Week 11: 4 functions of the brain

Why is brain development important in child development? Due to the intense periods of growth in the first few years, children are most susceptible to developing a healthy, safe and nurturing foundation that will ensure their successes throughout the remainder of their lives. Proper brain development will ensure that each child is starting their life with their best foot forward.

Positive Factors that Influence the Brain:

- secure attachment: needs are being met.

This may look like:

- trust (ex. that they will be fed)

- connection (positive experiences with primary care giver)

- safety: warm, safe and free from abuse

- positive stress: stress that is brief and tolerable- may feel like mild discomfort.

Negative Factors that Influence the Brain:

- neglect: needs are not being met (ex. inconsistency in diet/feeding times)

- toxic stress: reoccurring and/or frequent stressors (ex. left to "cry it out" and/or left in crib all night alone)

Serve + Return Interactions	Stress	Executive Function + Self- Regulation	​Epigenetics: genetic make-up of the genome structure
Positive , frequent and continuous interactions with caregivers - touch - eye contact - affection	Healthy/Positive Stress: - meeting new people - going to an unfamiliar play park Toxic Stress: - abuse - neglect - addiction	​- rules + worries - learning to share toys - learning right from wrong - stealing a cookie - learning to prioritize tasks - learning to manage stress	​Epigenetic structure is altered by experiences (both negative + positive) - positive, supportive + protective vs. distress, adversity - +/- experiences dictate a child's ability to express emotions, self-regulate and how to handle unfamiliar/stressful situations.

* Please see "reference page" for all cited material.