ipodding Toddlers: When Is It Too Soon?

What do YOU think about babies using ipods and smartphones? 

An increasing amount of discussion is occurring on the topic. Varied opinions and viewpoints are shared in this terrific article from Newsday written by Beth Whitehouse.  

I had the pleasure of being interviewed for this article to share my opinion. Of course I expressed that it is best for young brains in the process of making valuable brain connections, to interact with real objects instead of being handed an electronic device. Since it is primarily experience that impacts the connections that physically grow and develop the brain, my strong recommendation is that children interact with the real world.  As the,

National Scientific Council on the Developing Child reports: 

     

    "Although a varied array of experiences clearly stimulates learning in the preschool years, promotional statements about the superior brain building impacts of expensive "educational" toys and videos for infants and toddlers have no scientific support."

You can read the full article, iPadding toddlers: When is it too soon? Published: November 21, 2011 By beth.whitehouse@newsday.com

 

After reading the article, I would very much enjoy hearing your thoughts on the topic. 

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EARLY EDUCATORS MAKE AN IMPACT ON BRAINS

For optimal brain development, high quality early learning experiences should be available to all children, regardless of the setting they are in, and regardless of their abilities, special needs, and regardless of family income.

As I often say to audiences at the beginning of brain presentations , “ I am thrilled that  technology allows the study of the brain, like we've never seen before”. When Scientific research began demonstrating that a child's early development is largely determined by the daily environment and experiences, rather than genetics alone, I became extremely excited. I was an early childhood educator at that time and knew the impact of the early years, but having scientific evidence to support the dramatic difference quality early childhood educators make was very reinforcing.

The good news is that advances in brain research have demonstrated the enormous importance of the early years in determining a person's future success in learning and in life. It is now known that a child’s brain continues to develop long after birth. The term “brain development” means more than just intelligence building. It means the actual structural changes that take place in the brain. The experiences a child has in the early years activate the actual physical connections between brain cells that make the brain grow—in other words, the brain's "wiring." We now understand that school readiness is based on this brain wiring, most of which takes place before age 5. This wiring develops best when a child is exposed to good nutrition, a variety of positive experiences, hearing rich language, and has opportunities to develop relationships with caring people and to learn through exploration.

Conversely,  constant exposure to stress, limited stimulation, poor nutrition and lack of  nurturing relationships all lead to types of brain wiring that can contribute to emotional and learning problems. Brains learn very early how to cope with the environment to which we are exposed, sometimes with harmful results.

This information is critical because 13 million infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are not in the care of their parent during the day, including 45% of children under the age of one. Early childhood professionals who are trained and are knowledgeable about early brain development have a dramatic and very positive influence. These dedicated educators and care providers create healthy learning environments and the loving interactions growing minds need. 

However, the significance of the early years is still not fully recognized. Only 10% of early childhood education programs meet national accreditation standards!   Our education system and entire society cannot afford to continue to allow large numbers of children to miss out on the positive experiences they need in infancy and early childhood; the costs in terms of lost potential and increasing rates of emotional and behavioral problems are too high. Brain research show us what children need; our challenge is to ensure that every child receives it!

The following clip clearly demonstrates and explains the difference early educators can make.

Please thank the quality educators in your life for the difference they are making in many children's lives and please share any experiences you have had to illustrate the value of a positive educator. We want to recognize those who make an impact!

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BRAIN FACT: Experiences Influence 60% of Brain Development in First 6 Months

It is amazing to realize that experiences can influence 60% of brain development by 6 months.

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BRAIN FACT: A Brain Develops Best Having Fun, Interesting, and Loving Experiences

A developing brain will adapt to whatever happens repeatedly in the environment. For a brain to develop optimally,  a child needs to have fun, interesting, loving experiences throughout the day.

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GUEST BLOG: Nutrition and the brain

Hello, Happy Brain Awareness Week!

As a Speech Language Pathologist, Educator, Parent and owner of Early Insights, I am thrilled to be doing collaborative work with braininsights. Due to my deep commitment to provide information on healthy brains, it is great to have the opportunity to share a guest blog. My desire is to help parents know how to ensure they are doing all they can for their own brains as well as for their children. When we take care of ourselves we are better able to take care of our children. Both adults and children are going to function optimally when understanding and implementing knowledge of the impact nutrition has on the brain.

braininsights provides education to parents on the importance of brain development for babies...The Healthy Foundations Program of Early Insights is committed to helping educate those babies who have grown into young children (and their families)...on the importance of brain health. braininsights and Early Insights share a passion for supporting parents, babies and families on this journey.

Taking care of your brain now (whether you are a new parent, grandparent, child or teen) will pay off in later years. This is pretty much a guarantee. What we eat now, along with our overall lifestyle (i.e., stressed out or cool as a cucumber, or somewhere in between) will affect our health in the years to come. Your baby deserves YOU to follow a brain health protocol too! Children pick up on our habits, what we do is imprinted on their brain...You know the saying "actions speak louder than words"...well, it's true. If you're a good role model for your child, s/he too, will learn to take good care of her/his brain.

Wishing you all healthy choices and positive thoughts. Thanks for this guest blog opportunity. Here are some brain healthy thoughts:

Nourish Your Brain with a Healthy Diet ...

Like any high-performance machine, the brain needs top quality fuel.
A few brain healthy tips shared by the brain team:

1. Your brain needs a well-balanced, low cholesterol, low saturated (animal fat) diet.

2. Timing is significant in nutrition. Research supports the importance of a good breakfast...for everyone, not only children.

3. Protein and unsaturated fat is especially important for developing brains.

4. Fish, a rich source of protein and "healthy" fat is often referred to as the brain vitamin, otherwise known as Essential Fatty Acids (Omega Fatty Acids).

5. Your brain needs vitamins and minerals; they come from your diet.

6. Eating a natural rainbow each day, comprised of fruits and vegetables provides important antioxidants (which will help keep you healthy and help ward off colds and getting sick)

7. Research suggests antioxidant vitamins E and C protect the brain.

8. Avoid excess food. Reducing calories can help slow age-related brain changes.

9. Get out into nature...it does a brain good!

10. Studies suggest that sleep is essential for the maintenance of proper immune function, and it also serves as a mental "down time" during which neurons can repair themselves and memories can be organized into long-term storage.
As a general rule, good nutrition for the body, is good nutrition for the brain.

With positive, healthy and happy thoughts,

Lauren
 
 
Lauren Zimet, M.S.,CCC/SLP, N.D.T. Certified, is a recognized expert in speech language pathology, specializing with medically involved children with oral motor/ feeding and communication issues, as well as neurotypical children supporting healthy development and enhancing self esteem. She is the founder of Healthy Foundations, an Atlanta based education program geared for infants and children of all abilities. Healthy Foundations facilitates brain health awareness and all that relates to caring for a healthy brain and body. Lauren has been published in a variety of publications: Parenting Magazine, Advance Magazine for Audiologists and Speech Pathologists, and contributed to The LCP Solution by Dr. Jacqueline Stordy and The Late Talker, by Dr. Marilyn Agin. She holds a B.S. from the University of Maryland in Communications and a M.S. in Speech Language Pathology from Nova Southeastern University, FL. Lauren is thrilled to be collaborating with braininsights on promoting brain health awareness for babies, children and adults. Please visit http://www.earlyinsights.com/ for more information.

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BRAIN FACT: Self-Perception Develops By 12-18 Months

A child has already developed a perception of self and their environment by 12 -18 months based on the relationship they have with their primary caregivers.

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BRAIN FACT: 1,000 Trillion Brain Connections May Be Developed By 6 Months

By the time a baby is 6 months old the brain may have developed 1,000 trillion brain connections through experiences in their environment.

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PLAY, LAUGHTER, OUTDOORS AND HEALTHY BRAINS…. SOME OF MY FAVORITE THINGS!

What a combination this is! I love opportunities to play, to be outdoors, and what is better than laughing?  (The only thing missing from this list of favorites for me is chocolate covered strawberries!)

Play is the way the brain learns best. When a child is using several senses, exploring, paying attention, and is trying things out in different ways, brain cells are changing and the child is learning.  The child needs to participate… not watch. The brain also needs trial and error and a lot of repetition in fun and interesting ways. All of this is provided through play.

Play also provides the opportunity to learn to get along with other people. When children play with parents or other children a lot is learned about how relationships work. In addition, playing with others can lead to laughter.

Laughter is wonderful for the brain.  Play and laughter activates the care and thinking areas of the brain. Laughing lightens our mood through reducing the level of stress hormones affecting our brains.  It provides a physical and emotional release. Laughter can also lead to creating closer connections with other people. Laughter is also contagious so we can share this beneficial brain activity with others when we are laughing. Just watch the clip from a previous blog and see if it makes you laugh.

Physical play additionally provides many benefits to the brain. It first of all increases the amount of oxygen to the brain. Research also indicates that safe rough and tumble play can positively influence the activity in the thinking part of the brain. Numerous studies show that providing physical activity during the school day is correlated with improved academic performance.

If play takes place outdoors there are even more advantages. As I posted yesterday, natural environments have a very positive effect on the brain.  Ironically as I am writing this blog, I received information about an article in, The Sun Chronicle entitled, Go where education’s free.

In the article, when presenting the benefits of playing outdoors, TheChildren & Nature Network is quoted as saying, “Children learn by doing. Unstructured time in a natural setting invites a child to explore, to play and to create.”

One of my recent favorite books on play is, Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown, M.D.

Your brain will love learning more about the benefits of play.

To get easy play ideas to have right in your pocket you can go to www.braininsightsonline.com

Because as I repeatedly say, brain development isn’t complicated. What young children want all adults to know is, their brain learns best through loving interaction and play!

So, have fun, get outdoors, play, and laugh together!

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