👶 How does a young child adapt to the environment? To help with that, let's talk a little about neurology and psychology.

Listen, for a young child to grow up properly, they need to be able to understand the things around them, that is, their environment. They also need to learn to get along well with others, play well, and be with friends. Being able to do those things is what we call adaptation. So to adapt, you need to be able to communicate properly with the environment. That's what Psychology, or in psychology, we call perception.

🧠 Cognition and nervous system work pieces:

For that perception to be correct, our Sensory Organs, that is, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin, need to work properly. They are the ones that capture each and every sensation from the environment, that is, the things that we feel. Our Nervous System , that is, the Brain and the Spinal Cord, provide great support for that work. All those sensations go to the Brain through our Nerve Fibers. The Brain makes sense of them. That is, in simple terms, the scene. What happens inside, that is, how exactly these things happen, what parts are inside, you can learn about them from Medical Subjects like Anatomy, Physiology, or Body Science .

🧠 The relationship between cognition, conscious actions, and psychology:

Okay, now those sensations come like that. When they come, we have to make sense of them. That's what our brain has different parts for. That's how we understand things. Things like our Intelligence, Experience, Memory, Attention help us with that. We call those things Cognitive Processes. That's what Psychology is about.

🔄 Adapting to the environment and the game of cognitive processes:

Imagine that a person is going to a new place. So, the above-mentioned cognitive processes, or cognitive processes, become very important for him to understand that place and adapt to it properly. Like the eyes and ears, they work the same way no matter where he goes. However, the way you think changes from place to place. For example, in a place you like, you don't feel happy with the things you see, but in a place you don't like. Maybe things like fear and sadness come. That's what happens. How quickly a person adapts to a new place depends on how cognitive processes change.

👶 Child Psychology: Should we teach a young child to adapt?

Adaptation is something that needs to be practiced from a young age. The environment has a big influence on it. Parents, teachers, and adults need to give them the right support. They need to be given the guidance and help they need.

💡 Here's how to help a young child adapt:

• Age-appropriate activities: You should give your child activities that are age-appropriate. You can give them things like drawing, playing, and singing.
• Let him be with friends: He should be allowed to play, talk, and work together with other children his age.
• Take him outdoors: You should take him outdoors as much as possible. You can take him to places like the park, the zoo, or the beach.
• Knowledge through books: Let them read books and magazines that are appropriate for their age. Even toys should be given that will help them develop their knowledge.
• Brainstorm: You need to allow him to think and make decisions, solve problems, and create new things.
• Appreciate his talents: If he is good at something, you should appreciate it. You should encourage him to do more of those things.
• It doesn't matter whether you win or lose: you need to be happy when you win, not sad when you lose, but try again. When a problem arises, you need to be taught how to solve it.
• Teach him about society: As he grows up, he needs to be taught about the people in society, their behaviors, good and bad, and rules and regulations.
• Know yourself and respect others: You need to understand who you are and what you can do well. (Self-Awareness). You need to respect the opinions of others, understand them, and work together with them. You also need to teach them that it is not good to criticize others.

📱 Why is it not good to give phones to young children at a young age?

Nowadays, one thing that many parents do is give their children phones at a very young age, that is, when they are under 2 years old. Some even feed them rice by showing them something on the phone. That is not really a good thing. There are several reasons for that.

👶 Impairment of brain development:

The brains of young children, especially those under 2 years old, are developing very rapidly. During this time, they are learning from their surroundings, playing, and interacting with others. For these things to happen properly, they need to be connected to the real world. They need to play with toys, talk to their parents, and play with other children. But when they are staring at a phone, those things don't happen. They become isolated. They don't connect with others. That's not good for their brain development.

🧠 The brain's flexible scene: Neuroplasticity

You know, the brain of young children is like a sponge. It is very easy to learn new things and learn lessons from experiences. That is what we call Neuroplasticity , or the flexibility of the brain. That means that the good things that are given to them at a young age, the training they are given, cause good changes in the brain. That is why we say to give good things to young children, to make them good. Because of this flexibility, the stimuli and experiences they receive from the external environment, along with the changes in the synapses or the places where neurons connect to each other, cause changes in the child's brain. That is why the child's abilities and skills develop.

🧠 Neurotransmitters and Adaptation:

The cells in the brain, which we call neurons, communicate with each other through neurotransmitters , orChemicals called neurotransmitters . Examples of neurotransmitters include Dopamine , Serotonin , Norepinephrine , and Oxytocin . They help with things like our mood, learning, remembering, and being with friends. Things like eating well, sleeping well, exercising, and being happy help those neurotransmitters work properly. Then, the Adaptation Scene can also be built. Imbalances or increases in these neurotransmitters can cause problems in a child's behavior and learning abilities.

👨‍⚕️👩‍⚕️ Mental Disorders and Treatment:

Okay, if the above things don't work out, the child may have trouble adapting, that is, in the Adaptation stage. Then, treatments like Health Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Social Psychology can help them. These treatments can help them change their way of thinking and behavior. In these treatments, we use things like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) . What we do with it is to change the child's way of thinking and behavior. There are also things like Play Therapy or therapy through games, Family Therapy , and therapy with family members.

🧠 How the brain grows and Critical Periods:

Each part of a child's brain develops at different times. We call these periods Critical Periods , or sensitive periods. During those times, those parts need to be given what they need. For example, the Critical Period for learning to speak is when they are young. That's when they need to learn words, songs, and stories. During these times, if those parts of the brain don't get the necessary stimulation, their development can be stunted. If they get the right stimulation, the synaptic connections , or connections between neurons, in those brain areas become stronger.

🧠 Work of Executive Functions:

Executive Functions are also very important for adaptation. Planning, organizing, paying attention, solving problems, making decisions, and being patient belong to those Executive Functions. So to develop those things, you need to give the child the work they can. These Executive Functions work in the Prefrontal Cortex of the brain. This is the part that humans have developed more than other animals. So, if things happen that hinder the development of this part, the child's ability to adapt may decrease.

🧠 Mirror Neurons: Learning by watching others:

Another thing, there are also those Mirror Neurons . What they do is that when we see what others do, we feel like doing those things too. That's their job. So it's because of those Mirror Neurons that we learn things from society, and understand the joys and sorrows of others. These Mirror Neurons are also related to things like empathy and perception. So when a young child is allowed to be with others, play, and talk, the work of those Mirror Neurons also improves. These neurons are located in places in the brain like the Premotor Cortex, Inferior Parietal Lobule, and Superior Temporal Sulcus .

🧠 Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): Learning to be with friends and be happy:

For that adaptation to work properly, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is also needed. Knowing who you are, controlling your anger and sadness, understanding others, getting along with friends, and working responsibly are all part of SEL. So you need to do those things at home as well as at school. This strengthens the connection between the child's Amygdala , the part of the brain that controls emotions like fear and anger, and the Prefrontal Cortex , the part of the brain that helps you make decisions and plan.

🧠 Stress or mental stress and adaptation:

If a young child is under a lot of stress or mental tension, he or she will not be able to do that adaptation job properly. When the hormone called Cortisol is produced in excess, it is not very good for the development of the brain. This means that the Hippocampus , which is the part of the brain that helps with memory, and the aforementioned Prefrontal Cortex do not work properly. So, it is very important to create an environment where young children can be happy.

🧠 Genes and environment: Both are needed:

That adaptation, or adaptation, is influenced by genes as well as the environment. That's what Gene-Environment Interaction is. That means that both genes and the environment together determine the development of a young child's brain and the way he behaves. There is something called Epigenetics . That means that the functioning of genes can change due to the influence of the environment. When parents and adults create a good environment for them, the good things that come from their genes can come out.

🧠 Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) affect a child's brain development as well as their adaptation. ACEs include beatings, scolding, separation from parents, and problems at home. We need to help children who experience these things. These experiences can change the child's brain's stress response system , which is how it responds to stress. This can lead to major stress, even over small things.

🧠 Every brain is different: Neurodiversity

Every child's brain is different from everyone else's. That's what we call neurodiversity . Some children have autism , some have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) , some have dyslexia . That's just who they are. That means their brains work a little differently than others. So we need to find out what their problems are, help them with those, and help them with what they can. These children may have special abilities because of the special nature of their brains.

🧠 Early Childhood Development (ECD):

Early childhood, when the child's brain is developing rapidly, is a very important period for developing adaptive abilities. During this time, it is essential to provide the child with proper nutrition, stimulation, and care. Early childhood development programs can lay the necessary foundation for the child's all-round development. It is with the stimulation and experiences provided during this time that the neural pathways in the child's brain, that is, the pathways through which nerve messages travel, are formed and strengthened.

🧠 Sleep is also very important:

It is also very important for a young child to get enough sleep. 😴 Because the things they learn during the day are stored in their memory when they sleep. Also, the hormones needed for their body's growth are produced while they are sleeping. When there is not enough sleep, the child's cognitive functions , that is, attention and memory, can be disrupted.

🧠 Don't forget nutrition too:

Good nutrition is also very important for a child's brain development. 🥦🍎🥕 Nutrients like Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Iron, Zinc, and Iodine are essential for a child's brain development.

👶 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

So that's all I have to tell you. For a young child to grow up properly, their brain needs to work properly. For that, we need to create a good environment for them. We need to treat them with love. We need to understand their needs. Only then will they be able to live well in this world. 😊💖