Before they are even born, your child’s brain starts to expand and develop. The first three years of life are when it grows the fastest, and by the age of three, 90% of the brain has grown. Provide your child the experiences they need to develop a healthy brain through play, love, and care, as well as through responding to their cries and babbles.
The many parts of your baby's brain regulate everything they do, from hearing and walking to problem-solving and emotion. There are millions of brain cells, or neurons, in each section of the brain, and these neurons are linked to one another via synapses. Your new born has 100 billion brain cells at birth, but there are not many connections (synapses) between them. Your closeness, love, and affection are what strengthen the bonds. Connections form quite quickly in the first several years of your baby's existence. Your youngster will create 700 new connections every second from birth to age two! Your child will learn abilities like grasping a toy, crawling, taking a first step, and saying their first words as these connections grow.
The functions of each part of your child's brain vary. Your child's lower brain controls behaviours like feeding, breathing, and movement that are necessary for survival. Fear, bonding, anger, and joy are among emotions that are controlled by the middle brain. Your child's higher brain aids with decision-making, self-awareness, empathy, and inventiveness. This area of the brain also aids in the regulation or calming of emotions like rage in your child. The reasoning brain of a child is not fully formed until age three. Your little one needs your assistance to settle down when they are upset or furious.
How can you help? You provide your child with numerous, consistent, pleasant and positive experiences. According to research, doing this, especially from infancy to age 3, develops neurological connections that prepare your youngster to assimilate new knowledge, new surroundings, and even love.
While brand new babies may appear to be helpless blobs who can only sigh and cry, in reality, their fast expanding brains are hard at work getting them ready to ultimately be able to laugh, talk, walk, run, sketch, kick a ball, and more. In fact, throughout the first few years of life, your child's brain forms more new synaptic connections (synapses) each second than at any other point in life. This means that throughout these early years, your baby's brain is most malleable and most prepared to learn.
The most significant person in your child's life is you. The emotional state of your child's brain is significantly influenced by your emotional health. It can be beneficial to learn how to unwind and control your stress. Taking a pause could make everything easier for you. Whether you co-parent or separate from your partner, the health of your relationship is crucial. Stress in your family can be decreased by having open communication with your partner.
A child's brain grows the fastest from birth to age 5 compared to any other period of life. Also, a child's capacity for learning and success in school and in life is significantly influenced by early brain development. Positive or negative experiences a child has in the first few years of life have an impact on how their brain develops.