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Entity reports on the trends within early childhood development.

If you’re a parent, then you have probably searched for the newest information on how to ensure that you give your child “the best.” How could you not? In this technologically-driven culture, there is a plethora of information at your disposal that can teach you all about your child’s constantly developing brain.

Online, you can pretty much ask any question and find a collection of blogs, articles or academic research on the subject. For instance, if you want to know whether or not you should splurge on AppleCheeks cloth diapers, you could find various pages on how it’s better for the environment, how it’s more economical and how it can get even reduce diaper rashes.

So, for those parents who enjoy scavenging for childcare knowledge, the following is a list of a few trending topics.

1 INFANT AND TODDLER BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

The National Association of Social Workers shares that brain development in the first three years of a child’s life is a growing trend. A baby’s brain is not fully developed at birth and is only 25 percent of its adult weight. According to the website, “Newborns have nearly all of the brain cells they will need in a lifetime, but these cells are not yet linked to form connections that are needed for complex thinking and functioning.” This, then, is an important trend because research has found that the first three years of a child’s life is the “optimal time for parents to have the most influence on helping to nurture their child’s brain development.” During this time, parents should provide positive experiences to help nourish the brain and to avoid negative patterns of thinking and feeling.

2 THE VALUE IN BREASTFEEDING

According to Child Trends, breastfeeding has been found to “provide a critical support for infants’ immunologic, nutritional, physical and cognitive development.” The report shares that the amount of breastfeeding mothers in the United States has met the Healthy People’s 2010 goals. This research is important because it has shown that breastfeeding can reduce a host of illnesses and problems such as diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome, lymphoma, leukemia and even obesity. But, breastfeeding is not only beneficial for infants, it is also beneficial for mothers. Child Trends writes, “Studies demonstrate [that breastfeeding provides] a number of maternal health benefits, including earlier return to pre-pregnancy weight, reduced rates of breast and ovarian cancers and decreased risk of hip fractures and osteoporosis later in the mother’s life.”

3 TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

In our digital age, the integration of technology into our daily lives has become unavoidable. According to Master’s in Special Education, “Preschool teachers and students alike will be expected to acquire at least a rudimentary grasp of Internet access methods and strategies for obtaining necessary information online.” Although integrating technology in the classroom has been widely debated because critics feel that it will only distract students, Capella University argues that technology does the opposite. According to the website, using technology can engage students and encourage them to become “active [participants] in the learning process, rather than the passive learners found in a lecture environment.” Also, Capella University shares that in a research conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, many teachers reported that technology actually facilitates peer collaboration. Integrating technology into classrooms made it easier to promote peer tutoring, mentoring and collaboration. All these things, in turn, were found to promote individual learning and growth.

4 EXERCISING CAN IMPROVE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

According to the NEA, a resource for educators and parents, physical activity can “boost students’ readiness to learn by activating and energizing them with physical activity.” Francesca Zavacky, a Senior Program Manager with The Society of Health and Physical Educators, tells NEA, “Physical activity should be infused throughout the school day to activate and energize youth.” According to her, a brief cardio activity before a test can boost focus and attention. Sherianna Boyle, a psychology professor at Cape Code Community College, also tells NEA that physical fitness has also been found to decreases the symptoms of anxiety by 50 percent. So, exercising is not only beneficial for your child’s physical health, it can also help with psychological health and classroom success.

Although these are only a few trends that parents and educators everywhere are following, they are big findings that have helped improve childhood care. These are some new solutions to help combat serious problems such as childhood obesity, brain development and academic achievement.

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