Building Healthy Brain Circuits in Children
By Stephanie Blay Muah, BSc Neuroscience,
Brains are built over time, from the bottom up. The basic architecture of the brain is constructed through an ongoing process that begins before birth and continues into adulthood. Simple [HV1] neural connections and skills form first, followed by more complex circuits and skills. In the first few years of life, more than 1 million new neural connections form every second. After this period of rapid proliferation, connections are reduced through a process called pruning, which allows brain circuits to become more efficient (Brain Architecture, 2019). It is essential for children's cognitive, emotional, and social development that they create healthy brain circuits. Attention, decision-making, memory and emotions are just a few of the processes that the brain circuitry controls and regulates. So, it is crucial to encourage children's brain circuit development to provide them the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life. In this post, we'll go through some strategies for fostering children's development of strong neural networks.
Social interaction is an essential of human everyday activity. Social interaction is important for young children as well. Young children are able to learn from social experiences and develop different social skills based on those interactions. Building healthy brain circuits in children requires social engagement. Children benefit from social connection in the development of empathy, emotional intelligence, and social skills. Also, it supports the improvement of communication and language abilities. To foster healthy brain development, it is important for your children to interact socially, whether it is through play with their siblings, befriending neighborhood kids, or getting enrolled in an early childhood program. An early childhood development center is a great choice because they get social interaction while learning, exploring, and growing.
Another way to foster a healthy brain networking is by eliminating toxic stress from a developing child’s life. The brain circuitry of a developing child can be weakened by toxic stress, which can lead to difficulty in learning and behaviour as well as challenges with[HV2] physical and mental health that may last a lifetime. Stress is an essential component of normal development. Many physiological responses are brought on by the activation of the stress response, preparing the body to deal with threats[HV3] . Toxic stress develops when these reactions are continuously stimulated at high levels over extended periods of time without the assistance of supportive relationships. This may impede the growth of neural connections, particularly in the regions of the brain responsible for higher-order functions.
Furthermore, children's developing brain circuits require constant mental stimulation. Reading, problem-solving, and acquiring new abilities are a few examples of activities that stimulate the mind. Brain development is supported by mental stimulation because it strengthens neural connections in the brain. It's important to encourage kids to routinely partake in cognitively demanding activities[HV4] . A mix of unstructured and structured play opportunities is a great way to foster mental stimulation.
Healthy food and nutrition are very important for building healthy brain circuits during the first three years of development. The vulnerability of a developing brain process, region, or circuit to nutrient deficits early in life is based on[HV5] two factors: the timing of the nutrient deficit and the region’s requirement for that nutrient at that time. For example, the risk of iron deficiency varies with pediatric age. Peak incidences are seen in the fetal/newborn period, 6–24 months of age, and during the teenage years in menstruating females. All nutrients are important for brain growth and function, but certain ones have particularly significant effects during early development. The effect of a nutrient deficit on the developing brain will be largely driven by the metabolic physiology of the nutrient, ie, what processes it supports in brain development and also by whether the deficit coincides with a critical or sensitive period for that process. Example of some of the key nutrients include protein, iron and carbohydrates (Tierney, 2009).
In conclusion, for children's cognitive, emotional, and social development, it is essential to build healthy brain circuits. In order to encourage healthy brain growth, it is crucial to maintain a balanced diet, engage in regular physical activity, get enough rest, and engage in social activities. Parents, caregivers, and educators can make a significant difference in a child's life by fostering a setting that supports children's healthy brain development. Children can be given the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life if we do this.
References
Brain Architecture. (2019, August 20). Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/brain-architecture/
J. (2018, January 19). Why Social Interaction is Important For Young Children. Yellow Brick Road. https://www.ybrecdc.org/child-care-maple-grove/why-social-interaction-is-important-for-young-children/
Tierney, A. L. (2009, November 11). Brain Development and the Role of Experience in the Early Years. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3722610/
Photo : https://wisfamilyimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/FIS37-Nathan-Fox-presentation.pdf
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[HV4]Adding a few examples of activities would be helpful. Or it could be mentioned here that a mix of unstructured and structured play opportunities fosters mental stimulation.
[HV5] nutrient deficits early in life is based on….