Born that way?
Are babies born clever, or is their future really in our hands? We take a look at that old debate of nature versus nurture.
When my first baby was about 7 weeks old, I read an article saying that the first six weeks are the most important ones of your baby’s life. My hormone-addled, sleepdeprived brain gained the impression that these early weeks provide a unique window of opportunity, laying the basis for the child’s intellectual and emotional development. My baby and I had spent the first six weeks breastfeeding and sleeping and crying (yes, both of us!), so naturally I was devastated to discover that I’d already failed my daughter so miserably. Thanks to my hopeless ignorance, she would never reach her full intellectual potential.
Of course, it is utter nonsense. The first years of a child’s life are very important to future development. In the first two years, many of the foundations are put in place for language, mathematics and literacy. It’s also true that parental input in early childhood can have an immensely positive effect on a child’s intellectual development.
In the first years of life, the human brain grows in size, connections and content. Tremendous intellectual development takes place between the ages of 0 and 2 years. Your baby comes into the world primed to learn, ready to process information and gain understanding and language. She is constantly learning, even when she seems to be just fiddling with her rattle or gazing at your face. Her knowledge of the world is built on sensory experiences, what she sees, hears and feels. The connections in her brain are strengthened all along. Researching this topic, I found a slew of claims about what boosts intelligence and what can hamper your child’s chances. Apparently it starts before birth! “Liquorice in pregnancy may harm IQ”; “Exercise in pregnancy boosts IQ”. The pressure picks up after birth: online, you can find an IQ test for 6- to 12-montholds, with questions like: “Does your child look for her teddy if she drops it?” Many interventions – from classical music, through fish oils, to baby sign language – promise to boost your baby’s intelligence. Do any of them really work? Just as importantly, what should you avoid?
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
›› START WITH LOVE. A loving environment gives your child the security to explore physically and intellectually. One of the things that motivates learning is a desire to connect with others and with the world. Think how your toddler loves to point things out to you, calling you to look at what she’s just discovered or learnt, bringing you a shell she’s found on the beach.
›› ACCENTUATE THE PHYSICAL.
In babies, physical and intellectual development is connected. Children learn from the concrete to the abstract, so it’s important that she has this input and experience. Give your baby plenty of opportunities to explore what her body can do and the world around her. Create an environment that is safe for her to crawl, toddle or climb around, exercising her muscles and senses. Encourage her to be an active participant rather than a passive observer. Let her touch the flower, not just look at it.
›› TALK TO YOUR BABY. Early spoken language underlies reading and writing. According to the National Literacy Trust in the UK, “talking and listening to young children helps them develop good language and communication skills, which enables them to express themselves, listen, learn, read, write and socialise better. It also helps children feel valued, builds their confidence and helps parents and children to bond.”
›› KEEP SUBJECTS SIMPLE AND CONCRETE. Whenshetriesto communicate, indicate that you’ve heard and understood. For instance, if she hands you her bottle with an encouraging babble, you might say, “Oh, you want more milk.” Maintain eye contact.
›› READ TO YOUR BABY. Reading to your child is a step towards her becoming literate. Reading reinforces the structure of the language and introduces Baby to new words, concepts and objects that she wouldn’t otherwise see. ›› FEED WELL. Some studies suggest children who were breastfed as babies outperform their formula-fed peers on mental development tests. The difference is very small – just a few points – so don’t worry if bottle feeding is your choice. Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for cognitive development and are particularly important for brain development in the first two years. “As long as you are eating your fish (two portions of 120g per week), your baby will be getting her omegas through your breastmilk,” says Tammy Wolhuter, a registered dietitian in the north of Joburg. Some formulas are fortified with omega-3 fatty acids. Iron deficiency in infancy has been shown to affect cognitive development later on. Ask your doctor whether she recommends supplementing with iron, omega 3 or both. ›› HAVE FUN. Choose age-appropriate games. Learning should be fun and conducted in a warm and nurturing environment.