Brain Development and Developmental Milestones
(From Brain Research Findings and Suggested Actions; Oregon’s Child: Everyone’s Business/Straight Shooting Exhibit, Oregon State Capitol)
The first years of life are critical to the healthy development of a child’s brain. Some key aspects of brain research help inform optimal early care of young children:
1. The brain is particularly absorbent during the first three years of life. The number of brain connections that are made depends on the variety and richness of learning experiences a child is exposed to. Brain cell connections, strengthened through consistent sensory stimulation from the environment, lay the foundation for future student achievement and academic success. Early play is even more important educationally than later, more formal education.
- A baby is born with 100 billion neurons, or nerve cells, in her brain. The way those cells get organized and connected will be an important factor in determining the capabilities of that child for the rest of her life. Responsive, reciprocal relationships help the child make those connections happen in positive ways. Being sensitive to the child’s cues allows the child to avoid the stress of overstimulation, so that he can have time to make sense of what he has been exposed to.
- Children who are touched, held and played with regularly develop brains that are larger, with stronger connections between brain cells, than those who are not. Children learn best in the context of loving interactions.
- Early exposure to music seems to enhance a child’s mathematical capabilities and complex reasoning facilities. Participating in music activities and lessons may help develop spatial skills.
- By the age of one, the basic sounds of your child’s native languages(s) are “wired” into the brain. From age one to two, a child incorporates new vocabulary into that language even if he is not speaking. Children whose caregivers speak to them frequently know about 300 more words by the age of two than those whose caregivers talked to them less. Hearing problems at this time can diminish the ability to pair sounds with letters.
- Even before birth, an infant is tuning in to the sound and rhythm of her mother’s voice. Over the next six years, her brain will make the neural pathways to allow her to decipher and reproduce language. A six month-old can recognize the vowel sounds that are the basic building blocks of speech. She has already developed neural pathways to respond to the distinctive sounds of her native language.
- At birth, babies can move their limbs, but in a jerky, uncontrolled fashion. Over the next four years, the brain progressively refines the circuitry for reaching, grabbing, sitting, crawling, walking and running.
- Research tells us there are optimum periods of development for each function in a child’s brain. If the brain misses the opportunity to develop the basic circuitry for a function (for example, seeing), it may permanently lose the capability for that function. Caregivers who understand the critical periods of development in the brain can help development by providing the right stimulation at the right time.
A strong, secure attachment to a nurturing adult can cushion children from the occasional bumps and bruises that are inevitable in everyday life.
Recommended Books on Development:
· Your One Year Old and Your Two Year Old – a series on child development by Ames and Ilg, Gesell Institute. The series is dated in terms of cultural context, but the developmental information is sound.
· Ages and Stages – Karen Miller
· Touchpoints – T. Berry Brazelton
· The Scientist in the Crib: Minds, Brains and How Children Learn – Alison Gopnik, Andrew Meltzoff, and Patricia Kuhl
· Your Child’s Growing Mind, A Guide to Learning and Brain Development from Birth to Adolescence – Jane Healy
· Einstein Never Used Flash Cards: How Our Children REALLY Learn – And Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less – Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, with Diane Eyer
· The Power of Play: How spontaneous, imaginative activities lead to happier, healthier children - Elkind
Developmental Milestones for 18 months to 3 years old
Interest in others
Shows increased awareness of being seen and evaluated by others.
Sees others as a barrier to immediate gratifications.
Begins to realize others have rights and privileges.
Gains greater enjoyment from peer play and joint exploration.
Begins to see benefits of cooperation. Enjoys small group activities.
Identifies self with children of same age or sex.
Is more aware of the feelings of others.
Exhibits more impulse control and self-regulation in relation to others.
Self-awareness
Shows strong sense of self as an individual, as evidenced by “NO” to adult requests.
Experiences self as a powerful, potent, creative doer. Explores everything.
Becomes capable of self-evaluation and has beginning notions of self (good, bad, attractive, ugly). Identifies 6 or more body parts.
Makes attempts at self-regulation. Uses names of self and others.
Motor Milestones and eye-hand skills
Scribbles with marker or crayon. Walks up and down stairs. Can jump off one step.
Kicks a ball. Stands on one foot. Threads beads.
Draws a circle. Stands and walks on tiptoes. Walks up stairs one foot on each step.
Handles scissors. Imitates a horizontal crayon stroke.
Language development/communication
Combines words. Listens to stories for a short while.
Speaking vocabulary may reach 200 words.
Develops fantasy in language. Begins to play pretend games.
Defines use of many household items. Uses compound sentences.
Uses adjectives and adverbs. Recounts events of the day.
Physical, spatial, and temporal awareness
Identifies a familiar object by touch when placed in a bag with 2 other objects.
Uses “tomorrow,” yesterday.”
Figures out which child is missing by looking at children who are present.
Asserts independence: “Me do it.” Puts on simple garments such as cap or slippers.
Purposeful action and use of tools
When playing with a ring-stacking toy, ignores any forms that have no hole. Stacks only rings or other objects with holes. Helps dress and undress self.
Classifies, labels, and sorts objects by group (hard vs. soft, large vs. small).
Expression of feelings
Frequently displays aggressive feelings and behaviors.
Exhibits contrasting states and mood shifts (stubborn versus compliant).
Shows increased fearfulness (dark, monsters, etc.).
Expresses emotions with increasing control.
Aware of own feelings and those of others. Shows empathic concern for others.
Shows pride in creation and production.
Verbalizes feelings more often. Expresses feelings in symbolic play.