Mirror Neurons; What are They?

The concept of mirror neurons, brain cells that fire when you see someone doing an action, was first described by scientists in 1992. It is believed that humans learn language, facial expressions, physical actions, and even empathy through the brains ability to send signals to the appropriate brain area by merely watching an action take place. Through understanding this concept of mirror neurons and how they operate we can help train and teach our children new activities, games, language, and appropriate social interactions. When helping children learn new skills watching the task completed will aid in the learning process. This reinforces the importance of "face time" with our children, and making sure that our babies and toddlers see our physical expressions and watch the movements of our mouths as we speak in order to facilitate their language development. Seeing our physical expressions along with hearing speech will help our children develop understanding of language and the emotions that coincide with our words and tone of voice.

On a practical level, one way that I use mirror neurons with my children is during feeding time. To help a distracted eater, I would present a spoonful of food while I show them my own open mouth. The usual results are a copying of the open mouth position and a renewed interest in the food. Before teaching your toddler a new activity, such as kicking a ball for example it will help him to learn if you show him how you do it and then assist him in copying you. Keep the concept of mirror neurons in mind when you attempt to teach your toddler or child a new activity.

Technologies Effect on Your baby and Toddler Development

There are many television programs and videos that are designed to catch the eye of babies and toddlers and keep their attention for quite some time.  Some of these shows are educational and are developed to help your child learn colors, numbers, language, and concepts.  How can we know if the technology that is available for our children is beneficial or detrimental? There are many studies that show that too much television, DVD watching, and computer game playing can negatively impact a child's attention and can increase the risk of  other related learning issues.  There are other studies that contradict these results claiming that the right programs can encourage language development and other cognitive skills.  It can be confusing to parents who want to do what's best for their child.  Well the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children two years of age and under do not watch any television at all.  Here is what I do know.  When a baby is watching television he is not being actively engaged in conversation which is essential for the development of language skill.  When a baby is in a room with an adult that is watching a program that adult is not actively engaged in conversation with her.  When a baby or toddler is watching television they are losing precious time that they could use exploring and learning from their environment and their experiences   When a baby is watching television she is not using  her body to move and practice her motor skills. It is for all these reasons that I feel that babies and young children should avoid or be exposed to as limited television and related technologies as possible. 

Let me know what you think.

Ways to Build Your Baby's Attention

Your baby will be interested in things that are different, therefore when stimulating learning and attention you should create an environment with many differences. Some examples of differences are: sounds that can be high or low and items of contrasting colors or size such as things that are very big or very little.  Provide your baby with new and different things to look at, feel, taste, and listen to.  Provide things to engage with that you know that your baby is interested in, such as certain songs or objects you have observed that he enjoys or is curious about. Other ways of stimulating your baby's interest are using his favorite toys or including his name in play such as when reading a story or telling a nursery rhyme.  You can help train your baby to stay alert and shift attention by your interactions with him through your facial expressions, voice tone, and games that facilitate visual tracking.

The Benefits of Breast Feeding

I recently received a correspondence from an RN who expressed disappointment that the Baby Instructions DVD series does not address breast feeding. 
 She wrote:  Breast fed babies are healthier, spend less time in the hospital in the first 2 years of life, experience fewer infections, develop  fewer allergies, and research has shown to age 8 (and I am sure beyond that age as we continue the research) have higher IQ’s than the formula fed infants.  

This blog is dedicated to her and will provide information on the importance of breast feeding.
Breast milk is best for baby with its benefits extending beyond nutrition.  Breast milk contains all the vitamins and nutrients that a baby needs in the first 6 months of life as well as disease fighting substances that protect a baby from illness.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life.
Scientific studies have proven that breast fed babies have decreased instances of stomach viruses, respiratory illness, and ear infections. When breast fed babies do present with these illnesses the severity and duration of symptoms are decreased as compared to formula fed babies.
A research study that included over 17,000 infants followed over a period of 6.5 years indicated that breastfeeding improves cognitive development.

Preterm infants with extremely low birth weight who received breast milk shortly after birth improved their mental development scores at 18 months when compared with preterm infants who weren't given breast milk. In a later study, researchers found that the higher scores held at 30 months, and that the babies who received breast milk were also less likely to be hospitalized again because of respiratory infections.

A  long-term study of children who were breastfed showed that breastfeeding reduces food allergies at least through adolescence. Protection from allergies is one of the most important benefits of breastfeeding. The incidence of cow's milk allergies is up to seven times greater in babies who are fed artificial baby milk instead of human milk.

While breast feeding is natural it is not always a process that goes smoothly initially. Don’t be discouraged if you experience some challenges.  Consult with a lactation specialist if you need help or support.

On a personal note, I had difficulty nursing my first baby 21 years ago.  I was young and inexperienced at the time and would not have been successful if it had not been for the help of my sister in law.  If you are having any difficulties seek out people that can support you as you learn about the joy the beauty of nursing your baby.

The Importance of Play

Play is an essential part of your baby's development. Play in the first year is how your baby will learn about his world and his body. Your baby will learn from the toys your provide for him, but more importantly your baby will learn from exploration. When he touches, squeezes, pushes and pulls items he is learning about his world. When your baby moves his arms and kicks his feet, he is learning about his body.  In this early stage of development your baby will rely on his senses: touch, sight, smell, taste and hearing, to make sense of the new world he has arrived in. Exploration and play are an essential part of this development. Promote play fullness and desire to play by creating many social opportunities with face time, smiling, and cooing conversations. Allow for plenty of movement opportunities for physical development and provide multiple age appropriate items for your baby to reach for, grab, mouth, and touch. All of your baby's development will be enhanced through play.

Your Infant's Grasp and Hand Manipulation Skill Development

Understanding your infant's grasp pattern development and abilities will help you to know what  toys and items your baby is ready to explore with.  Your newborn's grasp is controlled by his involuntary grasp reflex pattern. Your baby will grasp any small item placed in his hand and will continue to hold on to that item without a real awareness that anything is in his hand. It's a good idea to stimulate this grasp response by encouraging your baby to hold your finger while you shake his hand and by providing ring like toys and rattles for your baby to hold. This involuntary response will help prepare your baby for the next stage of purposeful grasp which should happen at about 3 months.  Your baby will start to control and understand that something has been placed in his hand even though he is not yet reaching for items himself. At 5 months, your baby can reach and grasp items independently. By 7 months old your baby will be able to reach and grasp items with his full hand and will explore these items with his mouth and eyes. At this point your baby has developed the ability to grasp items voluntarily as well as release these items to let them fall when he wishes.  It is around this time, when your baby can hold items in each hand, that he will begin to problem solve how to retrieve a third desired item if both of his hands are occupied. At 9 months your baby should begin to pass small items from one hand to the other. With this new found hand manipulation skill your baby will begin to actively engage with toys and items in his environment.

Your Baby's use of the Sensory System to Learn

We learn and experience our world through our senses. What we taste, touch, hear, see, and smell teach us about the world we are living in ( sensory experiences help build neural connections). We need to create an environment for our child that is rich with experience through the senses. 
Here are some examples of sensory experiences.

Music in a variety of different beats, volumes, tones, voices, and tempo.
Providing the opportunity to play with toys and environmental objects of varied texture.
Providing books and pictures of varied colored and patterns to look at.
Providing a variety of things for our children to taste, sweet and sour foods, and so on.

Your baby will go through a stage form 4 months to about a year when everything will go into her mouth.  This is normal, your baby is learning about objects by how they taste and feel in their mouths.  As a matter a fact your baby will need to learn every item individually through each one of her senses.

Your 8 month old might crawl to a ball she sees on the floor, and notice it is round and green.  She might try to pick it up and feel its fuzzy surface. She might bring it toward her face and notice a scent to the ball as she places it in her mouth. While in her mouth she will learn that it is not and edible object but the experience will further reinforce what she has already learned by touching the ball, that it is a fuzzy texture.  She might then try to shake or drop the ball and will learn if this object does or does not make a sound. Your baby will need to do this with every new object she encounters in her world until she is satisfied that she has learned everythin there is to know about that object.

We can even help encourage the sense of smell by pointing out, naming, and expressing the different smells in food and in her world.  This is true for all of our experiences through our senses. Go ahead and label what your child is learning, aid her on her exploration and journey by telling her things like " That feels bumpy" or "We smell flowers they smell nice."

Most importantly, we must understand that new and varied sensory experiences provide our children with experiences that will help them grow.  So encourage safe exploration as much as possible.