Structural Brain Development

According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2016), preterm birth are the birth that happened before 37 ended weeks of pregnancy and is one of the number reason of newborn deaths and the second prominent cause of deaths in children below five. The preterm babies have chances of an amplified risk of illness, disability and death. In the first weeks, the complications of premature birth may include: breathing problems, heart problems, brain problems, temperature control problems, gastrointestinal problems, blood problems, metabolism problems, immune system problems. Long-term complications includes cerebral palsy, impaired cognitive skills, vision problem, hearing problems, dental problems, behavioral and psychological problems, chronic health issues.

Whilst the mother is pregnant if the baby is exposed to toxic chemicals, foods of a certain kind, or also stress from the mother then this can permanently change the cognitive development. Infancy is one of the main times when the child begins to develop their intellectuality so this means that if any of the above have been exposed to much to the baby, when they are going through infancy they may struggle with their cognitive development. Those mothers that smoke, eat unhealthy foods or go through stress or trauma whilst they are pregnant usually notice a risk of delayed cognitive development when the child is an infant. On the other hand if the mother doesn’t smoke, eats healthy and remains stress and trauma free whilst going through the pregnancy, the infants cognitive development is usually normal.

At age two, most of the child's brain is not fully developed, it is seventy-five percent of adult weight. At age five the brain is ninety-five percent of adult weight. Based on solid scientific evidence, the brain is not a completed organ at birth. Post mortem studies reveal that myelination - one of the five basic processes that make up brain development begins in the brain stem and cerebellum before birth but is not completed in the frontal cortex of the brain until late adolescence period. Myelination process begins before birth, that is during the prenatal period - it is the first process to occur in brain development. Myelin, a fatty layer accumulates around nerve cells to allow nerve impulses to move more quickly - protecting the neuron and acting like an insulation for the human brain. The cerebral hemispheres are the first myelinated. By the second year, the cerebrum is completed. During the process of brain development, there is an increase in the axonal connection which contributes to the growth of the brain. According to neuroscientists, the brain is divided into two- the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere. The left side of the body is controlled by the right hemisphere, while the left side of the brain which is the dominant part controls the right side of the

Other health factors maybe that the child was born premature, as they are more likely to develop slower than a healthy born child. There may be an effect on their physical development, as they are a smaller and behind on developing. This may also have an in pact on their intellectual development, as it has been shown that premature babies struggle with maths. Burdo-Hartman says.

The latest research into development and learning of babies and young children shows that early stimulation are vital to the healthy development of brain. Babies are born with 100 billion neuron cells and they need to connect together in order to function. Many of these connections are made as result of what a baby senses and experiences. Stimulation, sufficient sleep and healthy diet makes a difference in allowing connections to be made. Development of brain begins well before birth. Neurons (cells in the brain which transmit electrical impulses to other cells) are formed between the 10th and 20th week of pregnancy. These cells are critical as they will later join together to allow the brain to function properly. Electrical pulses pass between cells via dendrites and axons which causes the connection between the neuron cells. The dendrites and axons of the neurons develop and begin the process of joining up in the final two months of pregnancy. Those that have not made enough strong connections are killed off and this is one reason why some children are

Development of children begins at conception however the parent’s health and lifestyle prior to conception could influence a baby development.

The objective of this correlational study was to find a correlation between the weight of the brain at the time of death and the incidence of SIDS. In addition the researchers examined the relationship between brain growth and head circumference.

The brain is the most complex thing on earth. Even the brain of a baby which weighs less than one pound is extremely complicated. When we are a baby our brain is a universe of meaning; it is where the emotions, memories, ideas, and dreams evolve and change over the lifetime. Baby Elizabeth who was born three months before she was expected was a healthy premature baby but her brain was not fully prepared. Most premature babies survive but nearly half have difficulty paying attention, learning, planning, and even prioritizing as they grow up. What happens with premature babies is that they are more hypertensive and easily over stimulated. Automatically when the baby comes out of the womb the brain reacts to all the stimulation and in the case

infants are born weighing less the average newborn and are shorter in length. The central nervous

As a child is developing in the womb, its development can be affected at this time, for instance if the mother smokes or uses drugs or excessive

Infant learning and brain development is fragile and contingent upon numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The most critical time frame for infant brain development is from the second trimester to the first three months of life (Marshall, 2011). During this time, neural pathways are forming, areas of the brain are maturing, and brain development is rapid. From infancy until the age of 3 years, neural pathways are still being formed in response to stimulation and for this reason, it is extremely important for caregivers and parents to be aware of the many factors that can influence brain development in infants (Marshall, 2011).

Technological advances in the past decade have allowed scientists to study the brain in ways that have led to new understanding about how young children develop. There is a new understanding of both the capabilities and the vulnerabilities of infants and young children and that understanding is has influenced the work of caregivers and teachers. During pregnancy, the basic architecture of the brain is formed. Although, certain experiences do influence the developing brain during pregnancy, such as maternal health and stress, intake of drugs and/or alcohol, and quality of maternal nutrition.

According to scientists at Yale University, in giving birth, there’s a special protein that can boost intelligence levels and the quantity of the protein is much higher in babies born naturally. The increased levels of the protein, called UCP2, in babies born naturally could affect their short and long term memories as they grow up. They discovered the specific protein after they conducted a study in mice’s’ brains specifically the hippocampus which plays important roles in absorbing information from short-term memory to long term memory and spatial navigation. As a result, normally delivered mice were found to have lower levels of UCP2 which caused them to suffer impaired adult behaviors.

A newborns brain growth is rapid and their growth and development reflects their experiences and social relationships (Berger,2014). From two weeks after conception until two weeks after birth the brain grows more rapidly than any other organ in the body (Berger,2014). We will now examine what biologically takes place inside the brain of an infant to better try to understand why development at this stage is so crucial. A newborns brain has billions of neurons, that are located in the portion of the brain called the Cortex, and they regulate and control thought, feeling, and sensation (Berger, 2014). In addition, research has found that children younger than

Brain development in the first two years is the most important and critical. Maria Montessori referred to this time as of the "absorbent mind" Early brain development is the frame work for the road ahead. When and how the brain develops in the first two years will play a critical role into adulthood. At birth, the brain is the only incomplete organ. The brain will continue to grow through childhood and adolescents.