c:\msworks\Web’04-‘05\se3handouts\parguide.htm Revised 11/3/01

3/25/01 12B-2

A Parents Guide to Early Brain Development

(Paraphrased)

We know there is, and we are learning more about, the biological impact of the parents through the specific DNA that each child inherits. Researchers now confirm that the way you interact with your child in the early years and the experiences you provide or encourage have a big impact on his emotional development, learning abilities and how he functions in later life. Scientists are finding that caregivers have even a greater effect on brain development than most people previously suspected. Experiences shapes the developing structure of the brain.

Before birth, a baby’s brain cells multiply at such an astonishing rate that by the time your baby is born 100 billion brain cell have been developed. Though these cells are not yet connected in networks they will be when her brain is mature. It is the networking that allows thinking and learning, among other things, to take place. This networking takes place after birth in direct response to the child’s world - and from the infant’s viewpoint the caretakers are the world.

Babies experience the way you look into their eyes, the expression on your face; they hear your cooing, singing, talking, reading; they feel you holding or rocking them; they take in your familiar smells; they often experience the taste of your skin as well as their own. Touch is especially important and stroking an infant stimulate the brain to release important harmones that allow him to grow. Your love for your child is the key to the powerful connection between the two of you but it is the expression of your love that affects the way her brain forms connections.

Brain cells are perfectly designed for making connections. Each cell sends signals out to other brain cells and receives input from other cells, creating connections. Repeated activation of networks of neurons strengthens these connections. To understands the power of these miracle connections, 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 is often referred to as the brain’s “wiring” or “circuitry”. Experience shapes the way circuits are made in the brain.

By the time she is three, your baby’s brain has formed about 1000 trillion connections -- about twice as many as adults have. A baby’s brain is dense and will stay that way throughout the first decade of life. Beginning about age eleven a child’s brain gets rid of extra connections, gradually making order out of the thick tangle of “wires”, ending up with a circuitry that is more powerful and efficient.

How does the brain “know” which connections to keep ? Early experiences dictate. When a connection is used repeatedly in early years, it becomes permanent. In contrast, a connection that is not used at all, or often enough, is unlikely to survive. For example, a child who is rarely spoken or read to in the early years may have difficulty mastering language skills later on; a child who is rarely played with may have difficulty with social adjustments as she grows.

Timing is important. Different developments get top priority at different times. During certain days early in pregnancy, the cells that will make up the cortex -- the part of the brain that allows thinking-- have to travel to exactly the right place at the right time. This is “prime time” for brain development. If cells get sidetracked, the baby’s brain development may be jeopardized.

There are other “windows” or “prime times”, some relatively short and others last a decade. Visual experiences in the first years of life are important or a child will not be able to see. The first dozen years of life children can learn languages very easily, as opposed to later in life. Of course it is never too late to help a child to learn and develop-- although it can be more costly and time-consuming than in the early years of life.

Relationship with your child affects his brain in many ways and providing warm, responsive care strengthens the biological systems that help him handle his emotions. A strong secure connection with your child helps him withstand the ordinary stresses of daily life-- not just today, but in the future as well. These children are more adaptive and produce less cortisol, a stress harmone which affects metabolism, the immune system and the brain.

How can a parent ensure the child’s healthy development when away or at work ? Brain development is non-stop, it continues around the clock. It is important then that the caretaker that is taking care of your child when you are away is helping to shape the experiences which allow the brain to develop. From the child’s perspective, every important caregiver is a potential source of love and learning, comfort and stimulation.

Every important caregiver has the potential to help shape a young child’s future.

NOTE: The source of the above information is from the web site www.iamyourchild.org provided by the Reiner Foundation, I am Your Child, P.O. Box 15605, Beverly Hills, CA 90209. The Reiner Foundation has given me permission to copy information from its web site for distribution to “Building Self-Esteem” workshop participants. More detailed information is available at the section called Ages and Stages of that web site.