Brain Development and a Social Functioning of a Child - Research Paper Example

?Brain Development and a Child's Social Functioning There have been enormous psychological studies on child development. With the advancements in thetechnological sector, it is becoming significantly possible to detail human development from infancy to childhood to adult hood. With some of these studies taking shape and showing some considerable truth, specific developmental domain like social, emotional, physical and developmental period like that of infancy are now understood and easily analyzed. However, it is arguably true that the way a human being develops from infancy to adulthood involves both internal and external factors. It is the magnitude and quality of these factors that determine the personality of specific individuals at later stages of life. Study on child development involves the analysis of these factors and refers to a process that every child goes through which involves learning and mastering skills like walking, sitting, talking, and other childhood behaviors in given periods of time. These learning skills are the developmental milestones. Precisely, children develop skills in cognitive development, social and emotional development, fine motor development, speech and language development, and gross motor skill development. Actually, child development largely depends on brain development as this is the centre of all protocols and indeed brain content defines humanity. As such, we cannot talk of child development and in exclusion of brain development. This research paper will address the development of the brain and its influence on child's abilities to take another's perspective. Moreover, the paper will discuss how the developmental milestone shapes child's social functioning during late infancy and early childhood. Development of the Brain and Its Influence on Child's Abilities The human brain is fundamental in human life and indeed one cannot function without a brain. However, brain development does not start at birth but with the formation and closure of the neural tube, which is the earliest nervous tissue. The development takes a gradual course and its functionality effects with time (National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families, 2012). This is because the actual events that shape the brain during development are also store that information throughout life and as the child grows physically in early childhood, so does their brain development. In fact, at childbirth, the human brain is underdeveloped with most of its neurons not yet connected in networks. Hence, early brain development at this stage involves establishing and reinforcing these connections. The mode of connections among neurons highly depends on the growing child experiences on surrounding world and forms attachments to parents and the society. Psychologically, brain development in children relate to the genes and the environment of the growing child. While the inherited gene structures the brain, it is the healthy diet and external stimulation of the surroundings that connects the brain to reality thus influencing the child’s abilities. For a fact, brain development influences the child’s abilities to crawl, speak, eat, laugh, and walk. Therefore, the parental interactions and care accorded to the child are the most fundamental aspects of early childhood brain development that largely dictates the abilities of a child. The brain is able to develop due to the interactions and the care provided by the parents. Most significantly is that both parents are equally tasked to accord these brain development drivers. In addition, the five senses of vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch enable the development of unconnected brain structure. Actually, the scent of the mother's skin define smell, the father's voice define hearing, drinking the mother’s milk define taste, seeing a face or brightly colored toy define vision, and the feel of a caressing hand define touch (Brotherson, 2005). From these connotations, we can qualify the fact that early childhood is the most significant stage in brain development. Indeed, the brain of 3 years old is two times active than adult and hence we should encourage affirmative activities that will enhance brain development at this stage. In light of early childhood, brain development involves development of the visual and auditory Senses, development of language skills, development of the motor skills, and the child's development of the emotional and social quotient. The vision and hearing senses develop first. Parents and guardians can develop this ability by exposing the child to different colors, shapes, and sounds. Parents should also develop the child’s speech skills by talking to the child and encouraging him to speak. In addition, the child's brain begins to gain control of the muscles thus initiating movements and hence motor skills. To this end, parents should avail physical activities that will nurture this ability. External factors like those that a healthy, caring, and loving environment enables brain development that influences the child’s ability to emotional and social skills. Parents and caregivers should thus avail requisite environment to nurture this ability. It is worth noting that although we talk of brain development universally, different parts of the brain control different kinds of functions and hence influence child’s abilities differently. Specifically, the hypothalamus and amygdala control reactions to stress and emotions while thinking, remembering, and planning depend on the cerebral cortex (Forstadt, 2011). It is thus possible for a child to develop abilities in controlling emotions and manifest low thinking and remembering abilities. How the Developmental Milestone Shapes Child's Social Functioning During Late Infancy and Early Childhood A developmental milestone refers to skill that a child acquires within a given period. This period usually ranges from 9 and 15 months. Such skills may include walking, sitting, or even talking. They are sequential where one milestone lays the foundation for another and a child will need to develop certain skills before developing new skills. Genetic makeup and the environment influence the developmental milestones and could equally form the basis to improving the abilities of a child during late infancy and early childhood. The parents and caregivers can enhance these abilities through social activities, interactions, love, care and home, school and community environment. Indeed, the social functioning of a child only features in late infancy and early childhood. At the age between birth to 8 months, children feel secure when parents hold them and smile at them, they learn how to comfort themselves by suckling their fingers or hands, and equally show many feelings. At this age, they can smile and wiggle, babbling, and imitate the sounds from the people around them. They will equally love to play games with their mothers and can tell the difference between people they do and do not know. Moreover, they may try to explore their food and even feed themselves with their hands. This shapes their social functionality. Between 8 and 18 months, a child will tend to use their body, sounds, words, and facial expression to inform on what they are thinking and feeling. They will point at things in showing their interests, push what they do not like imitate others words, create long and consistent babble sentences and follow simple directions thus shaping their social functionality. Additionally, at this period they will listen, talk, and play with other people. Moreover, they will explore a lot, hate separations from the ones they love, and seek to help others thus demonstrating their social aspect. Between the ages of 18 to 36 months, a child will tend to tune in carefully to their parents tone and words, learn how to control themselves, love their independence, and get most curious. Moreover, they will learn how to care for others from their parents and equally show that care, tune in to other kids, and enjoy playing with them. In addition, they will put words together into sentences, remember the past and tell the future, make up dances, draw pictures, songs, and stories that speak their mind that shapes their social functioning (National Dissemination Centre for Children with Disabilities, 2010). In conclusion, I observe that development of the brain influences the child's abilities and developmental milestone shapes child's social functioning during late infancy and early childhood. References Brotherson, S (2005) Understanding Brain Development in Young Children North Dakota State University retrieved from http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/famsci/fs609w.htm Forstadt, L (2011). Children and Brain Development: What We Know About How Children Learn. The University of Maine Retrieved from http://umaine.edu/publications/4356e/ National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families (2012) early experiences matter Zero to Three retrieved from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_key_brainFAQ National Dissemination Centre for Children with Disabilities (2010) Developmental milestones NICHCY retrieved from http://nichcy.org/disability/milestones Read More