ERIKSON'S PSYCHOSOCIAL STAGES
Trust vs Mistrust
consistent, warm care = trust; neglect = mistrust
0–1 yr
Sensorimotor (0–2 yrs):
learns through senses and movement. Object permanence develops at ~8–9 months.
Newborn
HR: 100–160 bpm
RR: 30–60/min
BP: 60–90/40–60
FLACC scale (0–2 yrs)
Scores Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability. 0–2 per category, total 0–10. Used when child cannot self-report.
2 months
Social smile, coos, lifts head briefly prone, tracks objects
Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt
allow safe independence; excessive control = shame
1–3 yrs
Preoperational (2–7 yrs)
magical thinking, egocentrism (can't see other's view), animism (toys are alive), no conservation.
Toddler
HR: 90–150 bpm
RR: 24–40/min
BP: 80–112/50–80
FACES scale (3–7 yrs)
Six cartoon faces from smiling to crying. Child points to face matching their pain.
4 months
Holds head steady, laughs, reaches for objects, rolls front to back
Initiative vs Guilt
support creativity; constant criticism = guilt
3–6 yrs
Concrete Operational (7–11 yrs)
logical thinking with real objects, understands conservation, can classify and sequence.
School-age
HR: 70–110 bpm
RR: 18–30/min
BP: 84–120/54–80
Numeric 0–10 scale (8+ yrs)
Standard scale when child understands numbers and abstract pain rating.
6 months
Sits with support, transfers objects hand-to-hand, babbles consonants
Industry vs Inferiority
6–12 yrs
success builds confidence; repeated failure = inferiority
Formal Operational (12+ yrs)
abstract reasoning, hypothetical thinking, understands future consequences.
Adolescent
HR: 60–100 bpm
RR: 12–20/min
BP: 94–140/62–88
GROWTH: Birth–12 months.
Doubles birth weight by 5–6 months; triples by 12 months. Grows ~1 inch per month first 6 months.
9 months
Crawls, pulls to stand, pincer grasp developing, stranger anxiety peaks
Identity vs Role Confusion
'Who am I?' Exploring values builds stable identity
12–18 yrs
MASLOW'S HIERARCHY
Bottom to top: Physiological (food, water, air) → Safety → Love/belonging → Self-esteem → Self-actualization. A child cannot learn if hungry or unsafe.
Fever in a newborn UNDER 3 months
EMERGENCY. Always notify provider immediately. Newborns cannot
localize infection — sepsis can develop within hours.
Anterior fontanel (diamond-shaped)
closes 12–18 months. Posterior (triangular): closes 2–3 months. Bulging =
increased ICP. Sunken = dehydration.
12 months
Walks with/without support, 2–3 words with meaning, pincer grasp complete