READING 1 Early Child Development

A brain imaging method that measures brain activity is applied to newborns to study early perception of speech.

EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Read the following article. Pay special attention to the words in bold. 10.1

Do you think that babies can benefit from listening to classical music or seeing great works of art? Some parents think that these activities can increase a baby’s intelligence. While there is no scientific evidence to support this, research shows that a baby’s early experiences influence brain development. The first three years of a baby’s life affect his or her emotional development and learning abilities for the rest of his or her life. It is a well-known fact that talking to infants increases their language ability and that reading to them is the most important thing parents can do to raise a good reader. A recent study shows that children from birth to eight years old are spending much more time with screens than books.

Babies whose parents rarely talk to them or hold them may experience long-term damage. One study shows that kids who hardly play or who aren’t touched very much develop brains 20 to 50 percent smaller than normal.

A study at the University of North Carolina followed children from preschool to young adulthood. The results showed that children who got highquality preschool education from the time they were infants benefited in later life. In this study, 23 percent of children who had high-quality preschool education graduated from college, compared with only 6 percent of children who did not have preschool education.

While it is important to give babies stimulating activities, experts warn that parents shouldn’t overstimulate them. Finding a balance between play, relaxation, and educational activities is beneficial for parents and children alike.