Spread the word that ‘stronger brains’ start developing at birth

STAR TRIBUNE – Editorial Board

With greater frequency, advances in neurological science underscore the critical time period for brain development in the first three years of a child’s life. The neural connections produced from exercising a child’s brain in those first three years play an integral role in the development of vocabulary, emotional stability and the capacity for learning throughout their lives.

At the Minnesota “Bright Futures Begin at Birth” forum, approximately 500 educators, medical providers, public health professionals and parents gathered to understand more about the importance of these findings. The foundational concept is that exercising a baby’s brain from birth provides a stronger brain for life. Consistently talking, reading, singing and interacting directly with children in the first three years of life helps shape critical development that impacts a child for their entire life.