The newborn brain develops rapidly through the first few years of life and has the potential to form connections between cells in the brain called “neuronal synapses”. These synapses allow the transmission of information from one brain cell to another brain cell and allow humans to think and process information.

What is a neuron?
A neuron is a specialized cell type found in the nervous system (brain, spinal column and nervous tissue). The structure of the neuron allows the transmission of signals quickly and efficiently between the cells.

What is a synapse?
Synapse: The place at which a nervous impulse passes from one neuron to another.
Synapses allow nerve cells to communicate with one another and transmit electrical information into chemical signals.

What is the process of brain development?
In the prenatal period (in utero) a fetus forms more neurons and neuronal connections than he or she will need as an adult. However, beginning with birth, a process of neuronal elimination “pruning” and stabilization occurs. In early childhood, connections between brain cells (neuronal synapses) that are not used are eliminated (pruned) whereas repeated activity of other neuronal circuits in early childhood stabilizes these connections. Therefore, early environmental exposure or stimulation serves to guide the fetal and early childhood brain development.

How is the child’s experience associated with brain development?
The greater number of experiences a child has, the more connections (neuronal synapses) they will form between cells in their brain. However, a child that fails to be exposed to many different stimuli will form fewer connections (neuronal synapses). Therefore, early environmental exposures or stimulations, including visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), tactile (touch), gustatory (taste), and olfactory (smell) stimuli, affect the number of brain connections a child will form.

At what age is brain development important?
During the 1 st year of life, the head circumference of infants increase about 12 cm from average 34 to 35 cm at birth to 46 to 47 cm at one year old. Thereafter, there is only 9 to 11 cm increase from 1 year old to adult. The potential to form connections (neuronal synapses) peaks at about age 3, and therefore early childhood experiences from birth to 3 years old are critical.

However, even after age 3, the brain has a vast potential to form additional connections and therefore it is important that children of all ages are exposed to a variety of visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, and olfactory stimuli. Studies have shown that after 10 years of age, the brain’s potential to form new connections begins to decline(ref. 4). Therefore early childhood represents a biological window of opportunity when learning is efficient and easily retained.

Is television an appropriate stimulus for children?
Studies have shown that the more TV babies watch, the more likely they are to have attention problems later in life (ref.3). Additional studies indicate that time spent viewing television both with and without parents and siblings present was strongly negatively correlated with time spent interacting with parents or siblings. Television time was also associated with decreased time spent in creative play and decreased homework time in older children (ref. 5). The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend television for children younger than 2; it recommends that children older than 2 watch less than two hours per day (ref 1.). Instead of relying on the television for auditory and visual stimuli, children should be exposed to activities such as reading, drawing, singing, dancing, and other creative play.

 References:

1. www.aap.org
2. www.pediatrics.org
3. Christakis, Early Television Exposure and Subsequent Attention Problems in Children. Pediatrics 2004; 113; 708-713.
4. Chugani, Biological Basis of Emotions: Brain Systems and Brain Development. Pediatrics 1998; 102; 1225-1229.
5. Vanderwater, Time Well Spent? Relating Television Use to Children’s Free-Time Activities. Pediatrics 2006; 117; 181-191.
6. ttp://www.zerotothree.org/brainwonders/