Ways Parents Can Nurture Their Child's Brain Development

The human brain is the most complex organ in the body, and its development begins early in the fetal development cycle. Dr. Curtis Cripe explains that as the brain continues to develop throughout infancy and childhood, it is crucial for parents to do what they can to promote and nurture brain development in their children.

During pregnancy, soon-to-be-mothers need to get enough nutrients, including folic acid and omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for the developing brain. Dr. Curtis Cripe emphasizes the fact that brain development doesn't stop at birth. Once the baby is born, continued stimulation through activities such as reading, singing, and talking will help support healthy brain development.

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Below, Dr. Curtis Cripe shares some steps parents can take to promote their child's brain development.

Encourage reading from an early age: Reading with your child from an early age is a great way to stimulate their brain development. Not only will they learn new words and concepts, but they will also start to develop important reading skills.

Make time for play: Play is essential for healthy brain development in children. Making time for play allows children to practice essential social and motor skills and explore the world around them with a healthy curiosity.

Encourage positive discipline: It is important to encourage positive behavior in children from an early age. This means using techniques such as praise and rewards rather than punishment.

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Create a stimulating environment: The home environment can significantly impact a child's brain development. Creating a stimulating environment with plenty of toys and activities will help support healthy brain development.

Parents can find a variety of other sources by exploring resources such as the internet, libraries, and consulting with pediatric healthcare professionals. Dr. Curtis Cripe reminds parents that each child is different and will develop at their own pace.

Neuroengineer Dr. Curtis Cripe has a multi-disciplinary background that includes engineering, brain injury, child neurodevelopment, and software development, among others. Bookmark this page to read the latest posts from Dr. Cripe.

NTL Group: A Look Into the World of Neurology

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The work of neurologists, is to understand and treat people with diseases that affect the brain, spine, peripheral nerves, muscles, and autonomic nervous system. A neurologist assesses a patient's symptoms to determine certain conditions like tumors or epilepsy. A patient may be referred to a neurologist by their GP or another medical or specialist doctor. The referral letter from the GP will give details of the problem and what it is believed may be causing it. Dr. Curtis Cripe notes that neurologists also see children referred by a pediatrician because they have not reached their developmental milestones, for example, walking at an appropriate age. In addition, a neurologist may also see them if they have a learning disability.

A neurologist's work is mainly carried out in hospitals, but some do perform outpatient clinic appointments. Neurologists use testing and diagnostics to help determine certain issues based on findings.

A typical working day for a neurologist may involve consulting in a clinic or being on call to deal with emergencies. Dr. Curtis Cripe adds that the work is often demanding and requires good mental acuity.

Neurologists also help develop new treatments for conditions such as Parkinson's disease and movement disorders, which require cutting-edge research in genetics and stem cell research. Neurosurgeons working in neurology also may perform deep brain stimulation to alleviate symptoms of Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia, as well as surgeries for epilepsy such as disconnecting the corpus callosum.

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Neurologists need a good understanding of their specialist field and some general knowledge from other medical professions. For example, they may require anatomy, physiology, and pathology knowledge.

A neurologist will also need excellent clinical skills to diagnose disease through examination, patient history, and investigations, including blood tests, X-rays, MRI scans, and lumbar puncture. It is not always easy to define what symptoms mean because the cause of the problem is not always clear.

Furthermore, Dr. Curtis Cripe mentions that neurologists have to evaluate the patient's quality of life and focus on improving it by identifying the root cause of the symptoms, which may require input from several other medical professionals.

Dr. Curtis Cripe is the founder and neuroengineer for NTL Group, a consortium of like-minded researchers and healthcare professionals whose primary object is to help those recovery addictions, traumatic brain injuries, and neurodevelopmental delays. For more updates like this, visit this blog.

Is it possible for new brain cells to grow?

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There's a common belief that people are born with a fixed number of neurons and that new ones are no longer possible. This was based on the idea that motor (movement) and cognitive (thought) functions decline as people get old. However, Dr. Curtis Cripe notes several studies suggesting otherwise. This will be the discussion in today's article.

For the past 20 years or so, research on the hippocampus area of the brain -- the region associated with learning, memories, and emotions -- has found a continuous rebuilding of new cells regardless of age or time. Further studies using carbon-14 dating also found that cells in the same region, while diminishing, are quickly replaced by new ones. This process, noted by scientists, can keep the central functions of the hippocampus.

Research like these are significant, in such a way, that they suggest that there are stimuli and inhibitors of adult neurogenesis, says Dr. Curtis Cripe. He further noted possible hints and possible treatment of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and the recovery from traumatic brain injury.

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Surprisingly, among the ways that can potentially amp up adult neurogenesis is exercise. Scientists at the University of Chicago found that aerobic exercise led to cell production in the hippocampus, and increased genetic information is encoded. Scientists also found brain exercises are equally important. Still, it cannot be discounted that age, especially at 80, can reverse such gains. But people should not be dissuaded to seek the benefits of physical and brain exercise, even as more research is necessary.

Dr. Curtis Cripe has a diverse multidisciplinary background which includes neuroengineering technology, aerospace engineering, software development, addiction recovery, among others. He is the head of research and development at the NTL Group. More on Dr. Cripe and his work here.

The Neuroscience Behind Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis is more often than not, a terrifying phenomenon wherein people wake up in the middle of the night and find themselves unable to move. They are, of course, conscious and aware. It has led many to believe that the worst is actually happening. People who experience sleep paralysis feel like they’re tied up, or have an intruder laying on top of them. Many, unsurprisingly, fall into panic and imagine the unimaginable, including the supernatural. The science behind it though debunks all theories of ghosts, spirits, and things that go bump in the night.

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This phenomenon can be understood more when people look at REM atonia, which is a paralysis that happens when people reach the part of sleep called REM or rapid eye movement. Sleep paralysis occurs as one falls asleep or as one awakens.

Sleep paralysis that happens when falling asleep causes the person to be aware of the body shutting down and preparing itself for REM. This is what researchers refer to as hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis. But when the person wakes up in the middle of REM, it’s called hypnopompic or postdormital.

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Sleep paralysis usually lasts a minute or two, although (and naturally) to some people it may seem much longer.

Dr. Curtis Cripe is a neuroengineer with a background in several disciplines. Dr. Cripe currently leads the research and development department of NTL Group. Learn more about Dr. Cripe and the work that he does by subscribing to this Twitter account.