Chapter 7 Physical Development in Early Childhood Brain Development o There is considerable brain development in the preschool years o For example by age 5 the brain is 90 of its adult weight o The Importance of Myelination Mylenization brain areas first mylenated are vision and movement During early childhood the fibers that connect the cerebellum to the cerebral cortex grow and myelinate These changes improve children s balance and control of body movements Mylenization in the regions of the brain that govern hand eye coordination also continues through early childhood o Connecting the Brain s Hemispheres The corpus callosum myelinates rapidly during the preschool early childhood years This leads to more efficient communication between hemispheres Therefore kids can more easily perform actions that involve both halves of the brain or body o Synaptogenesis the connection between neurons growth of axons and dendrites o Synaptic pruning the cutting of unused synapses synapses are overused at first which synapses promotes brain plasticity o Mirror neurons certain neurons fired when performing an activity and observing an activity Occurs with physical activity emotions and sensations First seen in monkeys Brain anatomy changes o Gray matter working tissues of brain s cortex o 1st structural changes Maturation in areas of most basic functions Processing senses movement Maturation of areas dealing with spatial orientation and language o Reasoning and executive functions frontal cortex o Planning and Analyzing Frontal lobe areas for planning and organization develop The prefrontal cortex or frontal lobe is essential for higher order cognition including attention planning and impulse control This begins to develop during the early childhood years Rapid growth between 3 and 6 years Not fully mature until early 20s o Development helps with impulse control Ex Simon Says The Marshmallow Test Children given a marshmallow and told if they wait 15 minutes they get another one delay of gratification 2 3 of kids ate it but 1 3 waited The kids that waited have better impulse control and were doing better in school later in life Growth in this area also leads to better attention abilities Effortful control o Capable of compliance between 12 and 18 months o Toddlers assert autonomy by sometimes not complying o Delay of gratification shows self control o Warm sensitive care giving increases compliance Helping develop Compliance o Respond with sensitivity and support o Give advance notice of change in activities o Offer many prompts and reminders o Reinforce self control behavior noticing the effort o Encourage sustained attentions o Support language development o Increase rules gradually Parts of the Limbic System o Amygdala registers emotions especially fear and anxiety fight or flight Its increased activity in early childhood can lead to nightmares irrational fears o The hippocampus processes memory especially of locations Memories of locations are fragile in childhood Young children might forget where when how a fact was learned Source memory issues Recurs in old age Info from children testifying in court Real vs imagined or dreamed Brain Anatomy o Changes in gray matter of brain s cortex during early childhood o Lateralization Left hemisphere particularly active 3 6 years old Right hemisphere particularly active 3 11 years old o Frontal lobes develops significantly during early childhood Handedness Effortful control ability to withhold a first response and choose another o Begins as early as one year and strengthens o By 5 years old most kids have preference o 85 90 are right handed o Affected by Experience Position in uterus laying on left or right side in uterus effects blood flow in brain Practice Ex breaking your arm Some people are ambidextrous and can use both hands o Early damage to left hemisphere may cause shift in handedness However most left handers have no developmental problems and more likely to excel in both verbal and math skills Motor Skill Development in Early Childhood o Gross Motor Skills Involve large muscle movement Walking running Catching throwing swinging riding a bike o Fine Motor Skills Involve small muscle movements Self help dressing buttoning zipping eating Drawing These are more difficult to master and require muscular control and patience Changes in Gross and Fine Motor Skills During Early Childhood o 2 years kick a ball walk up down stairs 2 feet at a time o 2 5 years jumps with both feet walk on tiptoes o 4 yrs skips on one foot throws overhand jumps well from standing position o 5 years hops and skips has good balance can ride a bike with training wheels
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