Babies Mental Health Matters!

April 27, 2016

Many people don’t consider infants and babies when it comes to thinking about “mental health” perhaps because they may believe babies have only a small amount of mental activity. But every experience, every day is shaping babies mental health…just like everyday experiences and stressors impact older individuals’ mental health.

“As babies, the way we are held, talked to, and cared for teaches us about who we are and how we are valued. “

Read this article to find out more about how mental health is shaped from infancy.

UConn KIDS partners with CT Science Center’s “Living Lab”!

April 12, 2016

UConn KIDS researchers will be visiting the CT Science Center on Sunday April 17th to work with child visitors on fun cognitive experiments.

This is part of an initiative called The Living Laboratory, which runs at museums all across the nation.

It’s a great way for kids to see what it’s like to get involved in a research study, learn more about the scientific process, and get inspired about the psychological sciences!

Join UConn KIDS at the CT Science Centers Living lab on April 17th between 11 and 2pm!

Words and the brain!

How does the brain make meaning out of a bunch of letters combined to make words?

By combining technology such as eye tracking and fMRI, researchers are able to gain more detailed understanding of how the brain processes words and meaning!

Read more here!

Studies about cochlear implants for children

Researchers at UConn are currently conducting studies with children that have received cochlear implants. With the increases in screening and technologies,  interventions such as these implants can help prevent longer term deficits in language and cognitive abilities.

Professor Laura Mauldin published her first book entitled, “Made To Hear”.

The book is based on an ethnography of a cochlear implant (CI) clinic and examines the use of CIs in deaf children, the role of neuroscience in the culture of intervention around deafness, and how mothers are expected to adopt CIs for their deaf child. Published by the University of Minnesota Press (2016).

 

 

Double benefits in bilingualism

April 1, 2016

Could learning multiple languages be associated with greater cognitive function (information processing)?
Could it be that bilinguals fare better when the brain “input” has more variability because they are accustomed to performing constant differentiation in language?
Could this advantage make them excellent problem solvers?
While more research may be needed on the topic, initail studies suggest “Bilingualism may guide learners to be more open to the possibility of multiple structures” Read all about it here.
 

What are “mirror neurons” and why are they so important?

March 22, 2016

Researchers such as those here at UConn are investigating how “watching an action” and “performing that action” can activate the SAME parts of the brain.

Read more here about the critical role that mirror neurons may have in autism, empathy, learning, and more!

Infant experiences can begin to lay foundation for school readiness.

March 16, 2016

Early experiences matter!
Want to build good “school readiness” for your child? It’s never too early to start!
Brain development happens quickly for young children. According to the National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC) laying the foundation for learning begins in infancy where motor, cognitive and social emotional skills quickly evolve.
Read on by clicking here.