how the kids brain develop

How the Brain Develops


A number of factors influence early brain development. These important

factors include genetics, food and nutrition, responsiveness of

parents, daily experiences, physical activity and love. In particular,

parents should be aware of the importance of furnishing a healthy and

nutritious diet, giving love and nurturing, providing interesting and

varied everyday experiences, and giving children positive and

sensitive feedback.



In the past, some scientists thought the brain's development was

determined genetically and brain growth followed a biologically

predetermined path. Now we know that early experiences impact the

development of the brain and influence the specific way in which the

circuits (or pathways) of the brain become "wired." A baby's brain is

a work in progress. The outside world shapes its development through

experiences that a child's senses — vision, hearing, smell, touch and

taste — absorb. For example:



• The scent of the mother's skin (smell)



• The father's voice (hearing)



• Seeing a face or brightly colored toy (vision)



• The feel of a hand gently caressing (touch)



• Drinking milk (taste)



Experiences that the five senses take in help build the connections

that guide brain development. Early experiences have a decisive impact

on the actual architecture of the brain.



Recent equipment and technological advances have allowed scientists to

see the brain working. What scientists have found is that the brain

continues to form after birth based on experiences. An infant's mind

is primed for learning, but it needs early experiences to wire the

neural circuits of the brain that facilitate learning.



Imagine that a child's brain is like a house that has just been built.

The walls are up, the doors are hung. Then you go to the store and buy

electrical wiring, switches, a fuse box and other electrical supplies.

You bring these supplies to the new house and set them on the floor.

Will they work? Probably not. You first must string the wiring and

hook up all of the connections. This is quite similar to the way our

brains are formed. We are born with as many nerve cells as stars in

the Milky Way galaxy. But these cells have not yet established a

pattern of wiring between them — they haven't made their connections.



What the brain has done is to lay out circuits that are its best guess

about what is required for vision, language, etc. Now the sensory

experiences must take this rough blueprint and progressively refine

it. Circuits are made into patterns that enable newborn infants to

perceive their mother's touch, their father's voice and other aspects

of their environment.



Normal sensory experiences direct brain cells to their location and

reinforce the connections between brain cells. We are born with more

than 100 billion brain cells or neurons; we will not grow more. That's

about 10 times the number of stars in the entire Milky Way, and about

20 times the number of people on the planet.



Neurons are the functioning core of the brain. Each cell body is about

one-hundredth the size of the period at the end of this sentence. A

neuron has branches or dendrites emerging from the cell body. These

dendrites pick up chemical signals across a synapse and the impulse

travels the length of the axon. Each axon branch has a sac containing

neurotransmitters at its tip. The electrical impulse causes the

release of the neurotransmitters, which, in turn, stimulates or

inhibits neighboring dendrites, like an on-off switch.



These connections are miracles of the human body. But to understand

their power, you have to multiply this miracle by trillions. A single

cell can connect with as many as 15,000 other cells.



This incredibly complex network of connections that results often is

referred to as the brain's "circuitry" or "wiring." Experience shapes

the way circuits are made in the brain.



A remarkable increase in synapses occurs during the first year of

life. The brain develops a functional architecture through the

development of these synapses or connections.



For example, if a parent repeatedly calls a child a certain name, then

connections will form that allow the child to recognize that name over

time as referring to him and he will learn to respond. From birth, the

brain rapidly is creating these connections that form our habits,

thoughts, consciousness, memories and mind.



By the time a child is 3 years old, a baby's brain has formed about

1,000 trillion connections — about twice as many as adults have. A

baby's brain is superdense and will stay that way throughout the first

decade of life. Beginning at about age 11, a child's brain gets rid of

extra connections in a process calling "pruning," gradually making

order out of a thick tangle of "wires."



The remaining "wiring" is more powerful and efficient. The increase in

synaptic density in a child's brain can be seen in Figure 2. The

interactions that parents assist with in a child's environment are

what spur the growth and pattern of these connections in the brain.



As the synapses in a child's brain are strengthened through repeated

experiences, connections and pathways are formed that structure the

way a child learns. If a pathway is not used, it's eliminated based on

the "use it or lose it" principle. Things you do a single time, either

good or bad, are somewhat less likely to have an effect on brain

development.



When a connection is used repeatedly in the early years, it becomes

permanent. For example, when adults repeat words and phrases as they

talk to babies, babies learn to understand speech and strengthen the

language connections in the brain.





Figure 1. Neurons and connections









Figure 2. Synaptic density in the human brain





Construction of the Brain

We have explored how the brain develops at the cellular level with

neurons and connections. Understanding the different parts of the

brain as a whole and how it functions and develops also is useful.



The brain grows in sequential fashion, from bottom to top, or from the

least complex part (brain stem) to the more complex area (cortex). If

you draw a line from the forehead to the chin and open the brain for a

side view, you would see the brain as it is shown in Figure 3.











Figure 3.Brain: side view





The basic elements of the human brain include the following:



1. The brainstem is at the base of the skull and it controls most

basic life activities, including blood pressure and body temperature.



2. The midbrain is at the top of the brainstem and it controls motor

activity, appetite and sleep.



3. The cerebellum is behind the brainstem and it coordinates movement

and balance.



4. The limbic system is in the central part of the brain and it

controls emotions, attachment and memory.



5. The cortex is the top layer of the brain and is about the depth of

two dimes placed on top of each other. The cortex is the "executive

branch" of the brain that regulates decision-making and controls

thinking, reasoning and language.



The cerebral cortex contains 80 percent of the neurons in the brain.

Because it is the least developed part of the brain at birth and keeps

developing until adolescence and even beyond, the cortex is more

sensitive to experiences than other parts of the brain.



Construction of the brain is somewhat like the construction of a

house. A house is built from the foundation up and different parts of

the structure have different functions. Also, like the brain, once the

architecture is in place, you can continue learning and "add on" or

"decorate." But, if you have to move a wall or add a window, it is

more difficult and expensive than if you had done it earlier in the

building process.







Critical Periods of Brain Development

Brain development proceeds in waves, with different parts of the brain

becoming active "construction sites" at different times. The brain's

ability to respond to experience presents exciting opportunities for a

child's development.



Learning continues throughout life. However, "prime times" or "windows

of opportunity" exist when the brain is a kind of "supersponge,"

absorbing new information more easily than at other times and

developing in major leaps. While this is true especially in the first

three years of life, it continues throughout early childhood and

adolescence. For example, young children learn the grammar and meaning

of their native language with only simple exposure.



While learning later is possible, it usually is slower and more

difficult. Some improvement in most skills is possible throughout

life. However, providing children with the best opportunity for

learning and growth during the periods when their minds are most ready

to absorb new information is important.



Visual and auditory development

The "prime time" for visual and auditory development, or a child's

capacity for learning to see and hear, is from birth to between 4 and

5 years old. The development of these sensory capacities is very

important for allowing children, especially babies, to perceive and

interact with the world around them. During the first few months,

especially, babies need to see shapes, colors, objects at varying

distances and movement for the brain to learn how to see. Babies also

need exposure to a variety of sounds so their brain can learn to

process that information and allow for responsiveness by hearing

something.



Language development

The "prime time" for language development and learning to talk is from

birth to 10 years of age. Children are learning language during this

entire period. However, the "prime time" for language learning is the

first few years of life. Children need to hear you constantly talk,

sing and read to them during these early years. Respond to their

babbling and language efforts.



Children vary in their language development during these first years,

so parents should allow for some variation in children's abilities at

different ages. They should encourage language development, be patient

and seek assistance from a qualified professional if concerns arise

about a child's progress in this area.



Physical and motor development

The "prime time" for physical and motor development in children is

from birth to 12 years of age. Children become physically ready for

different aspects of motor development at different times. Large motor

skills, such as walking, tend to come before the refinement of fine

motor skills, such as using a crayon.



A child needs several years to develop the coordination skills to play

catch with a ball easily, and even then refinement of such skills

continues into a child's early adolescence. Parents should monitor a

child's motor development but be patient since children vary in their

rates of development.



Emotional and social development

The "prime time" for emotional and social development in children is

birth to 12 years of age. Differing aspects of emotional and social

development, which incorporate higher capacities, such as awareness of

others, empathy and trust, are important at different times. For

example, the real "prime time" for emotional attachment to be

developed is from birth to 18 months, when a young child is forming

attachments with critical caregivers. Such development provides the

foundations for other aspects of emotional development that occur as

children grow.



Emotional intelligence is critical to life success. The part of the

brain that regulates emotion, the amygdala, is shaped early on by

experience and forms the brain's emotional wiring. Early nurturing is

important to learning empathy, happiness, hopefulness and resiliency.



Social development, which involves both self-awareness and a child's

ability to interact with others, also occurs in stages. For example,

sharing toys is something that a 2-year old's brain is not fully

developed to do well, so this social ability is more common and

positive with toddlers who are 3 or older. A parent's efforts to

nurture and guide a child will assist in laying healthy foundations

for social and emotional development.







Conclusion

The development of a child's brain holds the key to the child's

future. Although the "first years last forever" in terms of the rapid

development of young children's brains, the actual first years of a

child's life go by very quickly. So touch, talk, read, smile, sing,

count and play with your children. It does more than make both of you

feel good. It helps a child's brain develop and nourishes the child's

potential for a lifetime.









--