Do you remember the joy and pride of holding your newborn? Your squishy baby, those loud cries and your arms aching to cuddle him and give him comfort?

As I held my own fresh newborn, I remember feeling such a mix of emotions: happy, joyous, proud–but overwhelmed, too. I remember thinking to myself: how do I care for him?

In hardly any time, my little man grew into a toddler. I embraced the playful moments along with the meltdowns and emotionally challenging moments. The researcher inside me often thought: what is going on in his little brain? How can we help him grow into a fine boy? How can we nurture his brain development?

Neurological development or brain growth begins very early in life, just a few weeks after conception. The foundation for sensory, visual and cognitive functioning is laid and developed in the first years of your child’s life. Encouraging and providing our children with proper stimulation and good experiences helps the brain cells to mature, proliferate, and form connections.

While brain growth begins prior to birth, this growth continues into the teenage years and eventually into early adulthood. As parents, we can help  support the physical, emotional, social, and language development of our children.

Here are 10 remarkable neuroscience findings and ways in which we can support the neurological growth of our children: [Read more…]