Brain At Birth

It has been said that God created human being in his own image. This Biblical or Quranic fact is enough to convince us that man is unique and equal.

There are enough facts in the Bible and Qur'an that show that human being is made in God's likeness. If God created us in his image, should we lack anything? Not even wisdom, knowledge, or understand. The question is that why are some people intelligent and some are not? This is the question this article explores to answer.

Like constructing a house, brains are built upon a strong foundation. This starts before birth, and is very important during the first three years of life. Brain cells are “raw” materials — much like lumber is a raw material in building a house, and a child’s experiences and interactions help build the structure, put in the wiring, and paint the walls. Heredity (nature) determines the basic number of “neurons” (brain nerve cells) children are born with, and their initial arrangement, but this doesn't determine their brain development.

At birth, a baby’s brain contains 100 billion neurons, roughly as many nerve cells as there are stars in the Milky Way, and almost all the neurons the brain will ever have. The brain starts forming prenatally, about three weeks after conception. Before birth, the brain produces trillions more neurons and “synapses” (connections between the brain cells) than it needs. During the first years of life, the brain undergoes a series of extraordinary changes.

Scientifically, theories have proven that human brain is equal. For instance, cognitive Theory propounded by Noam Chomsky states that human brain is completely the same at birth. The Theory explains that AD (acquisition Device) is at the same level at birth, but changes gradually as a result of inputs.

Cognitive-contextual theories deal with the way that cognitive processes operate in various settings. The Theory explains how human brain develops in different settings. This means that human brain will form into intelligence in an environment where the brain receives much stimuli. There are other theories that have proven that intelligence comes as a result of right stimuli within the first three years after birth. One thing we must know is that, if a child receives little stimulation early on, the synapses will not develop, and the brain will make fewer connections. This condition will affect the child's brain process, thereby making him or a dull child.

Dull-brain implies that the person is slow in perception, understanding, and response. In other words, it takes a longer time for that person to understand a task (cognitive function), and to respond to it, and when they do, the response is mostly considered inaccurate. 

According to psychological theory of intelligence, human brain has the ability to develop all its parts within the first three years of birth. The parts include, emotion, perception, language, interpretation, sensory, etc. Before a child's brain can be fully developed into intelligence, there must be a connection in stimuli received. This is why parental roles and immediately environment play a large part in human brain development.

Early stresses can damage the development of a child's brain- the brain cell will die partially. Such stresses can be caused by lack of love from the parents, shouting at a baby, losing of loved ones, poverty, lack of communication, injuries, sickness etc. All these factors are detrimental to a child's brain development.

The more we use our brain, the sharper it gets! Being smart and brilliant require you to use the brain in a way that makes you shaper. This means that you need to engage your brain in critical and deep exercises. 

For children, we must help them by giving them the right stimuli and exposing them to cognitive exercises immediately after their birth. We must not stop engaging their brain until they are productive and independent.

Parents must communicate with their babies, and expose them to imageries that can help them interpret their perceptions. We must not expose them to any form of pain or stress at their tender levels.

Finally, we must feed them with food that can give their brain the needed nutrients. In this way, a child will be respondent to stimuli, and he or she will be brilliant.

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