Monday 7 August 2017

RELATING BRAIN AND GROWTH OF A CHILD



The best creation of God to human race is the brain, which is just 2 ½ kg. It has millions of neurons, where each neuron can hold up to 20,000 information! Research shows that if we start to count neurons one per second without a break, it takes 1347 odd years. With this huge amount of information we coordinate the day to day activities, learning and observing from the environment in which we grow.
We know that animals also possess brain. To understand how we are different for animals, let us appreciate our brain structure. Our front part of the brain is the frontal lobe, through which, we imagine. This is the gift to human race and this is what makes us different from animals.
At any given point of time we as human, always work towards anyone of the harishadvarga (kama, krodha, lobha, madha, moha, matsarya). It means to say that our neurons are working 24/7 without a break trying to individualize oneself. Due to this ongoing process the neurons changes its structure depending on mental and physical strengthens. This is true for a new born child or even to a grown up adult.
For a child what we can do to ensure it grows in an environment which will help itself to groom as a powerful individual? We need to make it realize that one is responsible for their individual growth, and no one can interfere without it’s concern. Every child has a unique quality, identify it. Tell them. Children actually try to identify one self. So they look upon from whom they can acquire from and they adopt. So we need to show them the good things and also the things from which we know that they can learn from. We should realize that peer pressure cannot be control. What can be done is only at the domestic front, where we have a grand vision of life for us and for our children. The only thing that needs to be taught to a child is to demonstrate our self as adult.
Our eating habits also have its influence on the child’s neuron activity. For example, junk food increases anxiety level and causes for addiction, which has its effect on our harishadvarga’s. So it is our responsibility as adult to understand eating habits and also to make child understand what happens.
Children these days are exposed to different medium of lifestyle. We need to keep an open mind to accept and respect the child’s view point. Later we will be in a position to help the child grow.
All well said, but the current global challenge with all these changes are the sustainability of our culture. So it is left to us how we balance with the growing trends and culture.

Dr. Kavitha Sooda
Assoc. Prof, Dept. of CSE
BMSCE, B’lore
(courtesy Dr. Ravindra P N, Brain Scientist, Dharwad)
Published in Synergy Maganize, DEPT. of CSE, BMSCE, June, 2017