Over the last several years, various neurological and psychological studies have shown that the period from birth to the age of five lies a window of opportunity for social, emotional and cognitive growth of which will not be replicated in later stages of development. In the articles: The Science of Early Childhood Development Closing the Gap Between What We Know and What We Do and Newsweek article, Your Child’s Brain, neurologist provide data that early brain development, ages birth to five will shape the rest of a child’s life. . Focusing on early childhood brain development is a crucial element to building a better society.
While genes do play a large role in early development, environment plays and even greater role. In fact, it is the mutual connections of nature and nurture contour the growing brain. Genes are responsible for functions like breathing, control heartbeat, regulate body temperature and produce reflexes etc. A child’s environment shapes their social, emotional, cognitive health of a child. The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University’s journal The Science of Early Childhood Development Closing the Gap Between What We Know and What We Do have conducted decades of brain research that proves from birth to age five is the groundwork for a child to have a happy, healthy life. A child’s environment and early experiences will have a profound affect good or bad on his or her life.
When a baby is born the neurons, not built in by genes start out like a new computer before the preloaded software the rest comes from the environment. Scientists believe the basic design of the brain starts before birth and continues through maturity. “In the first few years of life, 700 new neural connections are f...
... middle of paper ...
...gh-Nobar, T., & Braveman, P. (2008). Early childhood experiences laying the foundation for health across a lifetime. (Issue Brief 1: Early Childhood Experiences and Health No. 2012).Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; RWJF Commission to Build a Healthier America. doi: http://www.commissiononhealth.org/Publications.aspx. (Issue Brief 1: Early Childhood Experiences and Health)
Gardner, H.,. (1983). Frames of mind : The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
Helding, L. (2009). Howard gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. Journal of Singing, 66(2), 193-199.
Shonkoff, J. P., M.D. (2007). The science of early childhood development: Closing the gap between what we know and what we do - center on the developing child - Harvard university The National Scientific Council in the Developing Child, 2012-1-16. doi: http://www.developingchild.harvard.edu
Shaffer, D. R., & Kipp, K. (2014). Infancy. In Developmental psychology: Childhood and adolescence (p. 158). Australia: Wadsworth.
Elliott, A. (2004). Where to Now for Early Childhood Education and Care? Early Childhood Education Research Program (ACER), 12(2).
It has been proven that a child’s early years are the peak at which the mind can bend and shape, creating the foundation for a life. We know now that even before birth, the mind is a delicate matter that if improperly taken care of could alter a person’s entire life. Nourishment and stimulation before and after the birth of a child mold’s the brain in its most malleable state. Medical and scientific institutes paired with parenting information organizations have made information readily available for parents, childcare providers, and students to advise them of the importance of childhood brain development. This information is not only critical for the child, but for the person they will become in the future.
Child development is crucial throughout the early years, during this time the development of the brain occurs. The development of the brain contributes to the functioning of the body. The anatomy of the brain is made up of neurons and divided into four different lobes. The temporal, frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes control a variety of cognitive functions. The brain controls simple functions such as fine and gross motor skills, vision, and memory. According to Meadows (1993, p.263), at all sorts of levels in the brain there are programs for functions such as breathing, sleeping, and producing coherent language. Brain development in children is vital during the early years. During the early years, children brains are active enabling children to learn a variety of information. Many studies have been conducted and they have concluded a healthy lifestyle, physical activity, and exposing young children to a variety of education material assist with child development. The first few years of a child’s life is crucial as far as his intellectual as well as socio-emotional abilities are concerned (Bose, 2000).
The brain develops rapidly during childhood, and within the first ten years of development millions of brain cell connections are made which enable children to absorb information and learn complex skills which
The first two years of a humans life are bursting with biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial development. In the first few weeks after conception to two years after birth a child’s brain experiences more growth than any other organ in the body. During the first two years of a child’s life the brain is very plastic and malleable. In order for children to continue down a path of success and learning there are certain experiences a child must have in order to develop normally. The First Two years of a child life is responsible for the foundation that is layed.
... (2009) The science of development. In R.V. Kail & A. Barnfield (Eds.), Children and their development (pp. 8 – 22). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
“The term “nature versus nurture” is used to refer to a long-running scientific debate. The source of debate is the question of which has a greater influence on development: someone's innate characteristics provided by genetics, or someone's environment. In fact, the nature versus nurture debate has been largely termed obsolete by many researchers, because both innate characteristics and environment play a huge role in development, and they often intersect”. (Smith, 2010 p. 1)
Who we are is directly related to our environment that we are nurtured around. Our development is essential to who we are as adults and will be the very fabric connected to how, what and why we act and think the way we do. I’ve decided to talk about early childhood development, which plays the most crucial part in the foundation of who we will be. At this stage we are sponges soaking up this new world we are now apart of. I will discuss physical development, cognitive development and psychosocial development pertains to early childhood development.
The early stages of a child’s lifespan is the most crucial part of their overall development. “Brain and biological development during this time is influenced by an infant's environment”(Statistics
Peterson, Candida C., James L. Peterson, and Diane Seeto. Child Developement. Vol. 54. N.p.: Blackwell Publishing, n.d. JSTOR. Web. 29 Sept. 2011.
Infants and Children: Prenatal Through Middle Childhood. Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. Cooper, J., Masi, R., & Vick, J. (2009). The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. Social-emotional Development in Early Childhood.
Smith, P. K., Cowie, H., & Blades, M. (1998). Understanding children’s development, third edition. Malden: Blackwell Publishers Inc.
Shonkoff, J. & Phillips, D. (Eds.). (2001). From neurons to neighborhoods: The science of early childhood development. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Child growth and development is a process that consists of some building blocks, which are components that combine in an infinite number of ways (Cherry, n.d.). As a result of the variations of building blocks in a child’s development, educators, psychologists, and philosophers have been constantly engaged in the debate of nature versus nurture debate. Many researchers agree that child development is a complex interaction between his/her genetic background (nature) and his/her environment (nurture). In essence, some developmental aspects are strongly affected by biology whereas other aspects are influenced by environmental factors. From the onset of an individu...