The Gray Matters

The brain is an amazing and profound thing.
People who study the brain will never be out of a job because the research to be done is never-ending.

By 4-years-old, a child's brain is 90%  of its adult size!

Do you remember from your high school biology class that the brain needs patterned, repetitive stimuli to develop properly?

That's why we learn best through repetition. "Practice your math facts every night." "Write your spelling words three times each."

That's why weight lifting is done in reps and sets. Doing three sets of ten bicep curls, timed closely together, builds strength and muscle mass. It sends a patterned and repetitive message to the muscle cells that "you will be working at this level," so they make the necessary molecular changes required to do the work more easily. Curling the same weight at random intervals throughout the day won't produce the same results because the signal to the muscle is inconsistent and insufficient (Dr. Bruce Perry). 

When parents respond to their infant's needs with loving care, pleasure and human interactions become tightly woven together. Neural pathways are formed to associate human interaction with pleasure. This is important neurobiological "glue" that bonds and creates healthy relationships. As the infant's brain develops, these loving caregivers provide the template that the child uses for human relationships. Attachment is the memory template for human-to-human bonds and shapes the child's worldview on relationships (Dr. Bruce Perry).

"Children who don't get consistent, physical affection or the chance to build loving bonds simply don't receive the patterned, repetitive stimulation necessary to properly build the systems in the brain that connect reward, pleasure, and human-to-human interactions," (Dr. Bruce Perry).

But what about the babies who don't get consistent, physical affection or the chance to bond with a loving caregiver? 
For some, this lack of stimulation can be devastating. It can reduce levels of growth hormone enough to cause the child to simply stop growing.
These babies can consume more than enough calories each day, have shelter, and get a clean diaper when they need one. But if they don't experience what it means to be loved by a primary caregiver in the first months of their life, nutrition will be treated as waste, and they won't grow.

Without love, children literally. don't. grow.

Scientists and psychologist call this "failure to thrive."

I call it heartbreaking.

Remember my friend Laura? She lives in Mbarara and cares for abandoned children out of her home and the deep goodness of her heart that was transformed by Jesus so many years ago.

Today I got a message from her saying that she received a 3-day-old girl who was abandoned at the local hospital.

I ache for that baby.
I ache for the baby's mother who probably just made the hardest decision of her life.

But there is still a reason to rejoice!
The Lord's hand of protection is on this daughter of the King, and I'm confident that baby girl has received loving care and affection from the moment she was placed in Laura's arms. Not only will her physical needs be met, but Laura will be attentive and responsive to her emotional needs, as well. A bond will be formed. Neural pathways to connect pleasure with human interaction will begin to form.

I rejoice for that baby!
I rejoice for Laura, who the Lord saw fit to bless this baby girl in her most crucial weeks of life!

Baby girl's lowest and most central brain regions, where development first begins, will be given a good start.

And if you ask me, that is a reason to rejoice!