Inside the Teen Brain: Understanding the Development of Your Teenager's Brain
Facts about the brain
Our brain is home to a whopping 80 million neurons – tiny nerve cells – that form the building blocks of our brain. Neurons receive information from the outside world and send commands to our body that allow us to think, communicate, feel, learn, grow – and in essence making us who we are. Neurons connect with each other through tiny gaps called synapses forming a complex web of trillions of connections always buzzing with activity. It’s no surprise that our brain, as small as it is, takes 20 per cent of our body’s metabolic energy! During childhood, neurons develop more rapidly than adulthood, forming complex connections., making childhood a critical time for learning.
What you need to know about your child’s brain
Genetics, environment, and experiences shape brain development, so exposing your child to new experiences and positive behaviors can shape their brain development and wire it for healthy thinking. Importantly, sleep plays a critical role in brain development, memory consolidation, and emotional regulation. Regular exercise and physical activity has been shown to enhance brain function, improve mood, and reduce stress. Nutrition and healthy eating habits support brain growth and development.
Adolescent irrational, emotional and egocentric behaviors are not a reflection of their personality but rather a systematic development of their brain
The frontal part of the brain located behind the forehead, called the prefrontal cortex, is one of the last parts of the brain to mature and won’t be fully developed until your child is in their early twenties. This part of the brain is largely responsible for planning, decision-making, rationalizing, solving problems, controlling impulses, assessing risk and consequences or what is referred to as executive function. As a result, children and adolescents rely more heavily on the emotional networks in brain to process information, make decisions and solve problems - often reacting emotionally and instinctively. They struggle to articulate their thoughts and emotions when feeling overwhelmed, sometimes resulting in silence or lashing out. This does not make adolescent emotional outbursts or attitude any less frustrating at the time, but it does make it easier to understand, that they are still limited in what they are rationally capable of.
The brain functions with a ‘use it or lose it’ principle
As your child's brain matures, frequently used neural connections are reinforced, while less utilized ones are naturally pruned, refining the brain's circuitry. The brain can efficiently adapt to the changing environment by adopting this ‘use it or lose it’ principle. For example, when you begin learning an instrument, the neurons responsible for that skill wire to form a network. Practicing the instrument strengthens the network making you more proficient at the instrument. Conversely, these neuronal connections are weakened the less you practice. Repetitive actions and thoughts during this stage of growth can become hardwired in the brain, which can have positive and negative outcomes. Learning new skills and tasks can benefit from repetition, it’s exactly what the brain needs for your child to become good at a skill. However, if your child continually struggles with self-doubt, this thought pattern could also hardwire in the brain and they may struggle with self-esteem and anxiety problems.
The brain is not fixed and has an amazing ability to adapt and change
One of the greatest features of our complex brain is its capacity to constantly change and adapt to new experiences and situations. Known as neuroplasticity, the brain can create new neuronal connections, reorganize networks, and grow new neurons. While neuroplasticity continues through life, it’s predominant during childhood and adolescence as the brain grows and organizes itself to its environment. An enriched environment for your child like creative hobbies, learning an instrument, reading, sports, new languages and challenging your child’s brain can help create and strengthen brain networks.