Download Intellectual Development in Infants

Intellectual Development
In
Infants
Objectives
 List the functions of each part of the brain controls.
 Describe how brain cells work together.
 Explain how the brain becomes organized.
 Identify activities that support the development of
brain pathways.
 Give an example of how neural pathways I the brain
help a baby to acquire new skills.
Terms
 Neuron
 Neural pathways
 Cortex
 Axon
 Myelin
 Dendrite
 Synapse
 Neurotransmitter
Recent Research 280
 New activities stimulate or awaken a baby’s sight,
sound, touch, taste, and smell and develop new
abilities.
 Increased brain function is due not only the
capabilities of the brain, but also to the quantity and
quality of experiences.
Research Cont.
 Neurons = billions of nerve cells in the brain
 Experiences cause development between neurons
 Neural Pathways = are the links between the neurons
that control body functions and thinking.
 Links in the brain start at birth and reach their peak in
number at about age 10.
Structure of the Brain p280
 Newborns - Responses are reflexes, not learned
responses. Grasping when touched, kicking off
blankets
 6 month old – Has learned that blankets and socks can
be pulled off.
 1 year old – Can stack toys, stand up, and walk.
Parts of the Brain p281
Cerebrum
 Receives information from senses and directs motor
activities.
 Controls
 Speech
 Memory
 Problem solving
 Most of the activities occur in the cortex or cerebral
cortex (outer layer)
Parts of the Brain p281 Cont.
Thalamus
 Connects spinal cord and cerebrum
 Controls emotions
Parts of the Brain p281 Cont.
Cerebellum
 Controls
 Muscles
 Coordination
 Balance
 Posture
Parts of the Brain p281 Cont.
Spinal Cord
 Transmits info from the body to the brain
 Transmits info from brain to body
 Coordinates activities of the left and right sides of the
body
 Controls simple reflexes that don’t involve the brain
Parts of the Brain p281 Cont.
 Brain Stem
 Controls involuntary activities
 Breathing
 Heart rate
 Blood pressure
Parts of the Brain p281 Cont.
 Pituitary Gland
 Secretes hormones that regulate:
 Growth
 Metabolism
 Sexual development
How the Brain Works p282
Neurons – nerve cells in the brain
 You are born with millions of neurons.
 You are born with all that you will ever have – none are
added during life.
 Connected by axons and dendrites
Axons = arms of neurons that transmits information
 Coated with myelin
How the Brain Works p282 Cont.
Myelin = waxy protein substance that helps transmit the
info
Dendrites = arms of neurons that receive information
from the axons.
 They are like branches reaching out toward each other
but never touch.
Synapses = space /gap between dendrites
How the Brain Works p282 Cont
Neurotransmitters = chemicals released by the axon to
the dendrites
 The chemicals look for a dendrite to connect with but
can only attach to ones with the right kind of
receptors.
 The more times the same axon and dendrite connect,
the stronger the connection – can send and receive
messages faster.
 This is the reason repeated sensory input is important.
How the Brain Works p282 Cont
 Connections in an infant’s brain are increased by a
stimulating environment or decreased by a lack of
stimulation.
 This can be a 25% change in either direction.
 Babies love visual stimulation and prefer high contrast
images
Building the Brain p284
 The more dendrites that grow, the more links that
develop, and the more neural pathways that grow
 The more links / neural pathways, the more brain
power
 The more brain power, the more it can do and the
more flexible it becomes
 Ex: The more roads there are, the more places you can
go and the more choices you can make.
Building the Brain p284
 The increase in connections is the result of sensory
input
 The more interaction the more complex the brain’s
“wiring” becomes.
How the Brain Becomes Organized
 Each child’s brain is organized in a unique way based
on their experiences.
 As connections grow, a group of neurons link together
and become systems of nerve cells that control an
action or thinking.
 Ex: A group of neurons can work together to control
drinking from a cup or holding a spoon. Every time
they try, synaptic connections fires together in a
sequence. After repetition, they get it down.
How the Brain Becomes Organized
 Connections are NOT permanent. If you don’t keep
repeating them, they diminish.
 People forget what they have learned.
 Old saying:
“If you don’t use it, you lose it.”
 Children build so many connections that they have to
lose surplus ones to make room for new ones and
getting better at old ones.
 Pruning = helps the brain focus on unseful
connections,
Is the Brain Organized Only Once?
 The brain can be reorganized.
 If one part is damaged, the person may use other areas
to accomplish what the damaged area once controlled.
Speeding the Brain’s Work
 Myelin coats the axons making it easier to transmit
signals.
 When born, only the nerves that control basic
instincts have the myelin. As they grow, other axons
acquire myelin and this continues till about 21.
 Axons in the area that controls motor skills, vision, and
hearing get the myelin first.
Speeding the Brain’s Work
 Children who learn slower may not have axons that
have yet been coated with myelin. Therefore, the
messages are coming slower.
 If the coating is lost, it affects how the brain and body
function.
 People with multiple sclerosis lack myelin.
Questions p 287
1. In what part of the brain is the cerebra cortex?
2. What abilities does the cerebellum control?
3. How do dendrites and axons function together in the
4.
5.
6.
7.
brain?
How does myelin help axons do their work?
How do repeated experiences help organize the
brain?
What happens to synapses throughout life/
What impact on learning results from the rate of the
spread of myelin?
Intellectual Development During
the First Year p 288
Objectives:
 List four signs of intellectual growth in infants.
 Identify Piaget’s first period of learning and describe
specific abilities that babies learn during this period.
 Summarize the importance of sensory stimulation to
the intellectual development of infants.
 Describe the progression of concept development in
young children.
Intellectual Development During
the First Year p 288
Terms
 Perception
 Attention span
 Sensorimotor period
 Object permanence
 Imaginative play
 Symbolic thinking
 Concepts
 Show the PPT from Iowa FCS that has been modified