Brain Development in Early Childhood

Early childhood is a crucial time for the development of a child's cognitive functions. Research has show that trauma during this period can drastically change the operation of the brain.

  1. Sensorimotor Stage

    • Jean Piaget called the first two years of life the Sensorimotor stage. During this time, an infant's cognitive development is mainly focused on coordinating sensory information with motor experiences.

    The Newborn Brain

    • The cells of the brain are in place, but synapses or connections between neurons will continue to form. Piaget called this the Simple Reflexes phase.

    One to Four Months

    • At the First Habits and Primary Circular Reactions phase, infants begin to visually track objects, although they lack the understanding that an object still exists even though it is out of sight.

    Four to Eight Months

    • In Secondary Circular Reactions Phase, the infant will begin to explore his surroundings and toys with hands, mouth, and eyes, and develop the sense of object permanence, e.g. searches for a hidden toy. Depth perception develops.

    Eight to 12 Months

    • During the Coordination of Secondary Circular Reactions stage, the infant primarily explores her environment by putting objects into her mouth. She can follow simple instructions, such as "wave bye-bye."

    Two to Three Years

    • The sub stages at this age are Tertiary Circular Reactions and Internalization of Schemes. Children begin to realize that they can impact their environment, showing an understanding of cause and effect.

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