Brain and Nervous System Development
After the conception of a child within the womb, the brain and nervous system are some of the first things to develop- and those that do so the most rapidly, for that matter! This development continues even after birth, due to the formation of pathways and synapses in the brain that allow the infant to begin to learn and understand their world.
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| The development of the brain and nervous system |
Due to the importance of this rapid development, which paves the way in infancy for the future cropping of unnecessary neurons in a more matured brain, it is critical that an infant is handled with care. If they fall, either due to parental clumsiness or inattentiveness, they risk damaging their still-growing brain. Even a hard jostle to the infant is dangerous, potentially causing Shaken Baby Syndrome (brain swelling and damage due to the brain being shaken in its skull).
At around four months old, brain development peaks! From here on out, all the valuable neurons generated within the brain of the infant will begin to be trimmed, as mentioned beforehand. Up until and after this critical period, it is crucial to interact with the child that will allow for more strongly forged pathways. This can be done by physical play, speaking to the baby, and encouraging the baby's own verbalization, no matter how incomprehensible. Studies show that infants who do not experience these things are more likely to form much shallower pathways, stunting the vast potential for brain development that comes with the neuroplasticity of a brand new brain.
Editor's note: I, myself, began to learn to spell, count, and identify shapes and colors at a very young age. This is due to the care my parent's took to protect my head as an infant, making sure always to leave child safety locks and gates well fastened and to keep potential hazards out of reach. Furthermore, they always padded sharp edges of furniture, keeping me protected even as I clumsily began to walk about.
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