Peek-A-Boo Research Paper

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Peek-A-boo is a game which involves two individuals, where one individual hides their eyes and face from their counterpart and then surprises them by simply uncovering their eyes or face and saying the phrase "Peek-a-boo, I see you". When the game of "Peek-a-boo" is played with a baby, the baby shows approval by being surprised as he/she smiles and laughs. Evidence of early stages of social, physical, cognitive as well as emotional growth and development is observed as the baby reacts with excitement, and mimics facial expressions. Within the early months of development of the fetal brain functions, simple emotions such as smiling or laughing while playing games such a "Peek-a-boo" reveal the development of the brain. Consequently, the neurons, …show more content…

As the counterpart covers their face, the neuron, which is the main functional unit of the nerve tissue in the brain sends a signal to the dendrites which acts as a receiver. Once the signal is received by the dendrites, it moves through a long tube (called the axon) to the axon terminal. The signal fires along the branches from the terminal along the synapse to another neuron that acknowledges the existence of the counterpart. Upon the caregiver removing hands from their face and reappearing, the same sequential process goes through the synapse, which are spaces between neurons that allow for the flow of electrical impulses to another neuron. The signal will go through the same process, but with different neurons, dendrite, axons, and, axon terminals allowing the baby to smile or laugh. Caregivers who often play peek-a-boo with their babies, will strengthen the infants' ability to understand object permanence and exercise the brain's fetal structure for growth and development. If these structures are not being used the concept of "use it or lose it" occurs. Once certain neurons are no longer used within the brain, the synapse linking to that particular neuron "forgets" how, and the connection disappears. Children must use neural connections in order for those neurons to remain

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