HDFS 2950 Final Project
- 1. Frontal Lobes -Labeled light blue -Cortical region that has the most extended period of development -Associated with memory, abstract thinking, planning, and impulse control -Referred to as the prefrontal cortex -Last area of brain to mature, responsible for important developmental changes as late as adolesence The prefrontal cortex is the site where most advanced cognitive functions occur. Such as attention, motivation, and goal-directed behavior. Prefrontal lobes are not fully developed until the age of 25 and these are the most rational parts of the brain. Prenatal (conception-birth): Dr. Catherine Monk of Colombia University says, "What fetuses experience in utero, in terms of their mother's lifestyle, will turn on and off genes that will alter their environment for the rest of their life". There is a correlation between women having high levels of anxiety during pregnancy and their child in 5 or so years having attention deficit disorder. The fetus's brain is adjusting to the biological signals from its mother. Adaptations that happen in the uterus can have lasting effects. (2019) Infancy & Toddlerhood (birth-2 years): "The quality of a baby's relationships during this period has a major influence on which brain connections take place". During this stage, if a child is receiving ongoing maltreatment, they are quick to sense danger and threats. The result of this is the child experiencing anxiety and feelings of fear or insecurity. This stage focuses on the importance of the quality of care the baby is receiving. These connections and relationships reflect how the baby will make relationships later in life. Responsive care will result in healthy brain connections. (2020) Early Experiences Matter. A parent's guide to exploring and learning the different aspects of children's cognitive development. A way to understand the importance of the brain's connections to cognitive, emotional, and social development in children. Cognitive development is affected by prenatal and postnatal events in children. Learn about the ways you can give the best parental guidance regarding the developmental trajectory of your child's brain. "Nurturing care for the mind is critical for brain growth. Children grow and learn best in a safe environment where they are protected from neglect and from extreme or chronic stress with plenty of opportunities to play and explore" (2021) Cerebral Cortex -Gives the brain wrinkled appearance -Contains greatest number of neurons -Brains most advanced activities occur -Appears during prenatal development, increases the surface area of the cerebral cortex and allows more to be "packed" inside the skull -The ridges and grooves produced as a result of the cerebral cortex create a pattern that is essentially the same from person to person (Ridges are called gyri and grooves are called sulci) Child development specialists have learned over decades of research that the environment of a child's earliest years can have effects that last a lifetime. (2021) Temporal Lobes -Labeled yellow -Hearing, language, skills, and social understanding -Also, perception of other people's eyes and faces The Brain Stem -Controls reflexes and involuntary processes such as breathing and heart beating Cerebrum -The largest part of the brain -Area most involved in higher processes such as memory and learning Cerebellum -Balance and coordination - cdc.gov Let's start with anatomy. Created by gyri and sulci, the cerebral cortex is divided into smaller units called lobes. Occipital Lobes -Labeled green, at the back of the brain -Controls vision Parietal Lobes -Labeled pink -Associated with bodily sensations like heat, cold, pressure, and pain The limbic system which is located beneath the cortex is small structures that are involved in more instinctive behaviors such as emotional reactions, stress responses, and reward-seeking behaviors. How environment can affect brain development at each developmental stage: FIRST 3 FIRST 3 YEARS YEARS Problem-solving Communication Self-Control Relationship Building LOVE SAFETY SECURITY (2020)
- 2. Taking Action: Things you can do to help stimulate your baby's brain development. -Show affection towards your child -Comfort in all forms -Different types of play -Playing catch (two-player games) -Engage in dialogue as much as possible -Helpful stress (solving a puzzle, managing difficult feelings) (working through this stress teaches important life skills) -Try new activities -Read out loud and also read the same books a couple of times (builds recognition between words you speak and images on page) (2020) -Make believe play -Symbolic Play -Be responsive, loving, and supportive Early Childhood (2-6 years): The love and care children receive in this stage reflects a crucial part of their early brain development. This developmental stage is marked as one of the critical periods of development. The number of synapses and neurons is doubled which means the child is taking in an ample amount of information and learning is occurring fast. A "growth mindset" occurs in this period and the parent plays a large part in helping their child shape this mindset. (Sriram, 2020) Middle Childhood (6-11 years): In the middle childhood stage, the age of 7 years old is an important milestone because the brain reaches adult size. The child has more control of his or her emotions as well as physical and intellectual capabilities. The parent's responsibility in this stage is to give the child a stimulating, healthy environment in which they can thrive. (Raymond, 2021) Adolescence (11-18 years): Brain development looks a little different in this stage as the child is having to navigate the social environment. The child has more peer influences now and is undergoing social change. Emotional regulation is important in adolesence as peer influence is prevalent. Improving prosocial behavior and emotional regulation abilities hold promise in reducing the risk of poor mental health as adolescents navigate the changes in their social environment". (Andrews, Ahmed, & Blakemore, 2020) As seen in a longitudinal study done by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the caregiving a child receives at early years predicts future functioning. In this study, participants were enrolled in a population-based prenatal cohort. There were 191 families, and maternal/paternal sensitivity was observed between the years of 1 and 4 for the child. Every 6 weeks, head circumference was assessed and an MRI was done at 8 years of age. The results of this study were that children with higher levels of both parental and maternal sensitivity were found to be associated with larger total brain volume. These results show that both mothers and fathers play an important role in child brain development. (Kok, 2015) LEARN THE SIGNS. ACT EARLY: HTTPS://WWW.CDC.GOV/NCBDDD/ACTEARLY/INDEX.HTML LEGACY FOR CHILDREN: HTTPS://WWW.CDC.GOV/NCBDDD/CHILDDEVELOPMENT/LEGACY.HTML EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION: HTTPS://WWW.CDC.GOV/NCBDDD/HEARINGLOSS/RESEARCH.HTML ESSENTIALS FOR CHILDHOOD: HTTPS://WWW.CDC.GOV/VIOLENCEPREVENTION/CHILDABUSEANDNEGLECT/E SSENTIALS.HTML FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER PREVENTION: HTTPS://WWW.CDC.GOV/NCBDDD/FASD/INTERVENTIONS.HTML CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION: HTTPS://WWW.CDC.GOV/VACCINES/PARTNERS/CHILDHOOD/INDEX.HTML TREATING FOR TWO: HTTPS://WWW.CDC.GOV/PREGNANCY/MEDS/TREATINGFORTWO/INDEX.HTML BABIES: A Netflix Documentary This documentary on Netflix follows fifteen families during their babies first year of life. Part 2, Episode 1, specifically, focuses on the babies and how there is expectations about their everyday life. A scientist in the documentary says, "At a time when babies cant even walk, we are testing their understanding of the world". All of the scientists go in-depth about how babies are smarter than we think they are. They tie cognitive development into many of their research studies and how even one year old babies have the ability to have abstract thoughts. It is a great watch and a very well-filmed documentary for learning more about child development. How environment can affect brain development at each developmental stage: EARLY PARENTAL SENSITIVITY EARLY PARENTAL SENSITIVITY PREDICTS CHILD STRUCTURAL BRAIN PREDICTS CHILD STRUCTURAL BRAIN DEVELOPMENT: DEVELOPMENT: CDC PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT BRAIN HEALTH: Parent-Child Attachment Style is important! Secure attachment is linked to healthy brain development. This makes the child feel safe and cared for, which allows the child to use its brain for higher level thinking. Secure attachment is seen from development of the frontal cortex. (Debellis & Thomas, 2003; Dozier, et. al., 2008)