Physiology of a Child's Brain: The First Parenting Lesson is to Observe Them

Experts tell us that 90 % of all brain development occurs by the age of five. If we don't begin thinking about education in the early years, our children are at risk of falling behind by the time they start Kindergarten - Bob Ehrlich

Observe, observe them closely because they observe you as well. They will not follow your words, but your life. They will not follow your dreams but deeds, they will not learn what you will teach, but will wisely follow your footsteps. 

-Tanmay Bhati

Infancy and consciousness:

You do not need to be able to read a child's thinking. They are heaven on earth clean. Enjoy their young age. They live in the present and are aware of their actions, but are we doing the same?

 

Article - Physiology of a Child's Brain

Nearly 90% of their brains grow from the time of conception until age 5, which aids in their success throughout life. Therefore, parents between this age should be putting in the most effort. A youngster is incredibly good at observing and concentrating. They practically live in the present, whilst we do not. Therefore, if we work with them to focus their energy in the proper direction, we may be able to remove some of their future hurdles.

According to one of the research studies, an infant's brain is almost a fifth the size of adults at birth and barely doubles in size after the first year. until the age of 3, when it continues to increase by 80%. Ninety per cent of his brain's growth is finished by the time he is five years old.

A well-organized mind is thought to be difficult to overcome, thus every parent, teacher, and guardian should assume responsibility and work for their improvement. Their future will be shaped by the way they are treated. Are they aware of what they're doing? Yes, a child has more awareness than most adults.

Brain and neural networks: 

Babies start learning at an astonishing rate the moment they are born. They do a good job of capturing things. Although they might not comprehend you at first, they soon pick up on your gestures and movements. Because they are aware of vibes, they can draw attention when there are good ones.

A newborn child is born with all the brain cells (neurons) they will ever have. The brain functions thanks to these connections between cells. These connections enable us to think, react, move, communicate, and accomplish practically everything as the brain serves as the body's central processing unit (CPU). The brain creates synapses, sometimes referred to as neural connections, every second. According to studies, newborn kid forms more connections than any other period in their life—nearly 1 million new ones every second. 

 

   These cells form more intricate connections with one another as the infant grows. Connections that are more powerful than those that are seldom or never utilised, which the brain eventually eliminates, are those that are used frequently. So whether they're good or negative habits, repetition makes them stronger. Similar to physical muscles, connections that exist in the cerebral cortex must be used to maintain them.

The seeds of a healthy and successful life are planted from the early years. 

Since various parts of the brain are responsible for various functions, including sensations, emotions, movements, language, communication, thinking, and memory, it seems sensible that these sections also grow in various ways. The brain eventually evolves over time as the intricate connections bind together, enabling kids to do a variety of tasks like moving, speaking, and thinking in more sophisticated ways. So, if working in the early years of their life, they will develop these connections easily because, in the later years, it's not easy to develop such connections. Children's everyday interactions shape how their brains develop. Which brain connections will remain and which will survive a lifetime are justified by their everyday activities and experience.

Young children extend invites to interact with their parents and other adult carers from the moment they are born. Babies communicate via drooling, grinning, and wailing. Toddlers express their needs and preferences more clearly. Each of these tiny invites offers the carer a chance to respond to the child's needs. The wiring of the brain is fundamentally based on this "serve and return" function. The cerebral cortex of children is actually growing by parents and other carers who pay attention to, interact with, and respond to them. It is crucial to engage in conversation, song, reading, and play with young children from the moment they are born to offer them the chance to learn about their physical environment and to create situations that are secure, dependable, and nurturing.

The most significant factors influencing a child's brain development are the relationships they've developed with the adults in their lives. A child's healthy development depends on having close interactions with dependable, receptive adults. These connections start at home with parents and family, but they also extend to nursery providers, educators, and other neighbourhood residents.

"It is the duty of every parent to make their child Krishna Conscious so that the fortunate child may not have to take birth again, in the material world."

While playing, a child's mind functions like an adult's: 

Playing with kids is like training their brains to think and respond better. While playing, they have adult-like thoughts. They play with them to successfully train their memory because they have a sharp memory, too. According to evidence and study from the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, a child's brain develops during pregnancy and continues through early infancy. Neurons begin to activate in newborns and youngsters just like they do in adults. Children between the ages of 9 and 15 months are included in the study. Spending as much time as possible with them is necessary because engagement will enable children to develop their brains quickly and effectively.

Stress Management at an Early Age:

Early growth includes learning how to manage stress. The stress response system is triggered by stress. The body and brain enter a state of alertness. A rush of adrenaline occurs along with an increase in heart rate and stress hormone levels. When parents show support or affection to a young child who is under stress, the stress hormone level drops and quickly returns to normal.

This elevated stress hormone level persists in extreme circumstances, such as when a child is subjected to abuse or neglect continuously or receives no care from adults at all. And when it's done repeatedly or for a long time, it not only hinders the child's development but also produces an issue that could last the rest of the child's life. and it is well known that this stress is toxic stress. With time, this tension could have detrimental effects and trigger the body's high-alert stress response. In the end, this weakens the neural connections or brain regions responsible for learning and reasoning.

According to the study, these critical areas of the brain experience fewer and weaker synaptic connections as a result of the continuous activation of stress hormones in early kids. It is advised to maintain a child's environment in a healthy, knowledgeable, and nurturing manner in order to prevent such dire circumstances. 

Family violence, poverty, and limited access to high-quality early learning opportunities can all have an adverse effect on a child's early brain development and, in turn, their ability to succeed in the long run.

Strong brain growth and robust neural network connections are the products of love, a favourable environment, and secure nurturing relationships between parents and adults, according to studies. According to neuroscience, the traumatic effects of persistently bad experiences, upsetting attitudes, and unsettling environments lead to fewer and slower-growing brain connections. They also strengthen harmful neural connections. Children who have positive early experiences with nurturing feel safe and secure, which helps them develop better language, numeracy, and social abilities. In the future, they are better equipped. Our success depends on their success.

Only a few generations ago did we begin to comprehend the scope and ingenuity of this corporeal mind. Simple techniques like focus and observation can help children reach their goals in life, and if parents start these practises early on, when the child's brain is still developing, it will undoubtedly serve as a stepping stone for them.

(This article is dedicated to early the age of a child and their brain activity and how parents could still change their behaviour towards their child if they are committing mistakes. They still have time. There will be an article on "Krishna Consciousness", which will be wholly and solely on the behavioural patterns of the brain.)

Tanmay Bhati

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