Anyone who has ever held a newborn in their arms, must at some stage have wondered how this eating, sleeping, emitting blob, turns into a child ready for the classroom, in little more than 1825 days.
Somewhere along the way that child will have learned to sit, crawl, stand, walk and run. She will have progressed from gargling coos to chattering babbles, single words, and fluent language. The blob will have moved from a state of complete dependence, to being able to get dressed, eat breakfast and tell a joke all at the same time.
These developments are wondrous, but obvious. What about those milestones that may escape notice? How does a child know that the word ‘dog’ refers to that animal, rather than its ears, furriness or bark? When does a child understand that the ball her mum has hidden behind her back hasn’t disappeared into the ether, but just become obscured to her vision? How does a child learn that the swaying trees are not being moved by the spirits, but by an invisible force called ‘wind’.
The questions roll on forever, and they become more intoxicating as the list grows.
Related to the science of child development is the emerging field investigating the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). There is increasing evidence that child and adult health is influenced by what takes place during fetal life. Heart disease, stroke, hypertension, obesity, osteoporosis and intelligence have all been linked to events during prenatal life. But how do we sort the ‘real’ findings (wheat) from the ‘maybe’ findings (chaff). Furthermore, how do we package up and present this information without bombarding women with an overwhelming list of dos and don’ts.
And what about schooling? How much influence does this exert on a child’s progression? Does it really make a difference if your child goes to the top listed school on the My School website? And, if so, why aren’t Teachers held up as the most important professionals in our modern society?
All of these ideas – from ‘placenta’ to ‘play centre’ – will be explored in this new column for The Conversation.
I hope you enjoy the journey.
David Thompson
Research Officer In Men's Health at University of Western Sydney
Clever title. Congrats on the... ahem.. birth of this column.
Andrew Whitehouse
Winthrop Professor, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research at University of Western Australia
Thanks David!
Much of the credit for this must go to my colleague, Grant Smith, who is hoping to write his memoirs to a similar title.
Dale Bloom
Analyst
I would not think of a new born baby as a "blob".
Russell White
logged in via Facebook
As a male pre-service science teacher the overwhelming list of do's and don't don't only bombard women. Hope you have some success evevating the standing of teachers.
Marjan Kljakovic
Professor of General Practice, Australian National University Medical School
Two facts: 1) Placentas are discarded soon after birth. 2) Everyone forgets their play centre experiences. Perhaps this column will discover ways in which we could move beyond such discards.
Penny Daniel
Inclusion Support Agency coordinator
The efficiency or otherwise of the placenta and the mother's diet/addictions/environment profoundly affect the development of the foetus. Children may not "remember" their play centre experiences but the interactions, environment and care experienced there also have longlasting influences. Neither are "discards".
Sue Ieraci
Public hospital clinician
More title suggestions:
"From foetus to "feed us"
"From trophoblast to plaster cast"
"From embryo to Lego"