to test out their ideas and have a better communication but when the child fails the parent is there to support. Using this method it is said the child will be independent, assertive, friendly, cooperative, high self esteem and achievement oriented.

     2.3.3 Peer

Besides parent who accompany the growth of a child. It is the friend and peer. Peer here refers to friend of the same age. This is the first step taken by a child to the society. Here is the place where the child will try and acquire skills to adapt themselves in a society. Peer is also a place where the child can safety test out their idea. There is also a higher tendency that child find that peer is a more comfortable group to play with. To play in a group there is something such as rules and regulations that need to be learned and obey so that the child will be accepted. This is where the influence of the peer where the child will try to gain acceptance and will act according to the group. At the same time they also learn to respect other’s right as they learned to socialize.

     2.3.4 School

Furthermore school also plays a very important role as the school also functions as second educator to the child besides the parent. Providing the knowledge required for the child the school also prepared as a socializing medium for the students. Thus school is also known as agent of socialization. Here the student will get the exposure with adults and also friends where the socialization between these two parties will enable the child to learn the norm. School rules and regulation enable to discipline the student. Rules of schools serve as a basic where the child learns there is limitation of actions, speech or words. The environment of the school also support and encourage child to interact with one another under discussion and activities that are held by school. Of course moral values are also instills in the students where teachers tried to shape the child’s behavior or through motivational wordings that are display at school. Subject such as moral education and civic are also taught to student. Lastly the school culture also affects greatly on the child.

     2.3.5 House and Neighborhood

Providing a shelter is the main basic of a house. Under the roof filled with rooms for many purposes but how is that affects the child. The environment of the house can be decorated in some ways that motivate the child’s interest in learning and culture. Appropriate decorated room with studying table and shelf of books provide a comfortable environment to study. Collection of books or little library in the house can help in instill the interest in reading among children. Besides the decoration the location of the house is also important as various neighborhoods have different culture and style. It is said that children living in urban area are more individualistic compared with children from rural area. Rural area has culture that creates a cooperative and closer relationship between families. The child will try to suit the environment through adaptation. 

     2.3.6 Mass media

Globalization is what that is happening nowadays. The rapid development of science and technology makes things faster and the distance shorter. Where with a simple click on the mouse many information can be gathered through the internet. All these information and technology is a influencing our daily life. They are the electronic media and mass media. They cover a wide range of sources in our daily life such as television, newspapers, radio, internets. These media plays a wide range of function in our life as giving information, updating us with the latest things or events in the world and source of entertainment. Hence they can have a very big influence in our daily life. Useful as they can be but they are able to affect the cognitive development of child. One study found that TV viewing before age three slightly hurt several measures of later cognitive development, but that between ages three and five it slightly helped reading scores (Zimmerman FJ,2005). Kids growing up in families in which the TV is on always or most of the time spend less time reading and being read to, and are less likely to be able to read (Vandewater, EA ,2005). According to an extensive research evidence indicates that media violence can contribute to aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed. (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001). The stunts showed in television gave the child some kind of fantasy to the child. Repetition of violent scenes on the screen in television also results child being insensitive towards violent. Children have the tendency imitate the violence they see on TV.  Children under age eight cannot tell the difference between reality and fantasy, making them more vulnerable to learning from and adopting as reality the violence they see on TV (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001).

    2.3.7 Religion

Believe in god. That is the first thing mentioned in Rukun Negara. God is said to be the most important and influential in a person’s life. The teachings of the God must be followed. Religion varies in the world and the four main religions in the world are Jesus Christ, Hindu, Buddha and Islam. But behind all the religion their teachings are all based on good values that all human beings should have in the life and immoral act should be avoided in all cases. In Ten Commandments it is say that should not steal murder, commit adultery and many others. So do other religion that forbids the immoral act. In the teaching of Buddha can be simplified as avoid evil, do good and purify one’s mind.

2.4 Conclusion

 Since back to the ancient civilization the topic of which factors have a greater effect on a child development is often debated even until now. But it is a matter of fact that both play a very important role in child’s development.

Overall the nature factors always come from the genetic factors, genetic compatibility and also the mother’s overall condition. Regarding the genetic factors there is much of the norm of disallowing sibling to married. One of the reason is the chances or probability to gain a unhealthy child is higher compared to others as the both parent are probably having similar recessive gene that contribute to born of unhealthy child. That is why it is advisable to avoid intermarriage to lessen the chance of having unhealthy children. We can see that mother plays a very important role in contributing the developing of a child. As a mother she should be take care not only her physical body such as fitness and fitness but also mentally and emotionally. Also she has to beware of the environment. Hence the mother’s action has a very great impact of the child’s wellness besides the gene factor.

Meanwhile the nurture factor is more to the environment and the people around the children. They hold a great factor as mention in the principle of child that development and learning occur as a result of the child interacting with people and objects in his or her environment. They learn through interaction with the surrounding. From interaction they gain experience that helps them to mould their own understanding of the world around them based on their own point of view. 

CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT

1.1 Introduction

Generally development is a dynamic process of which something passes by degrees to another more mature or advance stage that results in expending and improving (WordWeb). Child here refers to a person within the stage of birth till puberty (The American Heritage Dictionary). Hence from here we can understand that child development is the study of process or mechanisms that happen during the biological and psychological process of growth of person within the age of birth till puberty. The growth that is focus in the study is the development of child in four areas is physical, mental or cognitive, emotion and social.In this paper the main development of child that is being focus is physical development and cognitive development.

1.2 Concepts of Child Development

Concept here refers to something that formed in the mind, a thought or notion or a general idea derived or inferred from specific instances or occurrences (The American Heritage Dictionary). Since child development is made up of child and development, we will discuss the concept of child and concept of development.

There are many concept of child. One of the many concepts is every child is unique and special. Child is very unique similar as people as there is no two person that is complete the same. Even though if a pair of children is identical twin which have the same physical feature but deep down they are still very different in term of rate of development, characteristic, personality, behavior and much more that contribute to the diversity of human kind and children. That is no one is the same that is why every child is special in their own way.

As child grows they will undergo a very eventful moment the childhood. This is a very important stage as it is the time where the child builds up their foundation for their life later on. Here they started to build up physical growing taller and wider. At the same time their cognitive also development where their memory, understanding and experience and knowledge accumulate. This is the time where they start to gain experience through interaction with the surrounding and understand the world and their environment. As time pass by they will acquire new skill and knowledge through interaction with environment.

Concept of development is development is measured qualitatively. Development is said to be a qualitative process that happen as progressive series in human being from the day being conceived to baby, toddler, children, teenager, adult, and getting older and older until we die. The qualitative progress mentioned is not something that can measured using a weighing machine or a ruler but the increase in something that cannot be measured physically and observation in improvement. As an example the development of a child can be seen as she starts off by crawling into more advance skill such as walking, running, jumping and dancing. Unlike development growth is something that can be measured using physical method such as using triple beam, weighing scale and ruler. So growth is also known as quantity process. (Based on Lecture by Miss Kamalawati, 2007)

1.3 Principle of Child Development

The word principle simply means a fundamental basic truth. There are many principles too regarding child development. They are:

1.3.1 Development proceed from head upward to leg downward (Novella J. Ruffin, 2001)

This is known as cephalocaudle principle that describes the direction of growth and development. According to this principle, a child gains control of head, followed by arms and later the legs. We can see that infant is able to lift their head within first two months of births.  Later they are able to use their arms and by the age of 6 to 12 months they are all ready to control their leg. At this time the child can crawl, stand or walk.

      1.3.2 Development proceeds from the center of the body outward. (Novella J. Ruffin, 2001)

This is the principle of proximodistal development that also describes the direction of development. According to the theory the spinal cord actually developed first before the outer part of the body. So the child’s arms actually developed first before its hand and fingers and so do the legs first before the feet and toes. In the end the finger and the toes that need to use fine motor is the last to develop.

1.3.3 Growth and development is in an orderly manner (Lecture by Miss Kamalawati, 2007)

This can be easily deduced based on observation. We can see that an infant need to know how to sit then only they can start crawling and standing. There is always a general pattern and no child can walk before they know how to crawl. This simply also happen to development. Before they start reading they need to know the alphabet then the phonetics of the alphabet. Then only they know the words and its phonetics and finally combining all this skill acquired the children can start to read. The skill and knowledge acquired can remain for a reasonable long period and perhaps for the entire life.

     1.3.4 Development depends on maturation and learning. (Novella J. Ruffin, 2001)

Maturation refers to the sequential characteristic of biological growth and development. The biological changes occur in sequential order in the brain and nervous system and give children new abilities. These changes in the brain and nervous system help children to improve in thinking (cognitive) and motor (physical) skills. Development proceeds from simple to complex. In the beginning children can only learn with the help of concrete item but as they grow and develop they are able to learn only using symbol like pictures and finally they can learn abstractly.

1.3.5 Development and learning occur as a result of the child interacting with people and objects in his or her environment. (http://www.ecdgroup.com/principles_child_development.asp)

Children integrate their previously acquire skill into more complex, dynamic system of action. According to Piaget Theory during the developmental state children have their own mental maps build up from their past experience. When they meet up with something new they will try to assimilate into what they had learned before. In this way they will acquire more and become more matured. The growth and development of child takes place gradually and continuously. Adding up of past experience and assimilate or accommodate into new things as we can see the continuation of the process itself. The way child can acquire something new is through interacting with people and objects in his or her environment.

1.3.6 Development proceeds from the simple (concrete) to the more complex and from general to specific. (Novella J. Ruffin, 2001) Children start of with simple matter rather than complex in the process of cognitive development. In the beginning children learn simple things such as 1, 2, 3 or a,b,c when they started off at preschool. As time passes by their cognitive skill increased and started to gain more understanding so they are taught how to add and minus and even solve problems. Meanwhile the development of motor rather begins with general to specific. Infant begins with grasping item. Their first motor can be categorized as general, undirected and reflexive such as swinging their arms or kicking in the air. Growth occurs from large muscle movements to more refined (smaller) muscle movements. As they gain older they start to have aim and their movement is more directed such as kicking ball.

1.3.7 Children’s needs differ across the early childhood years. (http://www.ecdgroup.com/principles_child_development.asp)                It is said that the needs of a child vary over the first few years of their life. This can actually be group into different stages based on their needs.

        1.3.7.1 During infancy the most important need of the child is nutrition. Sensory learning especially auditory and visual, control of physical actions and attachment to a significant parent or caretaker seem to be the central tasks.             

                                                                                                  

         1.3.7.2 During toddler period nutrition is still consider extremely important for a child in body building and cognitive building. This is stage where child’s coordination, language, ability to think and social skills advance rapidly.

        

         1.3.7.3 In the pre-school years, socialization and preparation for schooling take on greater importance, and the circle of peers and caregivers widens.

         1.3.7.4 During the period of entering primary school there is a period of transition. But the focus of education and peer increase. Children’s involvements in sports also advance greatly in this stage. Children continue to need holistic attention.

1.3.8   Growth and development is a continuous process.

As a child develops, he or she adds to the skills already acquired and the new skills become the basis for further achievement and mastery of skills. Most children follow a similar pattern. This can be proven from the sequence of physical development of child where a child begins to sit then crawl and stand. This sequence will not stop and will continue to grow as the child grows older. Hence we can say that growth and development is a continuous process that will not stop until a person dies.  

2.0 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE CHILD DEVELOPMENT

2.1 Introduction

Anything that contributes causally to a result is known as factor. (WordWeb) In the matter of factors that influence the child development varies. But they can be mainly divided into two main factors which is nature and nurture factors.  Nature factors are factors that carried by the individual from conception to birth. On the other hand nurture factors are factors that affect the individual from after birth often regarding with the environment. All the following information is gain from lecture by Miss Kamalawati, 2007.     

2.2 Nature factor

2.2.1 Genetic                                                                                                                                

        It is what that have been half inherited by the mother and the father in the form of gene. This gene is a segment of DNA that actually controls the physical, mental and many attributes in the body. The height, type of hair or color, skin color, blood groups are actually being control by the DNA. When it comes to gene you can do nothing about it to change it especially the internal factors such as blood group and also inherited diseases. Besides physical attributes, gene is also affects the character and mental intelligence or IQ of an individual (Whitaker et al, 1997). If the parents are temperament it is said that the child might also inherited it and so the IQ. However to those parents who have mental disability or when there are mutation occurs during the multiplication of gene or cross of gene during the fertilization of egg and sperm might causes mental disability. Mental disability is an abnormal condition that causes significant distress or dysfunction that can involve with cognitive, emotional, behavioral and interpersonal impairment. Example is Down Syndrome.

2.2.2 Maternal nutrition.                                                                                      

         The second factor is the maternal nutrition. What the mother consume during pregnancy is very important to the health and well being of the baby. Mother should have a well balanced diet that has all the food classes that are required in the correct amount and portion for the needs of the mother and the baby. A pregnant mother should ingest more acid folic, iron, zinc and calcium besides the usual daily food. Acid folic play an important role in the creation of baby nervous system and iron is required because more blood is needed to send the supply to the baby through placenta. Zinc and calcium is needed for the development of embryo. If the mother has a poor nutrition it may affect the growth of the baby physical body and brain cell. Hence when the baby is born the size of the baby is not healthy and deformities might occur. The cognitive development also slows down.

2.2.3 Mother’s health

 What a mother does during pregnancy can affect the growth of the baby overall. So a mother should take care of herself well by having a well balanced diet. Food that contains high level of sugar and salt should be avoided. Going for medical check-up according to the doctor’s schedule is a must to ensure the condition of the baby is perfect. Personal hygiene is also very important to avoid getting ill. Try to wear comfortable clothing that does not obstruct the growth of the baby so tight clothes is not advisable. Finally exercise regularly and have enough rest. Unlike before pregnant a mother should sleep more and have more rest because pregnant women is easier tired out and the baby also needs a good rest.

2.2.4 Teratogens

The forth factors are teratogens which refer to any agent that interferes with normal embryonic development: alcohol or thalidomide or X-rays or rubella are examples. These teratogens can actually cause abnormalities to the baby because they affect the preventing or modifying normal cell division and differentiation of the baby. By taking drug the baby can suffers from deformation and mental retard. Excessive alcohol consumption causes fetal alcohol syndrome where the baby will suffers from poor growth, distinct patterns of unusual facial characteristic, small head and brain dysfunction. Meanwhile mother should also avoid from smoking or being a passive smoker because the smoke can decrease the amount of oxygen received by the baby. This will cause the rise in fetal heart rate and premature delivery. Prematurely delivered baby usually suffers from low birth weight and are apt to have impairments in cognitive, sensory and motor capabilities.

Ever heard that pregnant mother are disallowed to go near or even worse working in the area where radioactive is. It is very important to let the pregnant mother to know that high radioactive level can cause the death of a few moths old baby in the womb. While places with lower radioactive level should be avoided such as photostatting machine and x-rays. Laser rays from the x-rays can caused the deformities of the baby. So be well aware.

Other than that for future mothers please be well aware that there is a type of germs called German measles that are not harmful to adults but it is fatal for baby. Therefore the government takes a preventive measure even before the misfortune can take place. Under the measure taken Ministry of Health send doctors and nurse to provide injection named BCG to the female student at the age of 12 besides the one taken during baby. The injection id needed as it provide so immunity to the person that taken the injection. Sometimes a couple before married or planning to have baby also takes this preventive measure. This German measles can cause Congenital Rubella. Infected in early pregnancy can lead to fatal death, premature delivery, congenital defects, spontaneous abortion, deafness, heart defects or mental retardations.

        

Mothers that are HIV positive should be prepared as the baby born has a big chance to be infected by HIV. If this occurs child whole life will be a HIV patient. This usually happens in country where HIV disease is rampant such as Africa that has a high rate of HIV and other examples are Cambodia and Ukraine.

2.2.5 Rh blood factor

Rh a type of protein in the blood that contributes to the existence of Rh positive and Rh negative in the blood type. It doesn’t contribute much trouble if both the parent of the child belongs to the same type of Rh either both positive or negative. But when it happens that both parent have different Rh blood factor the problem happens. As an example mother with Rh positive carries a baby that is Rh negative due to the heredity from the father. The difference of blood type causing the mother’s body antibody system recognizes the baby’s blood as foreign material or bacteria that trigger the formation of antibody against child’s blood. This doesn’t bother the first born as the antibody of the mother isn’t that strong but if the second born is with Rh negative the child might causes miscarriage or anemia as the mother’s body reject the baby’s blood.

2.2.6 Emotional stress

Emotional stress is also identified as one of the nature factors. What ever the mother feels will bring the effects. A stress mother’s body will stimulate the production of adrenaline which alters the blood flow. When a pregnant mother is often stressed the baby will have a shortage of oxygen and nutrient supply. Somehow this will implement to the prematurely and low birth weight. Lack of oxygen and nutrient supply is a matter but excessive adrenaline in the blood may enter into the baby’s blood. The not suppose to exist hormone in the baby’s body causing the baby having newborn irritability and behavioral problems.

2.2.7 Maternal age

According to Dessner, 1973 there is a relation between the risks of fetus’s death with the mother’s age. It is said that teenage mother having a higher risk of miscarriage than the early twenties mothers. Although teenage is said to be fertile but the condition of the womb is said that have not been perfected for the carriage of the baby. Women older than the age of 35 to have first born will have a higher probability to experience chromosome abnormality. One of the good examples is Down syndrome that is caused by presence of three copies of the 21^st chromosome instead of two. This situation is also known as Trisomy 21. Down syndrome effect is mental retardation.

2.3 Nurture Factor

2.3.1 Child’s Nutrition and Fitness

Food has been put into a very important role in a child’s growth. That is when various brains of healthy food for baby and children sprung up at the supermarket’s shelf. The main food source for baby is milk. What is the best milk for baby? Of course the mother’s milk is the best. Comprising all nutrients and supply antibodies needed by babies where can you get better as cow or goat milk don’t provide the instant antibody. Mother’s milk comes with the correct temperature and it’s free. When the baby is getting older enough protein and calcium is needed to make sure the child will grow up healthy with strong bones and teeth. Of course balance meal is required too. Correct food amount helps child to grow in the correct rate and size. Malnutrition on the other hand causes many problems such as slow growth and many deficiency diseases (J.L Brown & Pillot, 1996, McDonald et al. 1994) .Sufficient amount of exercise is important too. (Wolf et al.,1993). Playing basketball and skipping rope can help the child to grow taller.

2.3.2 Family

         Family is important as they are the person that support and educate the child. Parent’s choice for suitable parenting method is significant in molding up a child’s character. (Developmental Psychology, 1998)Autocratic is a method where the parent decides everything for the child and the child must follow strictly. Democratic method is the opposite of autocratic where the child is given the freedom to whatever they want. Child is said to be feel neglected and not having the enough attention or love by the parent and lower self esteem. So it seems like neither both of the method is good enough. Like what Buddha said take the middle way where don’t give either too many freedom or no freedom to the child in this context. Thus authoritative method a combination of both is born. The child is given freedom but with limitation. The child can have the freedom to test out their ideas and have a better communication but when the child fails the parent is there to support. Using this method it is said the child will be independent, assertive, friendly, cooperative, high self esteem and achievement oriented.

     2.3.3 Peer

Besides parent who accompany the growth of a child. It is the friend and peer. Peer here refers to friend of the same age. This is the first step taken by a child to the society. Here is the place where the child will try and acquire skills to adapt themselves in a society. Peer is also a place where the child can safety test out their idea. There is also a higher tendency that child find that peer is a more comfortable group to play with. To play in a group there is something such as rules and regulations that need to be learned and obey so that the child will be accepted. This is where the influence of the peer where the child will try to gain acceptance and will act according to the group. At the same time they also learn to respect other’s right as they learned to socialize.

     2.3.4 School

Furthermore school also plays a very important role as the school also functions as second educator to the child besides the parent. Providing the knowledge required for the child the school also prepared as a socializing medium for the students. Thus school is also known as agent of socialization. Here the student will get the exposure with adults and also friends where the socialization between these two parties will enable the child to learn the norm. School rules and regulation enable to discipline the student. Rules of schools serve as a basic where the child learns there is limitation of actions, speech or words. The environment of the school also support and encourage child to interact with one another under discussion and activities that are held by school. Of course moral values are also instills in the students where teachers tried to shape the child’s behavior or through motivational wordings that are display at school. Subject such as moral education and civic are also taught to student. Lastly the school culture also affects greatly on the child.

     2.3.5 House and Neighborhood

Providing a shelter is the main basic of a house. Under the roof filled with rooms for many purposes but how is that affects the child. The environment of the house can be decorated in some ways that motivate the child’s interest in learning and culture. Appropriate decorated room with studying table and shelf of books provide a comfortable environment to study. Collection of books or little library in the house can help in instill the interest in reading among children. Besides the decoration the location of the house is also important as various neighborhoods have different culture and style. It is said that children living in urban area are more individualistic compared with children from rural area. Rural area has culture that creates a cooperative and closer relationship between families. The child will try to suit the environment through adaptation. 

     2.3.6 Mass media

Globalization is what that is happening nowadays. The rapid development of science and technology makes things faster and the distance shorter. Where with a simple click on the mouse many information can be gathered through the internet. All these information and technology is a influencing our daily life. They are the electronic media and mass media. They cover a wide range of sources in our daily life such as television, newspapers, radio, internets. These media plays a wide range of function in our life as giving information, updating us with the latest things or events in the world and source of entertainment. Hence they can have a very big influence in our daily life. Useful as they can be but they are able to affect the cognitive development of child. One study found that TV viewing before age three slightly hurt several measures of later cognitive development, but that between ages three and five it slightly helped reading scores (Zimmerman FJ,2005). Kids growing up in families in which the TV is on always or most of the time spend less time reading and being read to, and are less likely to be able to read (Vandewater, EA ,2005). According to an extensive research evidence indicates that media violence can contribute to aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed. (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001). The stunts showed in television gave the child some kind of fantasy to the child. Repetition of violent scenes on the screen in television also results child being insensitive towards violent. Children have the tendency imitate the violence they see on TV.  Children under age eight cannot tell the difference between reality and fantasy, making them more vulnerable to learning from and adopting as reality the violence they see on TV (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001).

    2.3.7 Religion

Believe in god. That is the first thing mentioned in Rukun Negara. God is said to be the most important and influential in a person’s life. The teachings of the God must be followed. Religion varies in the world and the four main religions in the world are Jesus Christ, Hindu, Buddha and Islam. But behind all the religion their teachings are all based on good values that all human beings should have in the life and immoral act should be avoided in all cases. In Ten Commandments it is say that should not steal murder, commit adultery and many others. So do other religion that forbids the immoral act. In the teaching of Buddha can be simplified as avoid evil, do good and purify one’s mind.

2.4 Conclusion

 Since back to the ancient civilization the topic of which factors have a greater effect on a child development is often debated even until now. But it is a matter of fact that both play a very important role in child’s development.

Overall the nature factors always come from the genetic factors, genetic compatibility and also the mother’s overall condition. Regarding the genetic factors there is much of the norm of disallowing sibling to married. One of the reason is the chances or probability to gain a unhealthy child is higher compared to others as the both parent are probably having similar recessive gene that contribute to born of unhealthy child. That is why it is advisable to avoid intermarriage to lessen the chance of having unhealthy children. We can see that mother plays a very important role in contributing the developing of a child. As a mother she should be take care not only her physical body such as fitness and fitness but also mentally and emotionally. Also she has to beware of the environment. Hence the mother’s action has a very great impact of the child’s wellness besides the gene factor.

Meanwhile the nurture factor is more to the environment and the people around the children. They hold a great factor as mention in the principle of child that development and learning occur as a result of the child interacting with people and objects in his or her environment. They learn through interaction with the surrounding. From interaction they gain experience that helps them to mould their own understanding of the world around them based on their own point of view.