how to search smongst a selectors children for a named element?

how to search smongst a selectors children for a named element?

i want to access a div nested within another one. the parent is clicked setting off the function but I want to operate on the child, and by its name. I can't figure out the appropriate way to access this specified child.

help?
thanks

  1. $(".content-item").click(
            function(){
  2.             $(this).addClass('div-selected', 500);
  3.             $(this).siblings(".content-item").removeClass('div-selected', 500);
  4.            
  5.             $(this).next('#contentPlaceholder').load("content-template.html");
  6.             $(this).siblings(".content-item").next('#contentPlaceholder').empty();
  7.  });