 Maximizing Your Child's Learning Potential (environment and nutrition are key)
Source: Philippine Star Date: 12/2/08
From the time your baby was born, you have already been eagerly awaiting his first smile, first step, and first word. These are milestones that make parents swell with pride and also provide
them with the assurance that the
baby is progressing to the utmost of
his abilities. But when the rest of the same-age kids at the playground
seem to be doing things that your child has yet to master, it might
require you to take a second look at the so-called triad of factors in
a child’s mental development.
In
the first few years of life, paying attention to the triad of factors
could spell the difference between the optimal learning of your child
and a genuine cause for concern. Children will satisfactorily develop
their mental skills when parents can successfully address these three
key considerations: one, a well-formed and functioning nervous system;
two, a good learning environment; and three, proper nutrition.
“There
should be interplay among these three important factors,” advises Dr.
Joselyn Eusebio, a developmental and behavioral pediatrician with 18
years of experience. “It’s not just about having good genes. Nutrition
and stimulation are especially important at that time when brain
development is at its peak.”
Dr.
Eusebio is one of the co-authors of the Wyeth Minds in Progress module
currently being used to teach parents how to optimize their child’s
learning. One of the main points of the module is to take advantage of
the early stages when brain development is at its peak.
“The
brain has a certain degree of ‘plasticity’ but only up to a certain
age,” she explains. According to the Wyeth module, the first three
years of life is a period of incredible growth in all areas of
development. This is the time when the brain has the maximum number of
neurons and synapses, making it highly sensitive to new input and,
consequently, learning. Constantly stimulating the child’s brain will
ensure that it retains as much of this capacity as the child gets
older. An environment that engages a child’s senses and gives him
opportunities to learn and act will accomplish this.
More,
Dr. Joselyn Eusebio mentions, “If the environment is not stimulating,
there may be delays in a child’s development, which may result in some
misbehaviors. For example, a child with language delay may exhibit
unacceptable behaviors like throwing tantrums and acting
uncontrollable, because of his inability to express his needs and to be
understood by the people around him.
It
is also during the preschool stage when nutrition can easily affect a
child’s mental growth. A balanced diet at an early age can help
strengthen a child’s ability to learn, communicate, think analytically,
socialize effectively, and adapt to new environments and people. The
opposite can impede these abilities in children below eight years old.
Dr.
Iris Mendiola-Tanchuling, a pediatrician from St. Luke’s Hospital,
explains: “Your brain won’t have the necessary building blocks to get
bigger, to make longer synapses, and make neural connections.”
For
a child at this stage, progress can be quick. It can all depend on what
you know about the triad of factors. Paying attention to brain
development, creating a stimulating environment, and providing proper
nutrition are the keys to maximizing your child’s learning potential.
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