Transcript Document

Brain development
in the Early Years
06/12/2013
Aim and objections
Aim
•Overview -context of the early years foundation
stage.
Objective
•Three main brain areas and synapsis
•Brain chemistry
•Typical brain development
•Atypical brain development
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Aim: overall understanding
90% of brain growth occurs in the first five years of life!!!!
“The kind of parenting (care) we get as
babies makes a big difference to the
brain we develop.
If we’re nurtured lovingly, we thrive
emotionally.”
Sue Gerhardt Why Love Matters (2004)
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)
Brain development
The Triune
•Stem/ reptilian
–FFF
–Basic survival instincts
BORN WITH
•Limbic/ mammalian
–EMOTIONS
–Controls reptilian instincts
•Cortex
–Logic and reasoning
–Cognition
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Sue Gerhardt Why Love Matters (2004)
The Triune… Stem
•Most ancient part of the brain.
–Evolved around 300 million years ago
•Controls instinctive behaviours related to
survival, including
–Hunger
–Breathing
–Movement
–Fight; flight or freeze
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Sue Gerhardt Why Love Matters (2004)
The Triune… Limbic
•Aka: Emotional/ mammalian/ lower brain
•Activates
–Rage
–Fear
–Separation distress
–Social bonding
–Caring and nurturing
–Exploratory urges
–Lust in adults
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The Triune… Limbic
•Triggers strong emotions.
•Helps control the ‘automatic’ stem.
•Immature at birth- adults help to regulate
*Reaction of baby when door slams
*Difference in the effect of 1o
caregiver leaving room for baby of 3
months vs 11 months
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The Triune… Cortex
•Aka the rational/ neo-cortex/ higher brain
•Newest part of the brain in evolutionary terms.
•Incompletely formed at birth: limited
connections (synapsis) between cells
•Life EXPERIENCES develop synapsis.
What are SYNAPSIS?????
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The Triune… Cortex
•Cortex: Born with approximately 200 billion
brain cells with few connections.
•Wiring begins in the womb …pre-natal
experiences count!
•First three years- RAPID GROWTH
–50 trillion synapsis at birth vs 1000 trillion at aged
three.
•Pruning: use it or lose it… nurturing
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Life experiences
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Theory of mind
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Wimmer & Perner (1983) Unexpected Transfer Task
Brain development
•
Piaget’s object permanence test.
•
Smarties ‘deceptive box’ test,
• Perner et al., (1987)
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Brain chemistry
Neurotransmitters: chemical messengers
Feel good chemicals
•Oxytocin
•Opioids
•Serotonin
•Dopamine
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Stress chemicals
Noradrenaline
Cortisol
Brain chemistry
•Oxytocin
–LOVE hormone
–Released at birth
–Relaxes all body systems
•Sense of bliss,
relaxation and ‘dreamylike’ states
•Calmness promotes
‘learning’
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•Opioids
–Released with gentle
touch
–Give a sense of wellbeing
Brain chemistry
Serotonin
•Low levels associated with
IMPULSIVITY
–excitement
•Influenced by relationships
–social and emotional
intelligence
•Attention
•Stress in infancy can negatively
affect serotonin levels
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Dopamine
•Drive
–Makes us feel like we can do
anything
•Arousal
•Curiosity
–Have a good idea and carry
through with it.
•Excitement, thrill and satisfaction
•‘get-up and go’
•Low DA levels can hinder attention
Brain chemistry
Adrenaline
•Produced in response to
stress
•Being alert- physiological
arousal: increase blood
pressure; heart rate etc.
•Drive
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Cortisol
•Fear hormone
•Halts other body systems
because believes body in crisis
•Fight/ flight/ freeze
•Chronic high cortisol hinders
cortex development
•Vital for immune system
Typical brain development- EYFS
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Typical brain development- EYFS
Activity
•PSED…
–Making relationships
– Self confidence and self awareness
–Managing feelings and behaviours
•Groups to explore and discuss in relation to
brain development knowledge.
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Atypical brain development
STRESS
“Enhanced reactivity to a biologically salient cue such as anger
may represent a response for those children in the short term,
helping to keep them out of danger. However, it may also
constitute an underlying neurobiological risk factor increasing
their vulnerability to later mental health problems and
particularly anxiety”
Dr Eamon McCrory: UCL Division of Psychology
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Atypical brain development
•STRESS… Salient cues:
–Abuse, aggression, witnessing DV etc.
–Other causes of stress include
•Being hungry, cold, wet, scared
•Getting mixed messages from caregivers
•Being left to cry on their own (Super nanny!!!)
•Behaviours shown are a NATURAL response to stress.
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Atypical brain development
When a baby is left crying
•high levels of toxic stress hormones wash over
the brain.
•The brain and body’s stress responses kick in
•Pain circuits are activated, just as they would be
if he were physically hurt
Margot Sunderland 2006. The Science of parenting
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Atypical brain development
Hyper-arousal (fight/
flight)
Dissociative (freeze/
surrender
•Poor impulse control
•Avoidant
•Aggression
•Day dreaming
•Anxiety
•Fugue
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Summary
•Starting to acknowledge ‘instinct’ through neurological evidence.
•Implement in practice
•Factors that impact on EYFS
–1.1 Emotionally safe
–2.2 K/U of L/D
– 2.3 Attachment
–2.6 Social development
–3.1 Early childhood development
–4.4 Informed plans
–5.1 Personal circumstances
–5.4 Transition (Settling B)
–5.5 Concerns (typical development knowledge)
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