To the left are the brain scans of two 2 year-olds. The child on the left experienced a healthy environment. The child on the right was severely neglected.
The white circles define areas of brain architecture and activity. The left brain has developed normally. The brain on the right will remain underdeveloped into adulthood.
Early experiences influence brain development. This photo compares the brain activity of two toddlers. The more colorful scan is of a healthy child. The other is of a child who experienced persistent neglect. Such experiences impede the development of the parts of the brain involved in executive function and higher-order thinking. When these areas are under-developed, children’s ability to regulate their behavior, problem-solve, and focus their attention are severely compromised. The effects of early experiences persist into adulthood.
“The remarkable abilities of newborn babies highlight the extent of prenatal brain development. At birth, a baby knows her parents’ voice and may be able to recognize the sounds of stories her parents read to her while she was still in the womb.” (Urban Child Institute).
There are a few moments in life that can make a man cry…You won’t believe what happens when comedian Michael Jr. is there when his daughter is born.
Brain Development 101
In the beginning, there is a little brain and a relationship.
An infant’s brain is organized by relationships with caregivers and the environment, literally built by us as we engage and our baby responds. Astoundingly, eighty to ninety percent of brain development happens after birth. How a baby’s brain develops, - optimally, or not - depends on adults.
What is Early Childhood Development?
The science of brain development validates the huge return on our investment in early childhood. These basic concepts, established over decades of neuroscience and behavioral research, help illustrate why child development - particularly from birth to five years - is a foundation for a prosperous and sustainable society.
Lifelong Effects
We know that children are affected by their surroundings. Child development specialists have produced decades of research showing that the environment of a child’s earliest years can have effects that last a lifetime. Thanks to recent advances in technology, we have a clearer understanding of how these effects are related to early brain development.
Nature or Nurture?
New scientific research shows that environmental influences can actually affect whether and how genes are expressed. In fact, scientists have discovered that early experiences can determine how genes are turned on and off and even whether some are expressed at all. Thus, the old ideas that genes are “set in stone” or that they alone determine development has been disproved. Nature vs. Nurture is no longer a debate - it’s nearly always both!
Nurturing the Future
Studies have shown that healthy brain development during early childhood increases the likelihood of success later in life. By providing supportive, nurturing environments where children feel protected and learn social emotional skills, we have a greater chance of setting them up for a lifetime of good health. Check out this 1 minute video.