Developmental Milestones and Changes
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Please read this book to learn about the major developmental milestones and changes in early childhood development. This book will cover the following topics:
- Overview
- Learning Begins at Birth
- Brain Development
- Every Child Ready 2 Read Early Literacy Framework
- Talk, Sing, Read, Write, Play
Learning Begins at Birth
Brain Development
Image: A series of MRI images shows a child’s brain development from birth (left) to 1 year old (center) and 2 years old (right). Credit: Journal of Neuroscience
Here are some facts about early childhood development that demonstrate how much growth and learning is happening during the ages 0 - 5:
- At birth a child has 100 billion neurons and 50 trillion connections called synapses.
- Up to a quadrillion additional connections will be made after birth as a result of sensory experiences.
- Sensory experiences such as the sound of a parent’s voice or a gentle touch actually create the complicated circuitry “wiring” the brain.
- Every child exhibits a unique rate and pattern of educational progress during the early years.
- The difference between the 6-year-old and 14-year-old brain scan image is the result of “pruning,” where the brain cleans out pathways and connections that are not used often. That is why the 14 year old brain scan is less dense. Creating more pathways and connections when children are young can help them retain that knowledge and information when they are older.
Researchers believe the more positive experiences a child has, the more synapses their brain has, and the greater chance the child has for successful lifelong learning experiences and emotional well-being.