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Building blocks for baby's brain
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.jpg) To mark Mental Health Awareness Month, Anne Hahn looks at the importance of stimulating babies’ brains at an early age, to maximise their learning ability later in life.
Our brains are amazing, but they need a little help to reach their full potential. Babies actually start learning from the minute they’re born. Some things – like sucking to get milk – they learn immediately (they are born with the instinct to suckle). Other things they need to learn and human brain growth is at its fastest during the first two years, so this is an important time when the brain makes vital nerve connections and links.
Early brain function
Paediatrician, Dr Claudia Gray says: “Appropriate stimulation of children during the early years helps such brain connections to form. Studies have shown that stimulation of children during early development produces better intellectual performance and also enhances social and emotional development.”
What happens when brain stimulation is lacking?
If a baby is just left lying in a cot staring at the ceiling or walls all day, not much brain activity is happening. Studies have shown that children who are neglected and deprived of stimulation end up with brains that are 20-30% smaller than average. Strapping your baby to your back gives comfort and a feeling of connection, but it’s good to remember to add some extra stimulation when she’s awake.
It’s free – and easy!
Wanting to give your children’s brains a good start in life shouldn’t be an extra thing for you to stress about – it doesn’t have to involve complicated educational toys, lots of time or any extra expense.
Common sense rules!
Fortunately, our common sense plays a big role in parenting. The simple ‘peek-a-boo’ game of covering your face and saying ‘Where’s he, where’s he, where’s he?’ and ‘There you are!’ when you uncover it has delighted babies for centuries – long before anyone knew about early brain stimulation! Dr Gray points out that: “the caregiver should also realise when a child is alert and interested (this is a good time to stimulate them) and when he or she is tired or overstimulated (this means they have had enough and need rest).”
To read more about this, check out Jet Club magazine's July/August issue.
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