It's important to pay attention to every stage of a child's development. Research now shows that the care babies get has dramatic and long-term effects on how children develop and learn, on how they cope with stress, and on how they react to the world around them. There is strong evidence that there is a link between brain activity and brain growth.
The baby brain is developing even before they can walk and talk. Neural pathways are the connections that allow information to travel through the brain.
The more pathways, the larger the brain. Interestingly, the neural pathways that are developed in your child's first three years can act like the roadmaps to later learning. A child with a larger brain or more neural pathways may be able to learn more easily once she gets into school.
Nature and nurture
Brain development theory holds that both nature and nurture play a role, but that the child's environment can actually change the way the brain works.
The brain a child is born with is constantly growing and changing - whether your child is two months, eight months or three years old. In fact, a child's brain learns to work in certain ways because of the types of interactions he has as an infant and young child.
Brain development
Nurturing your child's brain development doesn't require money, fancy toys or special equipment. Brain development is not about creating "super kids" who are smarter than others. Nor is it about teaching your baby to read, or your toddler to recognize Mozart. Instead, it's about making sure your children have the attention they need in their early care experiences, both with you and their caregivers.
Things to remember to give your baby the best start in life and a healthy brain:
What you do with your child, good or bad, can affect how their brain grows and develops. It takes 15-20 years for a child’s brain to grow to its full size, but most of the connections are made in the early years.
Take care of yourself, both before and after your baby is born, by eating healthy foods, getting daily exercise, having regular check-ups, and trying to stay calm.
Help your child to feel safe and secure by responding to her needs, staying calm, and reassuring her when she is frightened.
Touch, cuddle, and hold your child to let her know you love her and to help her calm down.
Provide lots of sensory experiences—tasting, touching, seeing, hearing, and smelling. These experiences build the connections that build your child's brain.
Build a relationship with your child. Children who form attachments to a few special people in their lives are more likely to grow up to be people who feel secure, can relate well to others, and are ready and eager to learn.
Talk, sing, play music, read, tell stories, touch, and play with your child every day.
Take the time to find a child care or preschool program that is warm, loving, and safe. Don't settle for less.
