Know the Brain---it will help you help your child

Most parents are extremely anxious about the development of their progeny and how the child will perform in school, college, and later life. If you want your child to develop specific skills and be intelligent , you must understand the brain and its workings as well as how you can help stimulate the brain. This will enable you to monitor the development of your little one and adopt different ways and means to enhance thinking.

Factors that are known to be crucial are good health, adequate exercise, medications, protection against viral infection s, and minimizing exposure to toxins. These are environmental factors that can encourage or deter brain development. So, in case your child shows behavioral changes after a sickness or medications be sure to consult your doctor.

Know the Think Tank

The organ that helps us think, arrive at decisions, retain pleasant and unpleasant memories, and to control s our physical and metabolic functions is the brain. It is lodged safely within the skull, which is in fact, our head.

The brain , is a complex structure made up of grey cells and white matter. It is the grey cells that perform all the functions and send messages to different parts of the body through our nerves. The magic is that if the brain cells are not used , they will just wither away and die. The organ that acts like the chip of a computer is the brain.

Most of us are born with similar brains. To a large extent , how the brain develops is dependant on experiences and stimuli provided by life. So, if a child grows up in a warm, loving, and secure environment with the right kind of stimuli then it is bound to excel in life. On the other hand, if a child is exposed to stress and unhappiness for many months , this will affect the development of the brain.

The brain has many parts: the cerebral cortex is a thin layer that envelops the brain; the occipital lobe processes functions like vision and is located at the back of the head; the temporal lobe is responsible for hearing, speech, and language development; the parietal lobe processes sensory stimuli; the prefrontal lobe is what helps us plan things, regulate emotions, and determine what to do when; the frontal lobe is the center for critical thinking and problem solving; the limbic system controls emotions and long-term memory; and the cerebellum is responsible for balance and automatic movements like the blinking of eyelids.

How the brain works is that impulses are conveyed through nerve endings or connections called synapses. The connections in a baby or infant are made according to the stimuli received.

The number of synapses and functional brain cells can be made stronger and more permanent with proper care and stimulation. What benefit s brain development are , good food, a well-balanced lifestyle, and timely stimulation.

What Happens When

Learning begins from when the baby is in the womb. The peak according to experts is between the ages of 3-10 but learning never stops and under the right conditions can last a lifetime.

The largest numbers of nerve synapses are formed in the brain in the first six months after birth. During this time over 60% of the baby’s food is used by the brain. This is when a baby must receive optimal bonding, and loving communication from its parents.

Emotions and long-term memory develop when a baby is 10-18 months old. So, you must learn as much as you can about what happens when and this will enable you to plan.

The amount of stimulation a baby receives has a direct e affect on how many synapses are formed. Repetitive stimulation strengthens the brains cells and synapse connections and makes them permanent. Connections that are made but lie unused just deteriorate and die out.

Tips on Nurturing Brain Development

Positive brain development does not need pots of money. It is just simple everyday actions done with care. From the time a baby is in the womb you must think happy thoughts and even talk to the baby. In the first few hours after birth, contact with the mother, the feel of her warmth and heart is recognized as crucial. Gently massage the baby three times a day for fifteen minutes or so. This promotes blood circulation as also well as all - round development.

A baby needs love and security around it. Show the baby you care and sing to the child. Talk to the child; show it wonderful shapes and colors. Hang mobiles over the cot or cradle, mobiles pictures , put up posters, play calming music. Watch the child thrive in all the love and attention.

Focus on hearing and language. Call out to the child and you will find the baby turns towards the sound of your voice. Talk to the child - the quickest way the baby learns is by repetitions. Name the objects you are using like soap, sponge, spoon, cup and so on, describe all actions, “ ah ah now we will wear a nice pink dress with bunnies.” Be sure the baby focuses on the expressions on your face. If English is not the only language spoken by the family, then speak to the child in the native tongue too. Babies can absorb and retain with dexterity more than one language. Studies show that bi-lingual kids perform really well at school.

From the time they are 2-4 months old babies learn about colors, facial expressions, and shapes. The brain is developing rapidly and each neuron is connecting to 15,000 and more neurons in the first few months after birth. And, vision develops and peaks when the baby is 8 months old. So, expose the child to its environment both indoors and outdoors. All vision centers must be used to the maximum otherwise vision will not develop properly.

Let play be the teaching mode of choice. Let the child learn through feel and touch. Introduce the child to concepts of hot, cold, wind, snow, sunshine, flowers, shrubs, and trees, different kinds of food, as well as pets and so on. Introduce the world to the child.

Music opens many doors. By listening to music like Mozart and so on the areas of the brain related to math and spatial reasoning develop well. In fact, kids that listen to music solve puzzles and mazes with dexterity and also express themselves better in art.

Raise the child in a happy emotionally stable environment. Babies retain memories of joy - and of sadness and stress experienced when young – and this could manifest s itself in future learning and behavioral problems.

Introduce movement of all body parts like toes, fingers, feet, head and so on. Physical activities are very important and skills like coordination and dexterity develop quicker in active children.

Most children are great imitators - so as parents we must adopt behaviors we want to see in our kids. Children whose parents shout or speak in loud tones also do the same. Similarly if parents are gentle and soft-spoken , then the kids too ape the behavior and speak in soft gentle tones. So, only adopt behaviors you want mirrored in your kids.

Focus on all - round development and read to the child, sing songs, show the child your love. Introduce into the home environment many innovative learning tools like colorful books, interactive CDs and DVDs, videos, and computer software specially designed by firms like Smart Neurons after studying all aspects of child development and education.

It is we parents, who play a crucial role in the lives of our children. So, when your toddler raises its arms beckoning to you , do respond and pick up the child and hold it closely in your circle of love.

Author Information:

Article was contributed by Smart Neurons www.smartneurons.com . Smart Neurons offers kids’ educational software, video and other educational aids. Our products encourage critical thinking, imagination and leadership skills and are targeted to enhance a child’s educational experience. Children are encouraged to explore the world around them through fun and engaging activities. Through our products and software, Preschool children use their observations to expand their understanding of the world and develop their ability to express themselves.