Building Baby's Brain - The Myths
Here are some common myths about brain development in babies:
1. What happens before birth does not affect learning. Poor nutrition and exposure to drugs and alcohol can lead to serious problems in brain development even before birth.
2. The brain is completely developed at birth. Most of the brain’s cells are formed before birth. But the cells actually make most of their connections with other cells during the first 3 years of life. And even after age 3, the brain’s structure continues to change as connections are refined based on experience.
3. Brain development is completely genetic. Early experience is very important in brain development. The baby’s day-to-day experiences help decide how her brain cells will connect to each other. And if the baby does not have certain kinds of experiences, some areas of the brain will not make the necessary connections. For example, babies born with severe cataracts may never see clearly.
4. A bigger head is better. A bigger head doesn’t necessarily mean a bigger brain. And just having a bigger brain doesn’t make you smarter.
5. The brain grows steadily across childhood. The human brain actually develops in spurts. There are “prime times” when the brain is best equipped to learn certain skills.
6. Children need special help and expensive toys to develop their brain power. What children need most are loving care and new experiences.
Source: http://www.fcs.uga.edu/ext/pubs/chfd/FACS01-2.pdf
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