A mother expresses concern about her 15-month-old daughter who keeps putting everything in her mouth. What stage of development is the child in?

The child is in the oral stage of development, which is characterized by the exploration of the environment through the mouth. This stage, as described by Freud, typically occurs from birth to about 18 months and is crucial for infants and toddlers to learn about their surroundings. During this time, children seek pleasure and satisfaction through oral activities, such as sucking, biting, and chewing.

In the case of the 15-month-old who puts everything in her mouth, this behavior is normal and reflects her developmental stage where oral exploration is key to learning about textures, tastes, and the world around her. This exploration can also serve as a comfort mechanism, helping the child soothe herself.

Other stages, such as anal, preoperational, or autonomous, do not emphasize this mouth-oriented exploration as their focal point. The anal stage generally involves issues of control and independence around toilet training, while the preoperational stage—occurring roughly from ages 2 to 7—focuses on the development of language and symbolic thinking. The term 'autonomous' is not typically linked to a specific stage in infant development according to well-established theories, thus it does not apply in this context. Therefore, recognizing that the child is in the oral stage provides a