This is the third in a series of 10 articles about meeting the needs of children during the first five years.

Q: What are principles of child development and learning during the early years?

A: The White House Conference on Early Childhood Development and Learning in 1999 summarized the effect of early learning on brain development based on the latest research on the brain. Regarding the scientific argument about whether heredity or environment is more important, recent studies indicate the environment is more powerful in the early years and less influential as a person moves through life.

At birth, children have all their genetic coding and all the neurons needed for their lifetimes. However, the networks that link functions and enable complex behaviors are not present. Thus, the influence of the environment primarily determines how well the brain develops. The interaction between children and their environments determines the pathways of brain differentiation.

The speed at which young children develop neural synopses occurs so quickly that children by 3 years of age have twice as many neural pathways as they will need as adults. From ages 3 to 10, the brain remains stable regarding synapse development.

When children reach adolescence, their brains begin to downsize and shed excess neurons, much the same as organizations downsize and streamline operations. Those neurons and synapses used most often are retained, and those used infrequently are shed.

The belief that every child is unique is supported by brain research. Children have different needs, temperaments, strengths and abilities so that any two children exposed to the same environmental influences will develop differently.

Another significant principle from the conference emphasized the need for secure attachments in young children. Long-term studies document children with secure early attachments do better in school and have better social adjustments during later years in adolescence and adulthood.

Conversely, studies reveal children subjected to chronic stress can experience developmental delays in the brain. Social and emotional deprivation negatively affects brain biochemistry. A survey of parents by Zero to Three, presented at the 1999 White House Conference, found 25 percent of parents do not believe experience influences children's intellectual development, despite research proving otherwise.

With the majority of mothers working, research indicates quality day care is an adjunct to good parenting. Other caregivers can meet the needs of children but do not disrupt the relationships with parents, provided parents are spending enough time with their children. Parents need to know their infants and toddlers well, and to provide the significant bonding.

Researchers in brain development in infants spent hours documenting verbal interactions between parent and babies. The more parents talked with their infants, the greater the success of the children in elementary school. The steady flow of talk from parents needs only be a stream of consciousness type of commentary such as the thoughts that go through the minds of parents as they go through daily activities. Apparently, infants and young toddlers can learn language long before they can talk.

Children need many different kinds of stimulations. They need physical activities, social and emotional contacts, and intellectual stimulation. A report from a Carnegie Corp., "Starting Points" delivered at the 1999 White House Conference, found 50 percent of parents do not read routinely to their infants and toddlers.

However, overstimulation is not good for children. Parents need to learn to read the cues from their children in order to balance activities and schedules and to make changes depending on the temperaments, moods and degrees of fatigue in their children at varying times. Most young children are not difficult for parents to understand, but some 10 percent of children are moody, intense and resistant to comfort.

Brain development has critical periods of time when certain areas of the brain need stimulation to develop. Once these times pass and are missed, there is great difficulty in compensating for these lost times. However, the window of opportunity for learning in most areas does extend during a period of years.

Loving a child needs to include learning to respond appropriately to a child's needs. Distinguishing among cries of pain, frustration or hunger, recognizing fatigue from over- stimulation, identifying fussiness from boredom, and knowing when a child needs physical comfort are examples of learning to understand an infant or toddler.

* Next week's article will continue the discussion of principles of development and learning during the early years.

Judy Caprez is associate professor and director of social work at Fort Hays State University. Send your questions to her in care of the department of sociology and social work, Rarick Hall, FHSU.