Unit 2 - Brain Development Flashcards
Define neurological development
The development of the brain and the nervous system
When does the development of the brain begin?
During pregnancy, continues through infancy, childhood and adolescence
When are most brain cells formed?
Before birth, but the trillions of connections between these nerve cells (neurons) are not developed until infancy
Define brain plasticity
The brain’s ability to change in response to experience is called “brain plasticity”. This is key to learning and adapting
Define synaptic pruning
As the child grows, connections that are not used are pruned away. This process determines which connections are used and strengthened, and which are weakened and lost
What is the brain size by age 1?
By age one, the size of a child’s brain is already 72% of adult volume on average and by age two it has grown to 83% of an adult’s volume on average
What is the brain connections by age 2?
At age two, the connections that are being formed in a child’s brain are happening about twice as fast as in an adult’s brain
What percentage of the brain develops before age 5
90%
What is brain development at prenatal?
Baby’s brain is formed during the 1st trimester (0-12 weeks)
During this, the brain develops in its structure
Neural tubes are formed and eventually develops into the spinal cord
2nd trimester (13-24 weeks) - rapid growth in baby’s brain
3rd trimester (25-40 weeks) - fully structured and prepares for birth
What is brain development at post natal/birth?
A newborn baby’s brain weighs 25% of an adult brain
Experiences take the five senses into focus, guide brain formation and healthy development
What is brain development at 0-12 months?
During the 1st year after birth, the number of nerve connections in the brain increase to twice the number at the time of birth
At this stage, the size of the brain is 60 % of an adult’s size
Nutrients are important at this stage for healthy development
What is brain development at 12-24 months?
Once the baby is 2, many neural connections ave developed in the brain
Another major area of the brain that witnesses fast development during this stage is the language area
This is when the child starts improving their vocabulary
What is brain development at 2-3 years?
At the age of 3, brain is developed to 75% of an adult’s brain size.
Neural connections continue to grow
As a result, cognitive abilities of child-like memory, language, motor skills, execution function, etc witness rapid growth
Better understanding of surroundings ad are able to connect the past with the present
What are neurons?
Brain cells work when they connect to another neuron to transmit and receive electrical signals, these reflect our feelings, thoughts and actions
Identify and explain factors that are needed for healthy brain development
Nutrition - leads to healthy cell growth and development, nutrients gained during pregnancy like copper, iron, protein, energy and fats have been found to have a positive effect on brain development. Following birth, breastmilk/formula milk and iron rich foods are needed for brain development
Early positive learning experiences, such as playing, being read to and interaction help to develop a healthy brain development. Neural structures inside the brain change and adapt to stimulus the brain receives. Fun activities her baby’s brain to grow healthily. Likewise, a peaceful and calm environment helps
Loving relationships that are consistent and positive help to build baby’s brains and protects them from the negative effect of stress
Define neuroscience
The study of how the brain grows and works has helped us to understand more about children’s development
Identify and explain factors which can negatively impact on healthy brain development
Prenatal stress (stress in pregnancy due to moving house, relationships etc) can impair parts of the baby’s brain
Like trauma, abuse and neglect can severely affect brain development, this can lead to an increased risk of depressions in later life as well as memory impairment
Poverty - living in an impoverished environment can affect brain development as children do not have access to the stimulation needed for healthy brain development, such as access to toys, books, experiences and people etc. It is also suggested that poverty causes stress on the brain
Sleep deprivation can damage children’s brains (children whose sleep had been restricted by four hours per night). The areas of the brain affected are responsible for movements, spatial reasoning and attention
A lack of stimulation i.e being exposed to television within the first three years is claimed to cause attention, sleep, language and behaviour problems. Babies and young children cannot process the information on a TV as they haven’t yet developed the cognitive abilities to process/ to understand this information
Brain development can be affected by genetics, for example, the development and function of the brain. Genes or DNA, make proteins, which form the connective tissue in the brain
Illness/infection, such as meningitis can damage brain tissue or prenatal choices (fetal alcohol syndrome)
