Nutrition & Brain Growth During the Preschool Years

The age span of three to five years, or the preschool years, are a very busy time for young children. It is in these years that a child learns to communicate properly, socialize, adapt to different environments and become more curious about his surroundings. Since there is so much learning and discovering your preschooler goes through, his brain expands a great deal, too. Malnourishment or improper nutrition at this stage leads to severe cognitive and behavioral disabilities.

The Preschooler's Brain

• A child's brain has twice the number of connections than an adult.

  A child's brain at birth is in an unfinished state. The 100 billion cells it has at this stage are not linked to each other. Connecting and reinforcing these connections is the main task of your preschooler's brain. By the time your child is three, he has more than twice the number of connections than an adult. The more your child experiences, the more the connections (or wiring) are formed. Connections that are not used often will later be eliminated.

Effects of Poor Nutrition

• Undernourished preschoolers have a lower IQ by as much as 15 points or more. They lack socializing skills and have more behavioral problems. Their learning abilities and concentration spans are also significantly lower than properly nourished children. A particularly alarming fact in the case of nutrition and brain development of young children is that even a small degree of malnourishment can lead to the above abnormalities.

Nutrition for Preschoolers

• Fruits make good snacks for kids.

  The surest way to ensure your child's proper brain development is to provide a well-balanced diet that includes all essential vitamins, minerals and protein foods. Although your child's calorie needs might not be as much as an adults, his protein requirements are comparatively quite high. Hence, make sure your child does not consume empty calories from high-sugar foods and junk foods. Provide them with healthy snacks like fruits and cheese sandwiches, flavored yogurts, etc.

Important Micronutrients

• Encourage your child to eat eggs.

  Iron deficiency is the highest in the United States in children under five years of age. It is the major cause of tiredness, decreased attention span and impaired problem-solving abilities. Feed your child eggs, meat, and fish and iron-fortified foods along with fresh fruits and vegetables for optimum iron absorption. Encourage your child to drink at least three glasses of milk every day, as it is a rich source of calcium for the growing brain and body.

Learning while Feeding

• Create an environment in which your child gets the best nutrition.

  The more a child experiences, the more his brain develops. Involve your child in the meal-planning process to stimulate his brain. Go shopping for groceries with him. Ask him to help in the kitchen. Have meals together. Create an environment in which your child gets the best nutrition along with maximum brain growth.