Brain development is a process that ascends like staircases and continues from the womb to young adulthood. Nerve cells called neurons begin to develop in the womb and multiply rapidly, but the number of neurons decreases after birth. However, connections between neurons develop and create brain functions. One of the most important factors in increasing these connections is the activation of the baby's learning process by gaining new experiences. The periods when brain development occurs most rapidly are 0-2 years of age and adolescence.
Apart from genetic factors, the most important role in brain development falls on nutrition. Nutritional deficiencies can slow down brain development and lead to developmental delay. However, it is known that substance use during pregnancy negatively affects the baby's brain development.
The sense of touch is very important in terms of mental and emotional development. The baby's tactile perceptions such as touch, pain, heat and cold develop at birth. Newborn babies perceive tactile stimuli but cannot know their location. Babies who are exposed to pain in the early stages of development may develop sensitivity to pain later in life. For healthy development, the baby needs experiences such as being hugged, hugged, caressed, and touching objects. Developmental or emotional problems are observed in babies whose touch needs are not adequately met.
The sense of taste and smell has also developed by birth. Smells begin to be perceived while in the womb and the embryo can react to odors. In order to develop the sense of taste and smell and to form feeding habits, it is necessary to introduce the baby to different tastes from the womb and to enable him to try various foods, especially during the supplementary feeding period.
Another sense, vision, is the least developed at birth. While the baby watches the surroundings with intermittent eye movements in the first 3 months, it starts to follow constantly. Clear color vision only develops fully in the 4th month. Research shows that babies are sensitive to human faces from the first months. Babies who are a few months old prefer a certain face, especially the face of the mother or primary caregiver.
Finally, the sense of hearing also affects the mother. It occurs in the abdomen. In the last months of pregnancy, that is, at the 27th week and later, the baby begins to hear sounds. During this period, the mother's voice clearly reaches the baby. For this reason, the newborn prefers the mother's voice. Another check-up that should not be missed in newborns is a hearing screening.
For healthy brain development, the baby must be adequately exposed to many external stimuli such as touch, taste, smell, colors, shapes and sound. Child development between the ages of 0-6 is evaluated with the Denver II Developmental Screening Test. With this test, Personal-Social, Fine Motor, Language and Gross Motor skills are examined according to the child's age, developmental problems can be detected at an early stage and it is understood how the child should be supported.
0-2 Years Developmental Steps
The newborn can move his arms and legs symmetrically while lying on his back. He can follow moving objects with his eyes. It reacts to sound.
At the age of 2 months, it can lift its head from the ground and follow the object 90 degrees with its head. He can make sounds.
At the age of 4 months, he can hold his head upright while sitting, reaches for the object, and turns his head towards the sound. He laughs at himself.
At 6 months of age, he can roll onto his back while lying face down, can hold his head without dropping while sitting, can pass objects from hand to hand, and begins to make sounds as if he is talking to himself.
At 8 months, he can sit with his hands supported. Can reach with arms and knock objects on the ground. He can pronounce the syllables 'ba' and 'ma'.
He can stand by holding on at the age of 10 months. Imitates hand movements, such as waving and clapping. He can pick up small objects by pulling them with his finger.
He can crawl and walk with help at the age of 12 months. He begins to use words knowingly, such as mother and father.
He can walk on his own at 15 months. The word count increases to four or five. Can scribble on paper with pencil. He points to explain what he wants.
He can climb stairs with help at the age of 18 months. He can throw the ball across with his hand. He can drink water from a glass. It can show its mouth, nose and eyes.
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