Biology of Child’s Brain:

Parent’s worry:

It is scientific fact apart from the blessings of God if one believes so that a child’s brain grows most rapidly during the first year of life. Therefore it is a worry of parents how to do the best to encourage brainy babies. Dietitians advised the parents not to supply excess food as a financial advisors always counsel against high-risk investments. The demand of the day is to supply fancy high-tech toys to babies. Common sense is flickering in between if and buts. The best way to promote healthy brain growth in your child is not by playing and hearing classical music or buying fancy high-tech toys. It is easily achieved with lots of love, a stable home, a hygienic home and caring, supportive adults.

Modern thought:

Research in mid 1990 had emphasized an early brain development. That led many parents to take on every learning opportunity for their infants and toddlers. This yielded a notable increase in high-tech learning toys, classical music recordings and structured play. Many are in the opinion that to make our kids smarter we must supply the so-called brain-building gadgets, and complex computer games. But the latest studies concerning the development of child’s brain indicate that our basic nurturing impulses as parents give babies exactly what their growing brains want. Mr. Bruce Perry, M.D, Ph.D., a neuroscientist who is on the forefront of brain research and senior fellow at the Houston-based Children Trauma Academy, an organization working to improve the lives of traumatized and maltreated children said “ Young children need hours of positive, and attentive care giving.”

Bonding and the Brain:

 To know what is going on in our baby’s brain, it is necessary to understand the link between early emotional bonding and brain development. It is a fact that a baby’s brain grows most rapidly during the first three years. In the period of first year, the brain cells tend to develop millions of connections reaching to a state of peak and the process is called ‘pruning’. The connections are eliminated if they are not used. According to child-development educator Stephen Santos Rico, M.A. -Parents’ activity with the child is the best to strengthen healthy connections. Rico said “The brain is use-dependent, so the more that it‘s experiencing something, the stronger it makes the connection. In the absence of some of those experiences, connections are not made”. The survival of a child depends on parents. A parent must know how influential they are to their child’s growing brain. “ The most important thing that parents need to know is that their interactions with their infant, toddler and child literally help shape the biology of their child’s brain, Perry says. “And, through simple interactions- holding, rocking, singing, reading, laughing and playing with their child- they are helping express the underlying genetic gifts of their child.”

Daily Development of Baby Brain:

It is to be known that the amount of stimulation your baby receives on a daily basis has a direct influence on the development of the baby brain and building the cell connections. New findings continue to fascinate and educate the parents as the scientists continue to research in the study of brain’s development. Here are few simple and fun activities that could be practiced in helping to stimulate the child’s brain development.

1.     Practice of reading is important to every child. So you read! Read! Read! Something-thereby you not only teaching your baby new words but you are also stimulating his curiosity in the world around him.

2.     Talk to your baby at a certain time on daily basis. Repeat certain words. Interchange your word with the baby.

3.     Respond to your baby’s talk in crying or laughing even with emotion.

4.     Spend time with the little one. Give him lots of kisses and hugs. It will build up his confidence and make him feel secure in the house and surroundings.

5.     Take the baby in the street better in park for walk. Let him go with you in grocery store, in library, theater or in children show.

6.     It is always better to play with baby, sing silly songs and make funny games and encourage him to play.

7.     Give him opportunity to explore. Let him run outside and give him room to crawl and keep him out of danger.