Brain Development
...as already begun it’s transformation into the brain and spinal cord of the embryo. The closed tube is already enlarged at the top end, where the brain is emerging. The rest of the tube, gradually tapering down toward the tail, will become the spinal cord. The transformation from neural tube to spinal cord is relatively straightforward: the tube’s walls thicken and then divide into four primary regions, a sensory and a motor area on both left and right sides. But the transformation of the top end of the neural tube is considerably more complicated. First, the top of the tube enlarges in to three primary swellings: the forebrain, mid brain, and hind brain, each separated by a sharp flex so that all together the entire nervous system looks like an uncomfortable earthworm, scrunched up in the rapidly growing head. The central nervous system (which is composed of the brain and spinal cord) matures in a sequence from ‘tail’ to head. In just the fifth week after conception, the first synapses begin forming in the fetus’s spinal cord. By the sixth week, these early neural connections permit the first fetal movement, which are spontaneous arches and curls of the whole body that researchers can detect through ultrasound imaging. Many other movements soon follow of the limbs (8 weeks), fingers (10 weeks), as well coordinated actions; hiccupping, stretching, yawning, sucking, swallowing, grasping, and thumb sucking. However, pregnant women can feel none of it, since they sense the first fetal movement around eighteen weeks of pregnancy. The second trimester marks the other set of further critical reflexes: continuous breathing movements, coordinated sucking and swallowing reflexes. These abilities are controlled by the brainstem, which sits above the spinal cord. The brainstem is responsible for many of our body’s most vital functions- heart rate, breathing and blood pressure. The last of all to mature is the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for most of what we think of as cognitive and emotional area of a child’s brain: conscious experience, voluntary actions, thinking, remembering, and feelings. • POST-NATAL DEVELOPMENT When a baby is born the growth of the brain still has a long way to go. Society once believed that a newborn’s brain was completely “wired” at birth. Now we know that many of the brain connections that help to determine who we are and how we think are developed after birth. Which brings me to the next point; how does the brain enhance and develop after birth? The basic architecture of the brain is formed, yet the brain is still immature and the connections between different parts of the brain are not yet formed. • BRAIN WIRING AND SCULPTING Once a child is born they have possession of 100 billion brain cells. These neurons (cells) all have an axon. The axon is a type of “output” that sent impulses and friction to other neurons. Each neuron also has many dendrites, they look like tree roots and they “input” fibers that receive impulses from other neurons to form connections. The connectors are called synapses, they occur when axons link up with dendrites. The synapses generate as a result of environmental stimuli, therefore it’s important to note that synapses are not initially long lasting; therefore it’s important to continue proper stimulation so these synapses will become permanent. If these synapses are not treated with proper repeated stimulation they will eventually disappear. Neuroscientists call this process “pruning”. Making these kinds of connections with neurons in the brain is a process known as brain wiring or sculpting. Although brain sculpting begins before birth and continues into the teenage years, it is the most active in the early years of life. Synapses transmit all brain impulses; which control the child’s body functions, thinking, feeling, learning and memory. That’s why it’s so important to provide your baby with positive stimulation; such as playing peek-a-boo, hugging and holding and talking with your infant is a very important factor so that the synapses become stronger and permanent and child’s brain develops. WHAT PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS CAN DO TO ENHANCE THE DEVELOPING BRAIN OF A CHILD As a parent and caregiver there are many things to be conscious of when planning to raise a child and it begins right from the start at pregnancy. As I have already discussed the basic architecture of the brain is formed while the baby is in the womb. The brain is one of the most complex organs a human can have since it goes through a serious of developmental stages. Unlike the heart, it is already functioning and will continue to function the same way as the baby grows. Although most significant connections and experiences happen after the baby is born, the baby can still experience certain influences on their developing brain during pregnancy. These kinds of influences are maternal health and stress, intake of drugs/alcohol and the quality of maternal nutrition. Poor maternal nutrition or substance abuse during pregnancy tends to produce premature babies and later physical and intellectual problems. One tragic consequence of a pregnant woman’s drinking is called “fetal alcohol syndrome” in which the child suffers from poor coordination, hyperactive behavior, unusual facial features, and reduced brain size. Environmental factors are now falling into place that affects brain development before and after birth. Exposure to lead or toxins such as formaldehyde or pesticides can cause learning or behavior disorders. (i.e. Parents who work in that toxic environment, may transmit it to a child by clothing or breast milk) Diet is important too; a shortage of protein may delay brain growth. Research is constantly being updated; therefore it’s important for parents to keep up to date with environmental potential hazard studies. When an infant is born, the primary caregiver of a child plays an essential part of the development of their child’s brain. An infant will prefer the human stimuli such as the touch, voice, smell and sight of face of their primary caregiver, over anything else. Just like newborns are innately born with a set of useful instincts for surviving in their environment, parents are naturally programmed to love and respond to their infant’s cues. It is obvious that there is no mistake in parents wanting to touch, hold, comfort and interact with their new infant. However, all those sensory experiences are precisely the best kind of stimulation infants need for their growing brain. As a soon to be parent; they need to know how to provide a balance between nature vs. nurture environment. The genes and environment interact at every step of the developing brain, but play two different roles. Nature, the genes, is responsible for the basic wiring plan of the brain as in forming all the neurons and generally connecting them between different regions of the brain. While experience, nurture, is responsible for altering and making those brain connections permanent, helping each child adapt to the particular environment. Arousing a baby’s interest has to be one of the most delightful jobs in the world. The infant strives on stimulation from the environment to stimulate all the five senses – but not all at once. That might be too overwhelming for an infant to handle all that stimulation at once. Also, it’s important for parents and caregivers to realize there is no need for elaborate and expensive equipment. A loving caregiver or parent can be indispensable as a mediator between the child and the demands of the environment. The overall goal as a parent should not be to “teach” your baby, but to help her discover experience for herself. As a learning infant and toddler; they should be encouraged to choose their own materials for building brain intelligence through the guidance of an adult. WHAT ...