Intellectual Dev. of Infants
By: Kolten Turner
How the Brain Becomes Organized
Brain organization is based on the particular experiences unique to the child. As connections between dendrites and axons grow stronger, a group of neurons becomes linked together. They become systems of nerve cells that control a certain action or thinking task. These neurons can work together to complete simple tasks as drinking from a cup. The child's skills increase as a result of the greater number of neural pathways. These connections affect not only actions but all areas of behavior. Systems of neurons work together to influence how infants see or hear.
6 Tips of Stimulation
- Keep it Simple and Natural. Everyday experiences, such as changing a diaper or giving a bath, build the pathways between neurons when combined. Experts urge parents to give an environment rich with positive interaction and talking.
- Match Experiences to the child's mental abilities. Babies need physical experiences. That is how they learn. It is important to provide experiences at their level of understanding. Interactive toys can help stimulate a baby's learning ability. Make sure to use age appropriate toys though.
- Practice makes perfect. The more repetition, the stronger the connections between neurons become. Establish routines so the baby learns what to expect. You could read a bed time story, even though the baby cannot read. An infant will learn that sitting down with you and a book is important.
- Actively involve the baby. Provide experiences in which the child takes part. Children of all ages learn best by doing. An example you could use is giving them a toy with shapes and inserts so they can learn what shape it is. Or you could show the baby how to drink from a cup and after you do it, help the baby do it.
- Provide variety, but avoid overload. Some parents try to expose their baby to as many different experiences as possible to enhance brain development. babies do benefit from a variety of experiences, but too many can overwhelm them. You could try to have the baby play with animals. Have the baby meet other babies and play with them. Let other adults hold the baby. Go for walks with the baby.
- Avoid pushing the child. Children learn better when they are interested in what they are doing. look for clues to whether the child shows interest in the activity. If not, don't force them to do it. You can try giving your child a toy puzzle and if they seem to enjoy trying to figure it out let them play with it. If the baby ignores the toy or doesn't attempt it, find something else for him/her to play with.