Notably, the social environment and the opportunity to communicate with adults and peers are crucial for brain development. If I were to advise new parents on the developing brain within the first two years of life, I would emphasize the importance of this period. The early experiences of a child have a long-term influence on the architecture of the growing brain (Center on the Development Child at Harvard University 00:00:08). The fundamental blueprint is provided by genes but experiences mold the process that decides whether a child’s brain will give a solid foundation for all future learning, behavior, and wellness. Hence, plasticity, the brain’s ability to restructure and adapt, is highest in the earliest years of life and declines with age. The brain is a developing organ, and the formative years are not just an opportunity to teach but also a parental duty to shape a child’s brain (Stamm 00:03:10). It is essential to expose a youngster to a variety of words. Television is ineffective because a child needs face-to-face engagement; they require someone to talk, sing, and read to them.
I believe that the baby’s brain growth and overall development may be affected negatively. For instance, placing a child for nine months in different families can impact their development. Paris et al. state, “Young children frequently learn behaviors through imitation” (142). Such a frequent change of scenery can negatively affect the child’s development since they need permanent parents with some behavior patterns. Otherwise, the development of the child’s brain reactions may be subject to adverse effects and slow down.
In chapter 4, one of the most critical sentences might be, “By the time an infant is four months old, it usually doubles in weight and by one year has tripled its birth weight” (Paris et al. 90) because it is incredible that a child can grow so fast and shows how unique the human body is. The second impressive sentence is, “The head initially makes up about 50 percent of our entire length when we are developing in the womb” (Paris et al. 91). The fact that a child’s head reaches this size indicates the importance of children’s brain development and support for its development by parents to achieve better results.
In the fifth chapter, the theory of cognitive development and classical conditioning can be considered “The dogs knew that the food was coming because they had learned to associate the footsteps with the food” (Paris et al. 136). This theory shows how an organism can learn and associate with different things. Another reason is that this remarkable discovery has significantly aided further studies into reflexes. The following important statement is, “After hearing the loud noise several times paired with the rat, Albert soon came to fear the rat and began to cry when it was introduced” (Paris et al. 140). This study partially proves the previous one and takes the understanding of the instincts and reflexes of the child to a new level.
Works Cited
Center on the Development Child at Harvard University. “1. Experiences Build Brain Architecture.” YouTube, uploaded by Center on the Development Child at Harvard University, 2011, Web.
Paris, Jennifer, et al. Child Growth and Development. College of the Canyons, 2019.
Stamm, Jill. “Infant Brain Development – The Critical Intervention Point.” YouTube, uploaded by Maine Children’s Growth Council, Web.