Brain development

Neural Development
Most of the human brain’s 100 billion neurons are in place before birth. Synapses rapidly grow more numerous and dense after birth. A dense network of synapses facilitates transmission of more messages in the brain, affording better processing of cognitive, social, and emotional information.

Children need a variety of sensory experiences to help neural material develop. When children are deprived of sensory stimulation, they may exhibit developmental delays and disabilities. Certain developmental tasks appear to have sensitive periods, or stages at which exposure to certain experiences is essential to developing certain skills.

Neural synapses develop rapidly in early childhood, and prune when unused. Children benefit cognitively, emotionally, and physically from many, varied sensory experiences. More importantly, sensory deprivation can lead to cognitive and emotional problems for children.

Children benefit from interactions with sensitive, responsive adults who help them to manage strong, negative emotions. These caring relationships are particularly important in the early years.

Frequent and intense stress in early childhood is associated with cognitive and emotional problems in childhood and into adulthood. Warm, sensitive caregiving is associated with lower cortisol levels and healthier growth, social and emotional development.

http://early-childhood-education-online.org/child-development-domains/83-brain-development.html