“So Much Day Care, Not Enough Brain Care”

p. 4J

“The first three years of life make or break the brain. A newborn comes equipped with some 100 billion brain cells, or neurons. The trick is to get neurons to form links with one another. The more links, the more power a brain has. At nine months, a baby’s brain can feature a quadrillion links.” What helps the wiring? “Hugs, kisses, talking to the baby, playing Chopin and Coltrane – a stimulating environment that includes interaction with nurturing caregivers.” The window of opportunity “slams shut fast….” By the start of age 3, 4/5s of a child’s brain has already been formed. A child lagging at that age “may never catch up, however many remedial courses he/she takes in school.”

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, July 1, 2001