Early stimulation helps give a boost to the brains of babies, according to a new study which contradicts the belief that children’s development is determined by their genes and could not be influenced.
Researchers from Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Norway used advanced electroencephalogram (EEG) technology for many years to study the brain activity of hundreds of babies. The results show that the neurons in the brains of young children quickly increase in both number and specialisation as the baby learns new skills and becomes more mobile.
Neurons in very young children form up to a thousand new connections per second.
The research also shows that the development of our brain, sensory perception and motor skills happen in sync and that even the smallest babies must be challenged and stimulated at their level from birth onward.