by Louise Hajjar Diamond
Our family recently celebrated the first birthday of our second child.
At her party, I reflected on how much she has grown and learned since
her birth. She is no longer the helpless infant I once held. Although
still a baby, she has blossomed into a bright-eyed, interactive,
mobile, and curious little girl.
It is truly amazing how much babies develop during the first year of
life. By baby’s first birthday, he or she has accomplished an
unparalleled amount of growth. Linear growth may be as much as ten
inches the first year. The baby’s brain will be approximately 35%
larger than it was at birth.
Parents and caregivers have a crucial opportunity to ensure that baby’s
potential is maximized through loving, appropriate interactions and
nurturing. Read on to discover what happens during a child’s first year
and find ways to enrich your little one’s development while enjoying
every moment.
Brain Development
Dr. Roni Leiderman, the Associate Dean at the Mailman Segal Institute
for Early Childhood Studies at Nova Southeastern University in Fort
Lauderdale, Florida explains that a “newborn’s brain has the potential
to produce billions of cells and neurons. These cells, and the
connections that are made between cells, form the basis for a child to
function in the world.”
At birth, a child is programmed to learn and to process information
about relationships, emotions, language, and reasoning by using all
five senses. Dr. Leiderman explains that, “through appropriate
stimulation such as playing with, singing to, holding and rocking,
feeding and nurturing and loving your baby, his or her brain will grow
and develop to allow for intellectual, physical and emotional growth.”
Language
While in the womb, infants listen and become familiar with the tones
and sounds of voices around them. By cooing, talking, and reading to
your new baby, you create the brain circuits necessary for language and
development. According to Dr. Leiderman, “Babies are so attentive to
words and sounds that by six months old, they will have distinctively
different babbling sounds that are unique to their primary language.
The more words a child hears by the age of two, the more expansive his
or her vocabulary will be as an adult. The acquisition of language is
solely supported by a child’s early experiences and through his or her
interactions with others.”
* Read to your baby. Although many babies seem more interested in
nibbling on books than listening to them, they will benefit from
hearing stories aloud. Reading not only increases vocabulary; it
prepares a child to be a reader and learner. Talking to your baby
during daily rituals such as feedings, diaper changes, and bath time
will benefit your child and build language and emotional capacity.
Relationships and Emotions
“By two months old, infants are beginning to experience complex
feelings such as joy, sadness, empathy, and anger,” says Dr. Leiderman.
Studies have shown that newborns can recognize their parents and other
primary caretakers and even imitate their facial expressions. “These
are the precursors to building relationships throughout their lives,”
Dr. Leiderman elaborates. She suggests that “attunement, the way in
which parents reflect, respect, and respond to their baby’s feelings,
plays a critical role in influencing your child’s emotional
intelligence.”
To nurture and support emotional growth and development, parents and
caregivers need to provide responsive and consistent care. We can do
this by not only meeting baby’s basic needs such as feeding, diapering,
and bathing, but by making baby feel secure and loved.
* Sing to your baby. Your little one doesn’t mind if you sing off key
or you can’t remember the words. Instead, his or her face will light up
by the reassuring sounds of your singing voice.
* Hug, hold, kiss, and talk to your baby while using eye contact and positive tone of voice and facial expressions.
Reasoning and Cognition
Babies benefit from having a portion of their day dedicated to free
play or exploration. Dr. Leiderman says babies “learn through sensory
experiences, repetition and practice, trial and error, and problem
solving. Research suggests that children who are exposed to meaningful
and developmentally appropriate experiences have larger brains with
more neural connections than children who had limited experiences.”
These connections provide for future skill acquisition and learning in
general.
* Place baby in an area with age-appropriate colorful toys or other
safe objects such as pots and pans. Entice baby by alternating toys and
surroundings. Even babies that are not yet mobile will benefit from
various visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli. Allow babies to explore
using all of their senses by clearing the area of choking hazards,
pets, and anything potentially harmful.
You needn’t spend all day entertaining or thinking of ways to captivate
babies. As busy parents, we can steal precious moments to bond with and
enrich our little ones during feedings, play, and bath time. Cherish
every minute with your infant and toddler. By providing a loving, safe,
and nurturing environment, your child will be on target for further
growth and learning.
Find Out More
Suggested Reading:
•
Baby Play, coedited by Dr. Leiderman and her colleague Dr. Wendy Masi.
•
Toddler Play, edited by Dr. Masi.
•
Your Baby’s First Year: Week by Week, by Glade B. Curtis, MD.
•
The First Twelve Months of Life: Your Baby’s Growth Month by Month, by Theresa Caplan.
Classes:
• Parents can participate in parent/baby classes offering a
multi-sensory approach for growth and development through music,
interactive, and exploratory play and physical movement.
Websites:
BrightFutures.org
ZerotoThree.org
Louise Hajjar Diamond is a guidance counselor, freelance writer, and mother of two. She lives in Florida.