How babies learn

Babies are born with a brain which is about one quarter the size of an adult brain. They will make connections and increase their brain size as they learn more about the world around them. Initially the limbic or primitive brain controls their actions. Babies have no experience to bring to the world other than the experiences within the womb and these have little relevance in the wider world.

The most interesting experience that babies have is a sense of the tastes of their mothers diet. While floating in the amniotic fluid, which is changed on a daily basis, they have some diluted taste of mum's diet delivered through this fluid. When the time comes to actually taste these foods, it can be the texture which is foreign rather than the flavour.

The things which soothed baby while in the womb will still soothe baby for the first few weeks in the wider world. These things are;- 

1. Being held, this can be actually holding baby or swaddling them to provide firm boundaries without the need for constant carrying/holding. 
2. Sound, baby has heard digestion, breathing, heartbeat and external noise through the abdominal wall. A world which is suddenly silent can be quite alarming.   
3. Sucking, baby may have been sucking hands, fingers or thumbs before birth and afterwards sucking is associated with feeding, feeling warm, full and comfortable.
4. Movement baby has felt mum rise from sitting to standing, walking, going up and down stairs, so gentle up and down movement is also comforting.
5. Skin to skin being skin to skin with a parent allows the baby to hear heartbeat and breathing of another person, smell a familiar and trusted carer and generally be comforted by not being alone.

Infants live in the moment. If they are cold, uncomfortable, or even just lonely, the only way they can tell us is to cry. To babies in the first two months of life, how they feel at this moment, is how life is always going to be. It takes about three or four months before the child learns that their actions result in their parents reaction. By six months babies can predict how their parents will react in some situations. They are starting to learn about routines then too. By six months babies know what particular event a chain of events should lead to. This can be something as simple as recognising that they are going to be fed, go out with mum for a walk, or put down for a nap. Routines are soothing they help the child to learn his/her place in the world.

Babies learn by repeated demonstration. Once they recognise a routine they also recognise what is expected of them. Changes need to be repeated a number of times to move these from the front of the brain, where this is an experience, to the back of the brain when this is a behaviour which is accepted as normal at the end of a chain of events. The number of times this demonstration has to occur to allow a new behaviour to become an accepted "norm" is individual. For some children it can be very quick, three to seven repetitions, other children take longer.

Babies need parents to be consistent during these repetitions. If you change your own reaction then you naturally, although sometimes inadvertently, alter your child's perception of what is required of them. 

If you would like to learn more about altering your child's behaviour
Contact  us at  info@Dream-Angus.com

Gastric Reflux: Re-visited and Updated

Gastric Reflux is a common problem particularly in pre term babies. It can be defined as a transient, inappropriate relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter allowing stomach contents to flow back into the oesophagus.

This can result in regurgitation or vomiting, which may upset the child by causing pain and discomfort or, in milder cases there may be no apparent distress related to these events.'

When there is no distress there is no need for treatment. More moderate to severe reflux should be treated because there is a link to reflux and Asthma in early childhood. 

 In practice, sick children's hospitals, and some special baby care units, use infant Gaviscon as an antacid. This is made from seaweed and forms a "jelly like " layer at the top of the stomach. The result is that this less acid "jelly" is what floats back to the oesophagus and thus pain is reduced.

The only side effect of this, and only in some infants, is constipation. Medical trials using Gaviscon Infant powder have shown that this was effective in reducing vomiting and regurgitation in episodes at 14 days, but did not reduce the level of vomiting. Another double blind trial, found no difference when Gaviscon was used.'

Some Consultant Paediatricians will prescribe medications which will reduce the amount of acid that is released into the stomach. These are only used in the short term and, once the child is established on a semi solid diet these are generally discontinued. Family Doctors are always reluctant to prescribe such medication without the overview of a Consultant.

Although symptoms of reflux can be demonstrated there is only one way to accurately diagnose reflux and that involves a short hospital stay and the passing of an acid monitor to check the level of acid in the oesophagus. This is not always reliable and most Paediatric Consultants will accept the parents description and treat this uncomfortable condition.

Using formulas which thicken on contact with stomach acids , such as Efamil AR and SMA Staydown ( both available on NHS prescription) are only moderately effective in treating reflux in otherwise healthy children.

This is because this issue is often one of mechanics, and nothing is going to make the sphincter muscle mature and perform it's function as it should, other than maturity. Using an antacid or something which will reduce the acid production, is really the only way to reduce discomfort and distress.

The first line of treatment is usually Gaviscon infant powder, and where this is successful, there is no need for further intervention. If this proves ineffective then it is worth exploring other options.

Another study, looking at positioning the infant with the head of the crib raised, found that this is not always justifiable, however, placing infants on their left side, can reduce reflux. Lying on one side is not a stable position for infants and using pillows to maintain this position is not recommended.

It is possible to use a breathable fabric rolled against the child's back and supporting the child's legs but, this needs to be done with some care to avoid overheating.

Reflux, like colic, is self limiting. It can be difficult for parents to watch an infant in distress and pain without seeking assistance to make the child more comfortable.Children affected by any degree of reflux often take longer to settle after a feed and can be fussy, because feeding does not comfort them as it would an unaffected child.