The Importance of Healthy Brain Development

Type
Course
Date of Publication
July 7, 2021
Price
See Agrilife Learn

Overview

In this course, you will learn about healthy brain development. We discuss the importance of responsive interactions and secure attachments, how interactions drive language development, the roles of major brain chemicals, the impact of trauma on the developing brain, and strategies for supporting brain development.

Course Information

In this online course, you will learn the importance of healthy brain development.

We begin by discussing how our understanding of brain development has changed from past to present.

We then describe how the brain develops and emphasize that healthy brain development is dependent upon responsive interactions and supportive attachment relationships.

We also discuss how children learn language through interaction and overview the primary roles of the five major brain chemicals. In addition to illustrating the impact of trauma on the developing brain, we offer strategies for encouraging healthy brain development.

Finally, we highlight the importance of predictable, consistent daily routines for supporting optimal brain development.

Looking for solutions in your county? Contact your local extension experts

More choices in Aging & Caregiving

  • Course

    Engaging families to become involved in their child’s early care and education sets the foundation for that involvement to continue throughout the child’s schooling. Helping families understand the importance of this involvement is critical. Families may not always understand how important they are in the education process, from early care onwards.

    In this two-hour course, the learner will describe strategies for conducting orientations, holding formal meetings with families, discussing ways to support child development at home, encouraging parent involvement, and determining community resources available to help families and their children.

  • Course

    As early childhood educators, you are not only keeping children safe and healthy through the environment you have in place but also teaching children about safety and modeling safe, healthy practices.

    After completing this 2-hour course, the learner will be able to describe ways to keep children physically safe, explain how to teach children about safety and modeling safe practices, support wellness during routines, describe how to respond to injuries and emergencies, and engage families in safe practices.

  • Course

    Children are born curious about the world in which they live. In this course, we discuss how to use a variety of dresearch-based learning materials to promote and enhance their natural curiosity, reasoning, and problem-solving in the areas of social studies and nature.

    After completing this 2-hour course, the learner will be able to describe how social studies and using nature support children’s cognitive development. Social studies experiences should reflect the range of the children’s cultural groups. The learner will be able to give activity examples from these two areas.

  • Course

    Abusive head trauma is the leading cause of death in cases of child abuse in the United States. This 2-hour course will help you better understand the dangers of abusive head trauma and how to take steps to protect the children in your care from this type of abuse.

  • Course

    Infants’ experiences early in life literally influence the physical structures of the brain, opening the way for patterns of thought and behavior for the rest of a child’s life. This 1-hour course addresses critical topics related to caring for the youngest and most vulnerable population of children, infants and toddlers.

  • Course

    Providing a broad overview of 4 main areas of child growth and development, this course offers practical tips on supporting children’s development. Key findings from brain research and its relevance to the care of young children is briefly explored, as well as the principles of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP).