CHILDHOOD BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

BY: KRISTIN SOLIZ IT 2010 11/6/2013

IMPORTANT FACTS TO KNOW ABOUT CHILDHOOD BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

A newborn's brain is about 25 percent of its approximate adult weight. During an infants first three years, their brain grows more rapidly than any other developmental stage in life. Skills are being learned that will be used throughout their lives like
Locomotion

Social relationships Speech

Timeline of Childhood Milestones

2 Months: 3 Months: 4 Months: 6 Months: 7 Months: 9 Months:

Smiles at the sound of your voice and follows you with their eyes as you move around a room Raises head and chest when lying on stomach, grasps objects, smiles at other people Babbles, laughs, and tries to imitate sounds; holds head steady Rolls from back to stomach and stomach to back, moves objects from hand to hand Responds to own name, finds partially hidden objects Sits without support, crawls, babbles "mama" and "dada"

12 Months: Walks with or without support, says at least one word, enjoys imitating people

THE NATURE VERSUS NURTURE DEBATE

Nature- skills that all children (without severe mental, medical or environmental deficits) will inherently learn as they grow and develop Nurture- skills that are taught through parent interaction, by own choice or through life circumstances that affect development and differentiate one child from another

Both contribute to childhood development

Nature sets the groundwork to growth Nurture allows the child to become their own unique individual self

WHAT CAN NEGATIVELY IMPACT CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT?

Situations that negatively impact childhood development
A medical disease which can prevent the child from learning or developing at a normal rate An unstable environment where the child does not receive the love and care it needs A poor socioeconomic status that prevents the child from receiving adequate nutrition to grow and function properly When children lack a proper and constructive learning environment, they cannot succeed

WHAT PARENTS CAN DO TO FOSTER PROPER DEVELOPMENT

Because the young brain is so impressionable, it is crucial that parents take the necessary steps to foster proper development
They can do this by:
creating a stable and welcoming learning environment within the home
having a healthy parent-to-child relationship Socializing often with the child and encouraging its growth Being patient, rewarding and punishing as necessary and always giving children the love and support they need to develop

IN CONCLUSION

The most important parts of human development begin with the first years of ones life. By setting up the proper environment, children can thrive and learn to become functioning and successful beings