INFANT LEARNING
Infant learning and brain development is fragile and contingent upon numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The most critical time frame for infant brain development is from the second trimester to the first three months of life (Marshall, 2011). During this time, neural pathways are forming, areas of the brain are maturing, and brain development is rapid. From infancy until the age of 3 years, neural pathways are still being formed in response to stimulation and for this reason, it is extremely important for caregivers and parents to be aware of the many factors that can influence brain development in infants (Marshall, 2011).
Popular Psychology
Common beliefs regarding infant learning tend to focus on the issue of breastfeeding versus bottle-feeding. The vast majority of speculation in the media is directed toward this controversy. For example, a “study published in the journal Pediatric Health found that premature infants fed a formula enhanced with extra protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper and several micronutrients performed better on IQ tests than preemies who had been fed either regular formula or breast milk” (Miller, 2008). This very well may be true, however, popular psychology generally negates the vast number of other factors that are crucial to infant learning.
Research
There is copious current research on the topic of infant learning that covers a wide range of topics. Among the most prevalent are sleep patterns, environmental factors, social development, cognitive memory, language learning, and association.
Sleep Patterns
Newborn infants sleep an average of 16 to 18 hours each day (So, Adamson & Horne, 2007). Because of the rate at which infants are able to retain informat...
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...tion on this subject, it is difficult to narrowly focus on a single factor and obtain necessary information. The biggest problems with the reviewed studies are the small sample sizes, the lack of information regarding the demographics of the test subjects, and the broad subject matter of the experiments.
Conclusion
Infancy is a special time of growing, learning, and awareness. At no other time in the human life is the brain so awakened to stimuli and neural pathways at such a rapid rate. While popular psychology narrowly focuses on the common issue of how to best feed the child, the current research covers everything from cognitive development related to cultural awareness to nap patterns and memory function. While research on this topic of ample, much is left to be discovered about how the brain develops in this fragile, new state of life known as infancy.
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Hepper, P. (2007). Basic methods in infant research. In A. Slater & M. Lewis (Eds.), Introduction to Infant Development (2nd ed.) (pp. 41-62). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
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It has been proven that a child’s early years are the peak at which the mind can bend and shape, creating the foundation for a life. We know now that even before birth, the mind is a delicate matter that if improperly taken care of could alter a person’s entire life. Nourishment and stimulation before and after the birth of a child mold’s the brain in its most malleable state. Medical and scientific institutes paired with parenting information organizations have made information readily available for parents, childcare providers, and students to advise them of the importance of childhood brain development. This information is not only critical for the child, but for the person they will become in the future.
Many people believe the myth that a baby’s brain is fully formed at birth. However the notion has been uncovered in that last twenty years as false. A baby’s brain continues to form and develop after birth. Inside the human brains are small cell bodies called neurons. Neurons are the operating pieces in the brain. Every neuron is connected to dendrites, or arms. Dendrites connect one neuron to another and can detect chemical signals with a synapse, a part where nerve impulses are broadcasted or accepted. An electrical impul...
As billions of neural networks begin to form connections and patterns that will allow the child to important functions of the brain, a process called synaptic pruning gradually weakens or shuts down unutilized neural pathways (Myers & DeWall, 2016). In relation to this notion, childhood encompasses a period where early stimulation is crucial for normal learning behaviors and cognitive brain development (Myers & DeWall, 2016). It is suggested that there be a myriad of engaging stimuli for children before they surpass the critical period at adolescence, so as to avoid the pruning of neural pathways essential to leading a normal and fulfilled life. Such stimuli may include experiences of sounds, sights, and tastes, while premature babies have shown rapid neurological development when provided with skin-to-skin contact with their mothers (Myers & DeWall, 2016). Similarly, a suggestion for parents when handling their infant is to establish familiarity and body contact in order to promote secure parental attachment. Corresponding to the importance of stimuli in a child’s cognitive growth, these aspects of human attachment are highly critical to an infant’s social development as well. In order to promote a secure attachment style, a child must be familiarized with their caregiver through sight, sense, and sound and must be handled for emotional and
Shonkoff, J. P. (2000). From neurons to neighborhoods: the science of early childhood development. Free Executive Summary. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
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The early stages of a child’s lifespan is the most crucial part of their overall development. “Brain and biological development during this time is influenced by an infant's environment”(Statistics
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