Infant Brain Development

This book discusses the main milestones of early brain development, from formation of the neural tube to the connection of the nerves in the adolescent, with a particular focus on the preterm infant. It reviews the genetics of brain construction and neural development to identify critical periods for brain organization in utero and analyses the processes of birth to pinpoint early moments of consciousness. Coverage provides intriguing examples of brain and mind development in very early premature infants, comparing and contrasting the emergence of consciousness within and outside the mother's environment. These insights offer new perspectives on issues concerning fetal pain, awareness in newborns, and the effects of current digital media on the developing infant brain. § Among the topics covered: §§Basic construction of the brain and mind.§Brain patterning, neural proliferation, and migration.§The stress of being born and first breaths.§The stream of consciousness.§Parenting and stimulating the brain of the child.§The moral status of the fetus and the infant. Infant Brain Development is an excellent resource for researchers, clinicians and related professionals, and graduate students across a variety of disciplines including developmental psychology, pediatrics, neurobiology, neuroscience, obstetrics, nursing and medical ethics. It is written with historic and philosophical remarks of interest for a broader readership.§