Brain Development in Children

Brain, is the commander-in-chief of our body. The human body cannot function without the brain. Our body may remain alive with the heart being pumped artificially, but it won't be able to bat an eyelid, if the brain stops working. We are all born with a brain that is almost developed. There are many wires and connections within the brain that are connected and functional only during the infancy and toddler age. The brain development in children occurs due to the genes and the environment of the growing child. The inherited gift of the child makes the structure of the brain possible, but it is the healthy diet and external stimulation of the surroundings that gets the brain connected in the most efficient way. Know more on diagram of the brain and its functions.

The ability of an infant to be able to speak, crawl, cry, laugh, walk, recognize, remember, etc., all is nothing short of a miracle. The brain is able to develop due to the interactions and the care provided by the parents. Just the simple gaze a mother gives her baby while feeding, the lullaby sung by a caring father, etc. form a stepping stone for the early brain development of a child. Know more on facts on the human brain.

Thus, not only the genetics and nourishment play a part in the development of the brain, but the daily interactions, physical activity, love and daily experiences help the brain development in early childhood. The brain develops with the help of the external factors of the surroundings. The five senses of vision, hearing, smell, taste and touch help in developing an unconnected brain structure. The child learns to recognize the faces of his family members, the voice of his father, the smell of his mothers skin, the taste of the milk he drinks and the gentle caressing of his grandmother. This helps the brain get wired up accordingly and have an impact on the basic architecture of his brain. Know more on child development.

There are over 100,000,000,000 cells in the brain when a child is born. These cells need to start communicating with each other and during the miraculous changes, the brain follows the Darwinian theory of selection of the fittest. In other words, those synapses and connections that are seldom used by the child are deleted and those that are useful are developed further. Let us have a look at the various types of brain development in children.

Types of Brain Development in Children

The prime time for the child to learn and understand concepts that will prove helpful throughout life are the early formative years. The brain of a 3 years old is two times more active than an adult. Thus, it is very important to encourage the various interactive activities that will help the brain development in children. The types of brain development in early childhood are:

• Development of the Visual and Auditory Senses: The vision and hearing senses are the first to be developed in children. To improve these senses the parents and guardians should ensure the child is exposed to different colors, shapes, and sounds. You can hang different vividly colored and shaped chimes over the child's cradle that have a visual appeal and a soft rhythmic sound that will help develop the child's vision and auditory senses.
• Development of Language Skills: The child begins to gurgle some sounds and moves on to some monosyllables like ma, pa, da-da, etc. The parents should develop these speech skills by talking to the child and encouraging him to speak. Reading out poems aloud and singing songs and lullabies help in the process. Although the infant may not understand their meanings, but will be able to grasp the different sounds of the words, registering them in his brain for future reference.
• Development of the Motor Skills: The child's brain begins to gain control of the muscles. The child starts moving his arms and legs in all direction playfully and this is part of his physical exercise and development of motor skills. The child begins to hold fingers and grasp toys, thus helping in his fine motor skills of the hands, fingers, toes and feet. The parents should help the child with physical activities that will help in the physical development of the body and the brain.
• Development of the Emotional and Social Quotient: The healthy, warm, caring and loving environment the child receives, plays an important role in the development of the child's emotional and social skills. It is very important for the parents to maintain a healthy environment in the house, as the child is very vulnerable to negative emotions around him. The child develops emotions of hatred, anger, fear, etc. as easily as love, trust and empathy, by learning from his surroundings. Thus, provide the child with ample positive emotions and social skills that will help him adjust into the society easily.

Brain Development in Early Childhood

There are certain milestones that are achieved within the brain according to the age of the child. Let us see the different ages and stages of child development:

• Age 4 Months: The brain starts responding to the different words or sounds produced in any language spoken.
• Age 8 to 9 Months: The infants brain begins to develop memory as they experience different activities like pushing a ball around or throwing a spoon.
• Age 10 Months: The child begins to focus on his own new language like ma, pa, da-da, ba-ba, etc. and pays little attention to the other languages spoken around him.
• Age 12 Months: The child begins to respond to words that are spoken in a child-like funny manner than flat, normal voices. For example, when the mother says, 'shee the moo-moo' the baby will look towards the cow more often than when he hears, 'see the cow'. Thus, it is often said a child should be spoken to in the language he understands.
• Age 12 to 18 Months: Babies and toddlers begin to explore their memories and carry out the forgotten activity. If the child seen a toy that needs winding up, the child will wind it till it finally begins to play.
• Age 24 Months: The toddler and pre-schoolers recognize the people around them and know their friends from strangers. They begin to cry when handled by people who are unknown to them.
• Age 30 Months: The child begins to develop a kind of map in his or her mind and knows, where the things are in his or her surroundings.
• Age 36 Months: The child begins to show two different emotions at one single time, like falling down while playing and feeling like to cry, but happy that he is having fun playing in the park.

This shows the various stages the brain development in children takes place. The child's mental ability develops with specific types of learning. There are certain critical periods that help him absorb particular information at a faster rate. For example:

• Emotional Intelligence: The optimum period for development of the brain is 0 to 24 months and the next best age is 2-5 years. The EQ can further develop at any age.
• Motor Development: The optimum period is 0 to 24 years and then 2-5 years with the possibility of further development possibility decreasing with age.
• Vision: The optimum period of vision development is 0 to 2 years and then 2 to 5 years. The vision may remain constant or decrease with age. Know more on how does the human eye work.
• Hearing: 4 to 8 months is the optimum age period for development of early sounds. Then 8 months to 5 years is the next best age. The ability to recognize and understand sounds keeps developing with age. Know more on how do humans hear.
• Ability to Think: The child begins thinking from 0 to 48 months. Then the next best age period is 4 to 10 years when parents and other adults are bombarded with a million questions. This is the age when the child is actively thinking and questioning the happenings of the surroundings.
• Second Language Skills: The child can learn and understand a second language other than his mother tongue during 5 to 10 years of age. The child can further learn more language skills at any age.

The best way to influence the brain development in children is by contributing towards an active interaction with your child. You should, sing, talk, read and explain simple things to the child to help him develop his brains. The brain of a child is rightly called as a plastic mold that can be shaped as the parents mold it. It is like a blank page and how well you write the script of knowledge, grasping power and emotional expressions on it is up to the parents and caregivers. You should provide ample opportunities to the child to help him develop his brain and flourish accordingly.You may like to read more on:

• Activites for Infants
• Activities for Toddlers

A warm home, loving family and good educational development will ensure a steady brain development in children. No two children are alike. Thus some may learn quickly or some may take time. Do not give up on any child, if he does not act according to your expectations. It is not about your wants, but the child's dreams. Let children learn at their own pace by always being there with a supportive hand. Just as Einstein took time to find his niche, you never know your child may too take time to find his path. Encourage the brain development in early childhood with love and attention.