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Synaptic Exuberance
Thursday, February 10, 2011 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
If you want to turn heads, drop the words "synaptic exuberance" the next time you are rambling on about your child's amazing development. I admit it, before January 6 of this year, I hadn't really thought much about this, let alone heard these words. Then, I stumbled across this article.
So, what is it and why is it so exciting that I've decided to blog about it?
Synaptic exuberance, though sounding very complicated (and in actuality is), describes the process of twenty thousand cells connecting every second in your baby's brain.
As we know, in the first few days, weeks, and months, amazing development occurs in our wee ones. We see this through smiles, coos, and monumental physical feats such as grasping objects, sitting independently, crawling, and eventually walking independently. When babies are born, they are born with the cells they need, but the connections are not yet formed. As an infant grows, connections are made through baby's explorations. This is another reason why the earliest years are some of the most important in development. Based on an infant's opportunities, the brain is stimulated and - Ta-Da! - more connections are made!
What can you do to support synaptic exuberance (admit it, it's just fun to say!):
- Support baby's natural curiousity by providing an environment that promotes active exploration.
- Ensure safety, but provide opportunities for baby to be on the floor, etc.
- Provide opportunities for baby to discover their world through touch, hearing, etc.
- Read to baby - it's a great way to introduce new experiences and support language development.
Synaptic exuberance. Great words (whether you are talking about baby or looking to score big playing "Scrabble").
