Brainy babies have knowledgeable parents
By Nancy Webb and Billi Bromer

  Families who have children with special needs may support their child’s growth and development best by being knowledgeable about typical development. Knowledgeable parents can and do make a difference in the lives of their children. Many times, the child who is developing atypically will follow a similar developmental pattern, but may do so more slowly in comparison to the child who is typically developing.
  Lately, much has been learned about the way babies’ brains develop and much has been written about the importance of the caregiver’s role in helping baby reach his highest cognitive capability. Parents who have children with special needs will acquire a better understanding of their child’s cognitive skills by knowing what to expect.
  Better Brains for Babies is a Georgia-based collaboration whose mission is to assist families in applying the research on brain development in daily activities with their children.
  According to their website (bbbgeorgia.org):

• The brain is not developed completely when the child is born;
• By age three, babies’ brains are developed approximately 90 percent;
• It is imperative that baby gets early and positive interactions with those who care for him;
• Early brain development is strongly affected by the things baby sees, hears, smells, tastes and touches;
• Positive early experiences provide the foundation for later success in school and work as well as in the family and community.

  So what can families do to promote optimal brain development? The following provides year-by-year suggestions.

The first year of life
  During the first year of life, baby is learning to trust, love and feel secure as she forms attachments to those who care for her. Simultaneously, baby becomes aware of her body and environment, develops motor skills and uses sounds and body language to get and respond to attention. During this first year, caregivers need to provide consistency in routines and be responsive to baby’s cues. It is not possible to spoil babies in the first nine months of their lives; their brains simply do not have the capacity for being spoiled. So when baby cries, caregivers should cuddle and hold baby, talk and sing and read to her, follow nutritional guidelines and provide her with toys she can teethe, suck, hold, pull and push. Caregivers should remember that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends zero exposure to screen time (video, TV and computer) during the first year.

One to two years
  This is the period baby is learning new words and body parts, becoming independent and discovering through trial and error. Eye-hand coordination is improving and exploration is exciting. Most children in this stage are reluctant to be with strangers and they begin to engage in parallel play, a type of play in which babies may play beside each other but not with each other. At this stage, baby’s brain benefits from toys that stack and nest, lacing boards, instruments that make music and materials they can use to draw and paint. Parents should give baby choices that are acceptable (“Do you want ham and cheese or peanut butter and jelly?”), continue to provide good nutrition and allow zero screen time throughout this second year of life.

Two to three years
  Although baby likes security objects (blanket, favorite stuffed animal or other item), he is becoming more independent and is beginning to learn to share and value the rights of others. Most two- to three-year-olds love reading books, speaking in short sentences, “writing” with chalk and crayons, and counting and matching items. Caregivers should let baby help sort the socks or other items by one attribute such as color or size. At this stage, children learn best by encouragement and explanation; encouraging sharing with others and providing brief explanations of why some behaviors are unacceptable are key to supporting the child’s developing sense of self (“I cannot allow you to hit your sister. Hitting hurts.”). At this age, children love books, poetry, puzzles, play dough and number games. Caregivers should be affectionate, responsive and let children work out problems on their own when possible. Also, children at this age should be allowed to serve themselves at the table and encouraged to socialize with the family during mealtime. Adults should encourage baby to dress himself in pre-selected items (“Do you want to wear your red shoes or your blue shoes?”).

Three to four years
  The child at this age is beginning to develop friendships, solve problems that are simple and talk about things and events. The child at this stage also begins to project a confident demeanor. Engaging in art projects is a favorite pastime, so caregivers should provide clay, play dough, watercolors, fingerpaints, markers, crayons and craft materials. Now is the time for caregivers to tell simple jokes such as the “Knock-Knock” ones and play games such as “I Spy.” Children at this age still need lots of affection and predictability, but caregivers can now practice a bit more flexibility with routines. It is also important for adults to talk to children about the events they engaged in during the day and pose questions about objects (“What color is a potato?” or “Where does the water from the sink go?”).

Four to five years
  Fours love to ask questions and talk about objects. This could be called the “why” stage because the child is so curious at this age. He is better at taking turns and negotiating with peers. He wants to please the adults in his life and engages in conversations with these caregivers. His creativity and sense of humor are blossoming. Caregivers can support the child’s development by offering new ways to play with toys, engaging in guessing games and talking about what happened. Children learn a great deal at this stage by visiting special places in the community such as the zoo, a circus, the library, a parade, an art museum and a children’s concert.

Resources
  The Division for Early Childhood, a subdivision of the Coucil for Exceptional Children: dec_sped.org

The Washington State Department of Early Learning BrainNet : del.wa.gov/Education/ChildDevelopment.shtml

The National Association for the Education of Young Children:
http://naeyc.org

The National Network for Child Care: nncc.org

The Harvard University National Scientific Council on the Developing Child: developingchild.net

The Talaris Research Institute: talaris.org/

Zero to Three, the National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families: zerotothree.org/startingsmart.pdf