The nervous system relies upon teeny cells called neurons to function. These cells relay info to each other through a complicated electrochemical process, making connections that impact how we learn, move, think, and behave.
Here’s what that means for your child.
Neurons
A neuron is a nerve cell that carries electrical impulses. The brain has billions of them, and they have certain responsibilities and classifications. For instance, motor neurons transport messages from the brain to the rest of the body. Interneurons connect neurons within the central nervous system. And sensory neurons dispatch data from the eyes, nose, ears, skin, and tongue to the brain
Neurons comprise about 10 percent of all brain cells and are the body’s oldest cells. They can also be quite large; some grow to several feet long. What’s more, neurons have unusual parts called dendrites and axons. Dendrites, which resemble roots growing out of the cell body, bring messages into the nerve. An axon looks like a long stem and carries electrical messages away from the nerve body.
These parts perform like telephone lines in that they enable neurons to communicate messages. Such messages contain information about what’s going on to help you to respond to stimuli appropriately.
However, while neurons connect, they don’t touch. A small gap called a synapse exists between them. When one neuron wants to chitchat with another one, it shoots neurotransmitters into the synapse. Meanwhile, the other neuron gathers up the neurotransmitters and transforms them into an electrical signal that can then be passed along.
Neurons And Children
As far as neurons for kids are concerned, babies and toddlers make synapses like crazy. By age two or three, the number of synapses will have grown from 2,500 per neuron to 15,000 double the amount in adult brains.
Therefore, preschool and ensuing years are spent on synaptic pruning a process by which the brain abandons connections that aren’t reinforced by repeated experience. This means that kids’ experiences either fortify or prune their overwrought and unorganized sets of synapses.
At length, the brain becomes more organized and efficient. But until then, it’s no wonder toddlers behave as they do, such is the relative volume and disorder of a two-year-old’s synapses. It’s why toddlers’ attention is quick to shift, they’re unable to respond quickly to orders and are easily frustrated.
How Parents Can Help
What conditions help the brain grow? Repetition has always worked. Repetitive behaviors we see in kids are in line with the fact that connections or pathways used repeatedly become stronger. Although the repetitive behavior may drive you batty at times, children deserve the chance for the repetition that is so crucial to brain development.
Brain growth is also reinforced when parents establish and maintain family traditions and rituals, and when we happily allow children to revisit their favorite play experiences.
It’s also known that little kids’ brains absorb the external world through the entire range of senses. Using the senses helps produce and strengthen neural connections. Meanwhile, the brain is busy developing its architecture and capacity to take in and assimilate new information.
You can also help grow your child’s brain growth by fostering positive emotions. Studies have shown that children remember and make sense of learning experiences when they’re accompanied by powerful, positive feelings. On the other hand, toxicity can lead to the loss of synapses.
Understanding what sensory neurons do for kids, gives you the ability to better interpret their behaviors and help their brains develop.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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