Baby Development
The videos below show a number of activities used at Baby Sensory classes which are specifically designed to help with Development of babies from birth.
This is a series of 5 videos that will be launched on this site during the course of this year.
We will announce each video launch on our Facebook Group.
Baby Sensory founder, Dr Lin Day has been commissioned to write a series of articles about Baby Development for Early Years professionals. Take a look at a few samples of these articles below.
Choosing a Good Nursery
Choosing a good nursery is a big decision for most parents, but one that often causes great anxiety and raises many questions. The first step that parents might take is to visit a number of nursery settings to be absolutely confident that the one that they have chosen is right for their baby.
Knowing something about the nursery in advance of the visit can be helpful. The good nursery will have a reputation locally and will be known for its friendly approach and welcoming setting. Parents can also
check out the following.... Swine flu: spread, prevention and treatment
The emergence and rapid spread of a new strain of influenza, swine flu H1N1, has raised concern among parents and practitioners. At the start of the outbreak, some nurseries and schools closed to prevent the spread of the virus. However, swine flu is now widespread within communities and this approach is no longer recommended.
Childcare settings and schools have an important role to play in preventing the spread of the virus, by taking sensible personal precautions and by following the good hygiene practices recommended by the Department of Health. Parents are also more likely to accept the need for good hygiene practice if they are kept fully informed of how the virus might spread and the likely effect of countermeasures.
Read more... What do Babies See?
At birth, sight is the least developed sense. The ability to see objects and colours clearly depends on the development of the visual cortex, the maturity of the retina, coordination of the eye muscles and focusing ability. Until these complex systems have matured, images, shapes and colours will appear blurry.
By eight months of age, the ability to see clearly has nearly reached normal adult levels. The rapid pace of development is highly dependent on the amount of visual stimulation that the baby receives. If the baby is deprived of visual stimulation, cells in the visual cortex may decrease or develop abnormally which can have serious implications for hand-eye coordination later on. Other problems may include clumsiness, difficulties in concentrating and reading and writing problems when the child goes to school.
The brain is divided into two halves or cerebral hemispheres by a deep fissure. However, both sides of the brain are able to communicate with each other through the corpus callosum, a thick tract of nerve fibres that lies at the base of the fissure.
Read more....
Left-right Brain Dominance
The brain is divided into two halves or cerebral hemispheres by a deep fissure. However, both sides of the brain are able to communicate with each other through the corpus callosum, a thick tract of nerve fibres that lies at the base of the fissure.
Although the two hemispheres appear to be similar, each half has its own unique set of functions. Studies show that the right hemisphere is dominant for emotions, creativity, music and rhythm and that the left brain is dominant for mathematical and language abilities. Although both sides of the brain have the ability to analyse, process and store information, form thoughts and ideas and make decisions, one side of the brain is usually more dominant than the other. Brain dominance affects learning, determines personality and influences behaviour. Read more...
Babies Are So Clever!
This is the first in a series of articles about baby learning and development. However, you won't find advice on nutrition, feeding, safety or hygiene. The aim of each article is to explain how babies learn, develop or acquire language and to demonstrate wy sensory experiences, tummy time and early nurturing are so important. Babies have an amazing capacity to learn, but because parents or practitioners may not know what to look for, skills and capabilities may go unnoticed. This article reveals just how clever babies are and offers parents and practitioners a significant and remarkable opportunity to enjoy the learning potential of these incredible beings right from the start! Read more....
A Good Night's Sleep
For most parents, the two main problems are falling asleep and staying asleep. Some babies fall asleep easily and stay asleep while others fall asleep easily, but wake up frequently. Some babies go to sleep with difficulty, but stay asleep, while others do not want to go to sleep or stay asleep. Babies that were good sleepers at six months of age may develop sleeping difficulties as they grow older and vice versa. Sleep problems are common in babies, but understanding and knowing how to deal with them enables parents to get a better night’s sleep for themselves, which in turn enables them to provide loving, patient and consistent care for their baby. Read more...
Dads are important too!
Anthropologist Margaret Mead once said that fathers were a biological necessity, but a social accident. One of our greatest theorists, Sigmund Freud, believed that mothers were biologically suited to be better parents than fathers. In fact, fathers were relegated to the role of provider and little else. John Bowlby, a British psychiatrist, also reinforced the idea that the mother was the first and most important object of infant attachment. Even Harry Harlow’s experiment with rhesus monkeys promoted the idea of the mother as the main care-giver. However, male rhesus monkeys have been shown to make good fathers in the absence of the female. Many animal studies support the view that males make good fathers. Marmoset and tamarin monkeys assume a fatherly role with their infants, chewing food for them and even assisting at the birth. Generally, the female’s willingness is the crucial factor in determining paternal involvement. Read more....
Sensory Baby
The next time you read a book, stop for a moment and marvel at the amazing capacity of the brain to carry out such an intricate task. Processing information and co-ordinating the eyes involves many complex interactions between the brain and senses. Sensations from the outside world are changed into electrical impulses and carried to the brain, which then decodes the information to produce the image that is seen. Although the process of gathering and deciphering information begins before birth, as soon as the baby leaves the womb, the sense organs work overtime. This is the beginning of sensory education. Read more...
Solitary Confinement
Health professionals are increasingly concerned that motor delays in babies may well be related to the amount of time spent in containers such as car seats, carriers, bouncers, swings, walkers and strap-in chairs. While containers have their uses, babies who spend too much time in them may develop problems such as flattening of the skull, contorted neck muscles and delays in sitting, crawling, walking and speaking. Container overuse may also be partially responsible for spine and back disorders in later life. Baby containers can be useful in allowing parents and practitioners the freedom to accomplish chores at busy times of the day. Containers may also offer a solution when nothing else seems to soothe or settle the baby. Well-meaning parents and practitioners may put babies in them for safety, support and entertainment, but even so, they should not be used as permanent ‘baby sitters’. A caring nursery will have put some thought into the amount of time that babies spend in containers and parents are advised to look carefully at how often the restraint systems are used. Read more....
