Brain Development Is Remarkable During First Few Years - research results and child management advice

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), August, 1999

An empty vessel to be filled or a lump of clay to be molded is often how parents see their newborn's potential for growth and development. According to the latest research on brain development, a newborn's brain is remarkably unfinished. The brain, the body's most vital and complex organ, matures outside of the womb. Therefore, babies are deeply affected by their earliest experiences.

Diane Arnold, vice president of education for Children's World Learning Centers, Golden, Colo., emphasizes that positive emotional, physical, and intellectual/language experiences in a child's earliest years are just as important as a healthy diet and a safe place to live. To encourage the healthy development of a newborn, parents need to know that it is the earliest interactions with themselves and other caregivers that most affect the way a baby's brain becomes "wired" for later learning. These interactions determine the potential for the way youngsters will learn, think, feel, and behave for the rest of their lives.

A baby is born with more than 100,000,000,000 brain cells. Before the age of five, long, thin fibers called synapses grow and connect the brain cells, forming the neurological foundation of trillions of connections upon which a child builds a lifetime of skills. The final number of synapses is largely determined by his or her earliest experiences. Brain growth early in life is unparalleled. At no other time in life does the brain master so many skills or does experience etch so deeply in the mind. It is during these first few years that potential vocabulary, math, and logic skills are largely determined and emotional stability is greatly affected.

Parents and early childhood educators have the greatest effect on their child's brain potential. According to The Reiner Foundation, there are 10 things parents can do to provide a healthy, stimulating environment for their baby's brain development:

Be warm and loving. Youngsters experience relationships through their senses. Interactions such as touching, rocking, smiling, singing, and talking help children feel safe and secure with their caregivers. Touch is especially important because it stimulates the brain to release growth hormones.

Be responsive to your child's sounds, expressions, and movements. Infants cannot use words to express themselves. Therefore, they feel secure and loved when they are responded to in other ways. They begin to trust that when they cry, they will be comforted; when they are hungry, they will be fed; and when they smile and laugh, they will be played with.

Talk, read, and sing to your child. Making up stories, singing songs, and describing things to infants encourages speech and language capacity to grow, even if they can't understand the meaning of the words. Researchers have found that, when frequently spoken to by their mothers, infants learned almost 300 more words by age two than their peers whose mothers rarely spoke to them. Studies also find that how older children are read to makes a difference. Encouraging participation, such as asking questions, pointing out pictures, and predicting outcomes helps their brains to be even more stimulated and challenged.

Establish routines and rituals. They are reassuring for children and help them learn what to expect and how to understand the world around them. For example, a toddler may know it is nap time because his or her mother closes the curtains and sings a song. Youngsters who have safe and predictable interactions and activities have been found to do better in school later on.

Encourage curiosity, safe exploration, and play. Interactions between a parent and child form the basis for all subsequent learning and growing. As infants begin to crawl and walk, they start to explore the world beyond their caregivers. Parents should encourage safe exploration and play, and be receptive when their offspring needs to return to them for security. Play is recognized as an important opportunity for kids to learn and explore.

Be selective with TV viewing. Very young children are still learning the difference between what is reality and what is pretend. Some television images can foster language development, but others can be confusing and frightening. Studies show that those who do best in school have caregivers who limit their TV time and are selective as to the type of shows they watch. For older children, it can be used to foster discussion, but television should not be utilized as a babysitter.

Use discipline as an opportunity to teach. Children need limits and consistent, loving adult supervision. Keep these points in mind:

* Communicate to your offspring what needs to be done at that moment.

* Redirect his or her attention or activity by using neutral or positive language.

* Say no while maintaining love.

* Explain the reason for your rule.

* Give limited tasks and be specific in your request.

* Acknowledge children's feelings, but set limits.

* Help them understand how their actions affect others.

* Help kids use words to communicate their frustrations.