Saturday, June 7, 2014

Executive Functions - when are they formed?



The Center on the Developing Child from Harvard triggered my interest in the executive function of the brain.  One of the key concepts they discuss is a child’s executive function and how this part of their brain is developed during the early years of a child’s life.  The three components of the executive function is a child’s working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control.   After reviewing the website and watching videos underlining executive functions along with components of quality childcare I found myself asking the question, “I wonder if executive functions could be linked with ADHD?’  The researches explain how when children are at high risk or have toxic environments and do not receive quality care as a young child it can lead to a child not living up to their potential. I just wonder if the high rise in ADHD diagnoses could be linked to young children not having access to quality experiences early in life coupled with genetics. I do wonder if a quality preschool environment would have an impact on lowering the ADHD rate.  Learning that the executive function develops in the first several years of life and early childhood professionals can help build this function in children. Children who do not have access to high quality preschool programs are in need of these experiences. The inequality of this seems out of whack in our society.

3 comments:

  1. Hi Tisha

    Your post was very informative. Your though about the "executive functions being a link with ADHD" is something to think when working with children. All children need to have access to high quality programs. The growth of a child's brain is amazing.
    Thank for sharing.

    LaNea

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  2. I found this post to be interesting. Just like LaNea, I found it interesting about how executive functions could be a link to ADHD. Science is amazing, and it can help us figure out why some things are the way are. This post was very helpful.

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  3. Hi Tisha,
    Wow, you really did a fantastic research. Thank you for that educational information.
    This theory seems to give a clear understanding of some students struggle. There's so much that could be said or discovered about how young children learn.

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