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By Esther Andrews
New and very exciting discoveries about brain development are being
made all the time, and especially recently, when research has accelerated
and increased, as a result of new technologies that make it possible to
research the brain using unobtrusive methods. This time I'd like to write
about a few research reports that were published recently, and what the
researchers suggest to parents and educators in regards to activities they
can do with children.
David Armor, a professor at the school of Public Policy at George Mason
University, has found that, "Parents have more impact on their
child's IQ than any other persons or institutions, including schools. The
impact is greatest in infancy and early childhood, much less after ages
eight or nine." As a result of his research, a few of the things he
suggests to parents are:
- Take care of your own education.
- Wait until you are at least in your 20's before having a child.
- Get good nutrition and pre-natal healthcare.
- Breastfeed your child as long as possible.
- Spend as much time as possible instructing your child, starting as
early as possible, in reading, numbers, shapes, colors, etc.
- Expose your child to as many experiences outside the home as
possible.
Americans tend to believe that their children's intelligence is either
innate or based on what they learn in school; Armor's research shows the
importance of another set of influences: early family environments. There
is ample evidence that a child's intelligence is not fully given at birth,
but continues to evolve and change at least through the early elementary
school years.
A new research published by UC Irvine, shows that piano and computer
training boost student math achievements. The study involved 135 second
grade students, who took piano lessons and practiced solving math puzzles
on a computer. Their math skills improved significantly. This study was
published in the March issue of the journal Neurological Research. The
study was led by UCI physics professor emeritus Gordon Shaw, who said that
this was the latest in a series that link musical training to the
development of higher brain functions. Only 4 months of the aforementioned
activities increased the scores on fractions tests and proportional math
by 27%. Piano instruction is thought to enhance the brain's 'hard wiring'
for spatial-temporal reasoning, or the ability to visualize and transform
objects in space and time, Shaw said. Music involves ratios, fractions,
proportions and thinking in space and time.
Marian Diamond, a professor of Anatomy/Neuroanatomy at the University
of California, Berkeley, and a former Director of the Lawrence Hall of
Science, as a result of her research in the laboratory, suggested to
stimulate all the senses, but not necessarily all at once. A multisensory
enrichment develops all of the cortex: whereas, an input from a single
task stimulates the growth of only a precise area of the brain. She also
suggests setting the stage for enriching the cortex by first providing a
steady source of positive emotional support - love, encouragement, warmth
and caring. She suggests to present to the child a series of challenges
that are neither too easy nor too difficult for the child at his or her
stage of development. Allowing for social interaction is very important,
as well as providing sound nutrition. She also mentions the importance of
promoting the development of a broad range of skills and interests that
are mental, physical, aesthetic, social and emotional.
Navzer Engineer, Cherie Percaccio and Michael Kilgard, researchers at
the University of Texas at Dallas, have mentioned that brains of both
animals and humans are "plastic" throughout one's lifetime. They
commented that the plasticity, the capacity of the brain to change, is
strongly influenced by environmental conditions. Their research showed
that stimulating environments increase brain thickness, the number of
neurons, and the number of connections between the neurons. They also
found that when transferred back to a standard environment from the
enriched (more stimulating) one, responses decreased by as much as 60%
within a week of moving to the boring environment.
Dr. Beatriz Marique conducted a research in Venezuela, for a period of
over sixteen years. The goal of her research was to analyze the
relationship between stimulation and the development of in-uterus fetus,
newborns and children up to the age of six. The research population
included Venezuelan first time mothers with healthy pregnancies, and their
children. In this research it was shown that from the very moment of
birth, the babies who were enriched by a stimulating environment were more
alert and turned their heads towards their parents. They recognized the
music they heard in the womb. They were dynamic and relaxed, had
initiative and were very curious. They had good hand-eye coordination,
they laughed easily and were very social.
In other research, there is evidence that Omega-3 fats contribute to
brain development in young children, and that when mothers have a diet
rich in Omega-3 foods (cold water fish fish like Salmon, Trout and
Sardines and Flax seed and nuts) while pregnant, the substance will be
present in the baby's body. Also, mothers who have a diet rich in these
food, will have more DHA in their breast milk, which contributes to
healthy brain development. A good balanced diet that includes Omega-3
fatty acids has shown to support brain development in young children and
to increase their intelligence.
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To your success!
Esther Andrews
To send feedback, e-mail to: esther@all-gifted-children.com
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