Brain power,
brainstorming,
brain scientist,
brain food....
many of these terms are commonly used, but do you really know the facts
about that mass of electronic power on your shoulders?
Brain research is unraveling many of the mysteries of the brain.
What is the brain?
How does the brain develop?
Why do parents need to know about brain development in children?
Does the brain grow faster in young children?
Do we lose brain power over our lifetime?
How does music affect the brain?
There is new technology that allows scientists to see and measure the
activity of the brain. These are called PET scans (positron-emission
tomography). This technology has made this amazing new information about
the brain possible.
What is the brain ?
The brain weighs only three pounds, looks like a gray, unshelled
walnut, and is the most complex structure in our world. The brain is the
body's most vital organ. Each person is born with over 100 billion brain
cells (neurons). There are enough brain cells to learn just about
anything, and more brain cells are not developed after birth. Brain cells
that are not used, wither away.
The brain can send signals to thousands of other cells in the body at
speeds of more than 200 miles an hour.
How does early learning work in the brain?
Learning seems to peak between the ages of 3 and 10, but it continues
throughout the lifetime.
Between 10 and 18 months, a baby's emotions are developed. Emotions are
closely connected with long-term memory.
The brain is shaped the most during the first 10 years of life.
Teaching music, language, and other lifelong skills will be easier during
these early years.
Listening to Mozart (and other classical music) early in life exercises
the same neurons used for mathematics and spatial reasoning.
How does the brain work?
Life shapes the brain's development. Warm touches and caregivers who
talk positively to the infant allow the brain to take in all things around
them. On the other hand, severe stress that goes on for many months or
years in early childhood can actually affect the development of a child's
brain.
The brain is just waiting to send out signals to other parts to connect
the wiring to form what kind of person the infant will become. These
connections between cells are called synapses. A connection (synapse) is
made depending on the stimuli or signals the brain receives.
The brain defines who we are, and it is influenced by what we do. With
proper stimulation, the synapses become stronger. Electrical chemicals are
sent out that make the connections stronger and more permanent.
Parts of the brain:
Cerebral Cortex
This thin layer on the brain's surface includes lobes or sections:
Occipital lobe - processes vision; is located near base of
back of head
Temporal lobe - processes hearing, speech, and language
development
Parietal Lobe - processes sensory stimuli
Prefrontal lobe - allows us to plan and rehearse future
actions; connected to the limbic area to help regulate emotions
Frontal lobe - area where critical thinking and problem
solving occur
Limbic system
The limbic system controls emotions and long-term memory
Cerebellum
The cerebellum controls automatic movements and balance
How parents and
caregivers can nurture positive brain development
Give consistent loving care
If a child is raised in a loving setting, they will learn to love.
Children who are ignored or not nurtured will not fully develop all areas
of their brains.
Touch infants
In research with infants, it was shown that gently massaging premature
infants three times per day for 15 minutes helped them gain weight, be
more alert, and cry less. These infants were released from the hospital
sooner than infants who were not massaged. Additionally, low lights,
skin-to-skin holding, and being near the mother's heart can improve growth
and save medical costs for premature infants.
Pay attention to hearing and language
Repetition forms connections. Talk to the baby so they will begin
babbling. Name what you are doing, name items, point and show expression
on your face.
Lots of ear infections can slow down language development because babies
cannot hear words repeated to them. It is easier for children to learn two
languages than it is for adults. For example, children whose parents speak
Spanish and English create two maps and strengthen their use of both
languages when both these areas of the brain are used in childhood.
Watch babies notice the world at 2 to 4 months
Watch the health of the eyes to assure babies are taking in the colors,
faces, and shapes around them. Each neuron is attaching to 15,000 other
neurons during the first months. The development of vision peaks at 8
months. In research with infants, it was found that if cataracts were not
removed by age 2, children were unable to see since the vision centers
were not used and did not develop.
Look for teachable moments
Every day offers windows of learning for children. When you are dressing
your child, name items, colors, and count. When you are fixing dinner, let
toddlers play with plastic dishes. When you can, name things that are the
same, different, bigger, smaller, hot, cold. When you drive in the car,
point out things like trees, cars, big trucks, and stop signs.
Use music because it relates to math skills
By exposing children to complex musical sounds (Mozart, not hard rock),
children will develop the same areas of the brain required for math and
spatial reasoning. Using mazes, copying patterns, and drawing shapes has
been shown to improve with exposure to complex musical sounds.
Know that emotional connections can be stressful or relaxed
Vivid memories are often tied to emotional reactions to particular
situations. The more vivid the memory, the stronger the print in the
brain. The limbic system regulates emotional impulses and helps us make
decisions about what to do... run, cry, react, whine, turn away. If the
goal in childhood is survival and coping skills around survival are
taught, this will become permanent. If trust is nurtured, then this will
become part of the child's nature. Neglect or trauma during childhood
could cause learning and behavioral problems later on.
Be gently physical
Children need to move their small (fingers and toes) and large (by running
and jumping) body parts. Expose your child to a safe variety of physical
activities as they grow. During the child's preschool years, think of all
areas - climbing, splashing, slow and fast movement, hard and soft areas,
different textures like clay, and paint.
Mirror behaviors you want in children
Children will pick up many behaviors of the adults around them. If parents
voices are loud, children may be loud; if parents use soft warm touches,
children will learn the same. If children see patience in adults looking
for solutions to problems, they will see that learning is a process with
many steps.
Summary
The power of the brain is very interconnected. In early years, children
learn symbols to understand meanings. For example, outstretched arms may
mean a toddler wants "up," or hugs may be a symbol of love and
security. But over time, these key elements found in the emotional centers
of the brain begin to organize responses to things that happen. Over time,
life experiences combine to form our understanding of abstract concepts,
such as justice, pride, forgiveness, anger, and security. Adults play a
critical role in the lives of children. Helping children organize their
world takes time, patience, and warmth, but these efforts form the
building blocks to positive, human interactions.
~~~~~~~~~~
References
Als, H., & Gilkerson, L. (1995). Developmentally supportive care in
the neonatal intensive care unit. Zero to Three: National Center for
Clinical Programs. 15 (6).
Greenspan, S. (1997). Growth of the mind. New York: Addison Wesley.
Perry, Bruce (1995). Incubated in terror: 20 neurodevelopmental in the
"cycle of violence" Children, youth, and violence: Searching for
solutions. NY: Guilford Press.
Ramey, C. & Ramey, S.L. (1996). "Music of the hemispheres."
Discover.
Shore, R. (1997). Rethinking the brain: New insights into early
development. New York: Families and Work Institute.
Also see the Family and Consumer Sciences' Web at: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs
© 1997, National Network for Child Care - NNCC.
Posted on NLD on the Web! with permission from the
National Network for Child Care -
NNCC. DeBord, K. (1997). *Brain development* [Extension Publication
]. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.
About the Author - Karen DeBord, PhD, Extension State Specialist, Child Development,
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.
