Brain development kids: Brain Development – First Things First

Brain Development – First Things First

From birth to age 5, a child’s brain develops more than at any other time in life. And early brain development has a lasting impact on a child’s ability to learn and succeed in school and life. The quality of a child’s experiences in the first few years of life – positive or negative – helps shape how their brain develops.

Watch our video on early childhood brain development:

90% of Brain Growth Happens Before Kindergarten

At birth, the average baby’s brain is about a quarter of the size of the average adult brain. Incredibly, it doubles in size in the first year. It keeps growing to about 80% of adult size by age 3 and 90% – nearly full grown – by age 5.

The brain is the command center of the human body. A newborn baby has all of the brain cells (neurons) they’ll have for the rest of their life, but it’s the connections between these cells that really make the brain work. Brain connections enable us to move, think, communicate and do just about everything. The early childhood years are crucial for making these connections. At least one million new neural connections (synapses) are made every second, more than at any other time in life.

Different areas of the brain are responsible for different abilities, like movement, language and emotion, and develop at different rates. Brain development builds on itself, as connections eventually link with each other in more complex ways. This enables the child to move and speak and think in more complex ways.

The early years are the best opportunity for a child’s brain to develop the connections they need to be healthy, capable, successful adults. The connections needed for many important, higher-level abilities like motivation, self-regulation, problem solving and communication are formed in these early years – or not formed. It’s much harder for these essential brain connections to be formed later in life.

How Brain Connections Are Built

Starting from birth, children develop brain connections through their everyday experiences. They’re built through positive interactions with their parents and caregivers and by using their senses to interact with the world. A young child’s daily experiences determine which brain connections develop and which will last for a lifetime. The amount and quality of care, stimulation and interaction they receive in their early years makes all the difference.

Caring, Responsive Relationships

A child’s relationships with the adults in their life are the most important influences on their brain development. Loving relationships with responsive, dependable adults are essential to a child’s healthy development. These relationships begin at home, with parents and family, but also include child care providers, teachers and other members of the community.

From birth, young children serve up invitations to engage with their parents and other adult caregivers. Babies do it by cooing and smiling and crying. Toddlers communicate their needs and interests more directly. Each of these little invitations is an opportunity for the caregiver to be responsive to the child’s needs. This “serve and return” process is fundamental to the wiring of the brain. Parents and caregivers who give attention, respond and interact with their child are literally building the child’s brain. That’s why it’s so important to talk, sing, read and play with young children from the day they’re born, to give them opportunities to explore their physical world, and to provide safe, stable and nurturing environments.

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Children who experience more positive interactions in their early years go on to be healthier and more successful in school and in life. Unfortunately, the opposite is true as well.  Poverty, exposure to family violence and lack of access to quality early learning experiences can negatively impact a child’s early brain development, and subsequently, their long-term success.

More About Brain Development

• Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University
• “Baby Brain Map” – ZERO TO THREE
• “The Importance of Everyday Interactions for Early Brain Development”
• “Building Lifelong Health by Protecting Young Brains” – American Academy of Pediatrics

Early Literacy

The skills needed to be a good reader, like language and vocabulary, start developing from birth.

LEARN MORE

Early Brain Development and Health

The early years of a child’s life are very important for later health and development. One of the main reasons is how fast the brain grows starting before birth and continuing into early childhood. Although the brain continues to develop and change into adulthood, the first 8 years can build a foundation for future learning, health and life success.

How well a brain develops depends on many factors in addition to genes, such as:

• Proper nutrition starting in pregnancy
• Exposure to toxins or infections
• The child’s experiences with other people and the world

Nurturing and responsive care for the child’s body and mind is the key to supporting healthy brain development. Positive or negative experiences can add up to shape a child’s development and can have lifelong effects. To nurture their child’s body and mind, parents and caregivers need support and the right resources. The right care for children, starting before birth and continuing through childhood, ensures that the child’s brain grows well and reaches its full potential. CDC is working to protect children so that their brains have a healthy start.

The importance of early childhood experiences for brain development

Children are born ready to learn, and have many skills to learn over many years. They depend on parents, family members, and other caregivers as their first teachers to develop the right skills to become independent and lead healthy and successful lives. How the brain grows is strongly affected by the child’s experiences with other people and the world. Nurturing care for the mind is critical for brain growth. Children grow and learn best in a safe environment where they are protected from neglect and from extreme or chronic stress with plenty of opportunities to play and explore.

Parents and other caregivers can support healthy brain growth by speaking to, playing with, and caring for their child. Children learn best when parents take turns when talking and playing, and build on their child’s skills and interests. Nurturing a child by understanding their needs and responding sensitively helps to protect children’s brains from stress. Speaking with children and exposing them to books, stories, and songs helps strengthen children’s language and communication, which puts them on a path towards learning and succeeding in school.

Exposure to stress and trauma can have long-term negative consequences for the child’s brain, whereas talking, reading, and playing can stimulate brain growth. Ensuring that parents, caregivers, and early childhood care providers have the resources and skills to provide safe, stable, nurturing, and stimulating care is an important public health goal.

When children are at risk, tracking children’s development and making sure they reach developmental milestones can help ensure that any problems are detected early and children can receive the intervention they may need.

Learn more about supporting early childhood experiences:

• Tracking developmental milestones
• Preventing abuse and neglect
• Positive parenting tips
• Healthy childcare

A healthy start for the brain

To learn and grow appropriately, a baby’s brain has to be healthy and protected from diseases and other risks. Promoting the development of a healthy brain can start even before pregnancy. For example, a healthy diet and the right nutrients like sufficient folic acid will promote a healthy pregnancy and a healthy nervous system in the growing baby. Vaccinations can protect pregnant women from infections that can harm the brain of the unborn baby.

During pregnancy, the brain can be affected by many types of risks, such as by infectious diseases like Cytomegalovirus  or Zika virus, by exposure to toxins, including from smoking or alcohol, or when pregnant mothers experience stress, trauma, or mental health conditions like depression. Regular health care during pregnancy can help prevent complications, including premature birth, which can affect the baby’s brain. Newborn screening can detect conditions that are potentially dangerous to the child’s brain, like phenylketonuria (PKU).

Healthy brain growth in infancy continues to depend on the right care and nutrition. Because children’s brains are still growing, they are especially vulnerable to traumatic head injuries, infections, or toxins, such as lead. Childhood vaccines, such as the measles vaccine, can protect children from dangerous complications like swelling of the brain. Ensuring that parents and caregivers have access to healthy foods and places to live and play that are healthy and safe for their child can help them provide more nurturing care.

Learn more about the recommended care:

• Before pregnancy
• During pregnancy
• Around birth
• During infancy
• During early childhood

What does CDC do to support early brain health?

CDC is committed to supporting early brain health through evidence-based programs and partnerships within communities. Below are just a few examples of CDC programs that support early brain health:

• Learn the Signs. Act Early
• Legacy for Children^TM
• Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
• Essentials for Childhood
• Concussion Prevention
• Lead Prevention
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Prevention
• Childhood Immunization
• Treating for Two
• Preconception Care
• Infant and Toddler Nutrition
• Addressing Health Disparities in Early Childhood

Why is the age of 2-7 years so important for brain development and how to use it?

Any experiences – from games to creative activities, as well as relationships – form the foundation for the development of a small child.

When Albert Einstein was a child, it was hard to imagine that one day he would make a significant contribution to science. He had a speech delay, which worried his parents to the point that they went to the doctor. His sister once admitted that Albert “had such a speech problem that everyone was afraid that he would never learn to speak properly.” How did this child go from potential developmental delay to becoming…. Einstein? nine0003

​

This question can be partially answered by talking about two gifts that Einstein received from each of his parents when he was 5 years old. When Albert lay in bed all day due to illness, his father gave him a compass. It was a mysterious device that aroused in the boy an interest in science. Soon after, Einstein’s mother, a talented pianist, gave him a violin. These two gifts had a special effect on the development of Einstein’s brain at the most opportune moment. nine0003

​

Children’s brains develop in leaps and bounds called critical periods. The first jump occurs around the age of 2 years, the second – in adolescence. Before this happens, the number of connections (synapses) between brain cells (neurons) doubles. Children at the age of two have twice as many synapses as adults. Since learning takes place in these connections between brain cells, the double number of synapses allows the brain to learn faster than at any other time in life. Therefore, children’s experiences at this stage have a long-term impact on their development. nine0003

​

This first critical period of brain development begins around the second year of life and ends around age 7. This provides an excellent opportunity to lay the foundation for a holistic education for the child. Four ways to take advantage of this critical period for successful child development include:

​

1. Encourage a love of learning.

2. Focus on all-round rather than in-depth development. nine0003

3. Pay attention to the development of emotional intelligence.

4. And most importantly, do not consider the education of a small child, just as a prelude to “real” education.

​

Encourage a love of learning

Young children should enjoy learning, not focus on results. Educators and parents can emphasize the joy that comes from learning something new. We must help children understand that making mistakes is a natural, normal part of learning. nine0003

​

This period is also a time for the formation of flexible thinking – the belief that talents and abilities develop through effort, and do not appear (or are absent) from birth. Parents and educators should avoid labeling children or making sweeping claims about their abilities. Even compliments like “you are so smart” are counterproductive. Instead, highlight individual positive traits of the child, such as persistence, and create a safe space for learning. Children will learn to love learning if we are enthusiastic about the process, and not obsessed with results and personal qualities. nine0003

​

Focus on versatility rather than in-depth development

One way to avoid focusing on outcomes at this stage of development is to prioritize the development of a wide range of skills through a variety of activities, rather than focusing on the development of any one skill. The discovery of activities in different areas lays the foundation for the development of a wide variety of skills in the child. This is the best time to involve children in music, reading, sports, math, art, science and languages. nine0003

​

In his book Range, David Epstein argues that diverse experiences are often overlooked and underestimated. At some point in life, it may be appropriate to focus on improving a particular skill. But people who are initially multi-disciplinary and can think creatively and abstractly are the ones who thrive in our rapidly changing world. In other words, our society needs well-rounded individuals.

Versatility is especially important for children aged 2 to 7 years. Their developing brains are ready to absorb a wide range of skills. This “sample period,” as Epstein calls it, is integral. Later, they will have enough time to delve into the study of a particular skill.

​

Pay attention to the development of emotional intelligence

Yes, we want the child to read well and learn the basics of mathematics. But we should not neglect the development of emotional intelligence. The benefits of learning during this first critical period of brain development should extend to interpersonal skills such as kindness, empathy, and teamwork. nine0003

​

Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson explain the importance of developing empathy in children in their book The Whole-Brain Child. Empathy begins with acknowledging your feelings. So they suggest helping children in this age group first learn to label their emotions (“I’m sad”) and then understand what made them feel this way (“I’m sad because I wanted ice cream and you forbade me”). Once children learn to label emotions, they can begin to ask questions that encourage them to consider other people’s feelings. nine0003

​

One way to encourage caring for others is to involve children in what adults do for others. Even bringing a young child to help around the house can make him a more considerate and responsive person.

​

Don’t think of a young child’s education as just a prelude to “real” education

During this critical phase, the child’s brain is able to absorb information in a unique way. If the level of intelligence is determined by the ability to learn, then children aged 2 to 7 years old can be considered the smartest people on the planet. nine0003

​

Research shows that some skills may not be learned as well after this first critical period of brain development. For example, studies show that children at this age are best equipped to learn the patterns of language development, which allows them to acquire a second language at the same level as their first language. However, once children reach the age of 8, their language proficiency declines and they can no longer speak their second language as well as their first language. The same effect is found in the development of musical abilities, for example, perfect hearing. nine0003

​

Remarkably, Einstein’s parents did not enroll him in physics classes, the field that led him to a future Nobel Prize. Instead, Einstein’s father introduced him to his work as an engineer. His mother enrolled him in violin lessons because she wanted him to love and appreciate music. Both activities influenced the complex development of his young mind. It is tempting to think of early childhood education as a preparation for “real” education. But perhaps these years are most important in a completely different way – in the optimal development of all brain activity.

​

Source

Development of the child’s brain. What is important for parents to know?

Modern pedagogy and psychology has a huge arsenal of scientific data, among which a special place is occupied by neurosciences. Despite the fact that scientists do not yet have a complete understanding of the process of human brain development, there are a sufficient number of facts, the understanding of which can greatly facilitate the life of parents and professionals working with children. Employees of the Montessori Centers “Constellation” prepared a review of the main facts about the work of the child’s brain. nine0003

Brain development before and after birth. Why a future mother should eat well and avoid stress, and already successful parents should take their baby’s leisure time more seriously

Brain development begins even before the birth of a baby, and scientists consider the brain of people over twenty years old to be fully grown. The most complex human organ undergoes multiple changes, is incredibly sensitive to external influences, and also largely depends on hereditary factors. How does the human brain develop? nine0003

What happens before birth?

The moment your baby takes his first breath, his body has already done a great job and laid the foundation for all the future functioning of the crumbs. Despite the fact that the size of his brain will increase by another 4 times before its full maturation, the bulk of the neurons in it already exist, and its biochemistry has already been debugged.

The fact that the brain that controls our feelings, thoughts and abilities is formed in the womb, imposes a great responsibility on pregnant women. It is impossible to underestimate the scientific evidence that the way of life, the quality of food and even the emotional state of a woman during pregnancy has a huge impact on the development of the baby. nine0003

For example, there is clear evidence that stress during pregnancy disrupts the formation of the structure of the tracts of the limbic system, which, in turn, is responsible for the emotional reactions of the future person. The intake of various drugs, including seemingly harmless paracetamol, scientists were able to associate with hyperactivity in children, and the abuse of sugar during pregnancy affected the cognitive abilities of children.

Newborn brain. What is he? nine0103

The uniqueness of a person is that his brain is huge relative to the rest of the body, so a child is born slightly underdeveloped to pass the birth canal, and the brain reaches almost full size (about 80%) by the age of three. You probably know about the fontanel, the soft zone on the head of a newborn. It is this zone that is responsible for the possibility of a person being born naturally and for the very rapid growth of the child’s brain.

So, a child is born, and in front of him is a huge world and an insanely complex society, in which he needs to learn to live independently as quickly as possible. The baby’s brain is literally created to learn huge amounts of information, because synapses (connections of nerve cells, which are the basis of all knowledge and skills) are formed much faster than in adults and even adolescents. nine0003

The principle of synapse formation is simple. The more often certain information gets to the child, the more significant the body considers it, the connection becomes stronger, and the skill and memory in this area improves. So vital skills (for example, speech and walking) remain with the baby for life, and random events are forgotten with age. The same process is typical for the brain of adults, but the speed of assimilation of information in them is much lower.

The child’s brain craves new information and learns to sort it into categories of important and unimportant. That is why it is important for preschoolers to regularly and a lot of contact with a diverse environment. Thanks to the balance between various activities (creative and developmental activities, communication with elders and peers, playing alone, being in the city and in nature, outdoors and indoors, and so on), the baby develops harmoniously, because his brain regularly encounters various situations and learns to adequately respond to different stimuli and solve diverse tasks. nine0003

How does the brain grow?

The structure of the brain changes not only due to synapses. Entire areas of the brain and nerve cells of the newborn have not yet fully formed by the time the baby is born.

Visual cortex

Everyone knows that babies do not acquire keen eyes immediately, but at birth they barely distinguish the boundaries of objects and colors. This is because the cells in the visual cortex develop and learn to recognize images in front of them during the first six months! nine0003

It is surprising that even with such an immature vision system (newborns can hardly even focus), they already know how to distinguish the most important image – a human face. It is during visual contact with the mother that newborns train their eyesight and learn to see the world.

The development of the organs of vision and areas of the brain responsible for visual information begins with visual contact with the mother. Early development experts recommend looking at the baby as much as possible and talking to him, especially during breastfeeding, because with this simple action you stimulate the development of the baby. nine0003

Cerebellum

Even from the school biology course, many remember that the cerebellum is responsible for the development of movements, besides, it is involved in the work of memory, attention, speech development and even the formation of emotions. It is easy to guess that the harmonious development of this most important area of ​​the brain largely depends on the sufficient physical activity of the child. From rolling over and crawling to sports clubs and dance classes, moderate physical activity stimulates the active development of the cerebellum. To understand how necessary movement is for the well-being of the child, it is only necessary to mention that the cerebellum grows three times in just the first year of a baby’s life. nine0003

The cerebellum, involved in a huge number of brain processes, develops only under conditions of adequate physical activity. That is why it is important for parents of babies to give their children the opportunity to move, crawl and grab objects around, without fail trying them on the tooth.

Myelination of neurons

If we imagine that neurons are the wires of the body, then myelination is their qualitative isolation. Coating cell processes with a special substance (myelin) allows the nervous system to transmit signals faster and more accurately. It is because of the incomplete process of myelination that it is more difficult for infants to process information and quickly respond to changes in the environment. For the same reason, they cannot perform subtle and complex actions. nine0003

From simple to complex

Solving more and more complex problems becomes within the power of the young brain due to the completion of more and more complex chains of neurons, as well as setting up and automating the joint work of these chains. The rule is simple: the more individual operations a task includes, the later it will become available to the brain. That is why babies first learn to rearrange their legs, and only then they can use walking to get to the right place or object.

For more information about the child’s brain, please contact Sergey Kiselyov, Head of the Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Research:

How to create optimal conditions for the harmonious development of the child’s brain?

As you have already understood, despite the role of heredity in the development of the nervous system of children, a well-organized environment is much more important. In this section, we would like to pay attention to the main characteristics of a truly developing environment that positively affects the harmonious development of the child’s brain from birth. nine0003

Social environment

The desire to be among other people is inherent in us at the level of instincts, so it is not surprising that a child simply needs contact with other people for normal development. Our brain has undergone many changes precisely due to the emergence of culture (for example, a person has especially developed frontal lobes responsible for arbitrariness and complex information processing), therefore, for its normal development, a child simply needs to communicate with his own kind. A wide circle of acquaintances and the opportunity to communicate with adults and peers in various conditions stimulates the areas of the brain responsible for the development of speech, self-control and emotional intelligence. nine0003

Researchers studying the brains of people who were isolated from society as children have noted that even as adults, their brains are more responsive to stress, more sensitive to criticism, and also less amenable to conscious control.

Attending developmental classes, family evenings, joint walks with other families and any other forms of communication are necessary even for the smallest children, because they stimulate the development of the child’s brain, as a result of which his communication and cognitive abilities improve. nine0003

Balanced nutrition

It is important for parents to remember one obvious fact: as an organ of the human body, the brain needs a varied and balanced diet. Even the adult brain is very dependent on the quality of nutrition, and for a child’s brain, a healthy diet is critical. We are talking about a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals, as well as a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. At the moment, neuroscientists are actively studying the impact of various types of diets on children’s brain development, but already there is evidence of a link between increased sugar consumption and cognitive impairment in children, as well as the detrimental effect of obesity on adolescent brain function. nine0003

Many parents go to extremes and feed their children handfuls of vitamin and mineral supplements instead of a varied diet. Remember that any nutritional supplements and medicines should be given to children only after consulting a doctor and following test results. A healthy diet, including vegetables, cereals, greens, animal and vegetable protein, vegetable and animal fats in moderation, as well as the maximum exclusion of non-natural additives and semi-finished products, is enough for a healthy diet. nine0003

Physical activity

We have already mentioned that physical activity is critical for children’s health. Try to instill in children a love of movement from the first months of life, use gymnastics for babies, let the baby crawl and touch different objects, introduce him to different surfaces. A little later, feel free to include physical education minutes, outdoor walks, games in children’s towns, dancing, gymnastics and sports that are interesting for the baby in the daily routine. Try to be an example for your child and do not reduce your own physical activity! nine0003

New impressions are a guarantee of health!

We have written many times that in order to feel stability, develop a sense of time and improve control, it is important for children to have a fairly rigid daily routine. However, it is important to understand that the content of the classes must change. Use different types of creative materials, visit different playgrounds and parks, go to visit, invite other families to your place, learn new songs and poems. New information stimulates the formation of connections in the brain: the more positive and varied experiences the baby had at an early age, the easier it will be for him to cope with new tasks as an adult. nine0003

In each new task, our brain looks for similarities with its past experience, in this way it is similar to search engines on the Internet. Imagine that in childhood each person develops his own database, and the quality of the search engine depends on its vastness. New experiences broaden a child’s horizons and make them more successful and adaptable as they get older.

Avoid traumatic situations

Undoubtedly, difficulties and disappointments are also necessary for the child, as well as positive emotions, but only problems that the child is able to solve on his own or with the help of his parents do not injure his psyche. Agree, it’s one thing to find a baby crying because the shoelaces don’t want to tie themselves, but it’s another thing to calm a child who has prematurely faced violence, illness, or a disadvantage in the family. nine0003

Hundreds of studies have proven that the effects of childhood trauma affect entire areas of the brain, disrupting their connections with other areas and interfering with the normal process of information processing, leading to post-traumatic disorders, depression and other disorders.

Conclusions

The human brain is the most complex organ of the body, it is not surprising that it takes more than one year to develop, and the quality of its functioning depends not only on genetic factors, but also on the characteristics of the environment. Understanding the principles of brain development by parents allows you to create an optimal environment for the child. nine0003

Conclusion

The development of the brain is a complex process that has not yet been fully studied by scientists. Nevertheless, there is already enough data that allows child development specialists to make their activities as useful as possible for babies. Teachers and psychologists of the children’s Montessori Center “Constellation” use only proven methods based on scientific data on the development of children.

Attending pre-school clubs and various developmental activities for children has a lot of advantages: the child expands his circle of acquaintances, becomes more independent and confident, gains new life experience and simply spends time with benefit, and parents get a few hours of free time, which are so necessary .