How can each of us start changing South Africa? By making sure more children have the possibility of reaching their full potential WHAT INCREASES LIFE POTENTIAL? WHAT DECREASES LIFE POTENTIAL? LOVE SAFETY ADEQUATE NUTRITION STIMULATION LANGUAGE STORIES NEW EXPERIENCES BOOKS TOYS LESS EXPOSURE TO LANGUAGE MEANS SCHOOL CHILDREN STRUGGLE TO READ SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO STRUGGLE TO READ, UNDERSTAND AND LEARN, FALL BEHIND WITH EACH PROGRESSING YEAR STAND BY A PREGNANT WOMAN. BE A CARING PRESENCE IN HER LIFE BIRTH AT BIRTH A BABY HAS 100 BILLION NEURONS – ALMOST AS MANY AS THERE ARE STARS IN THE MILKY WAY. SYNAPSES ARE FORMED AT 700 CONNECTIONS PER SECOND - ESTABLISHING THE ESSENTIAL NEURAL PATHWAYS OF THE BRAIN. INFANT BY 8 - 9 MONTHS THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEURAL PATHWAYS FOR LANGUAGE PEAKS - THOSE FOR HIGHER COGNITIVE FUNCTION PEAK AT ABOUT 1 YEAR. TODDLER RESEARCH SHOWS TODDLERS WITH A LARGER VOCABULARY READ BETTER WHEN THEY GET TO SCHOOL . SCHOOL CHILD READING LEADS TO UNDERSTANDING AND UNDERSTANDING ENABLES LEARNING. PREGNANCY 16 DAYS AFTER CONCEPTION THE NEURAL PLATE DEVELOPS. IT IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE BRAIN & SPINE. HOW DO WE CLOSE THE GAP? x 2 +y(n 3 )+12= WHAT CAN YOU DO? Entrepreneur PHD I dOn’t understand I hate school! ?#! READ TO CHILDREN AND GIVE THEM ACCESS TO BOOKS FOR IDEAS AND RESOURCES TO DO THE ABOVE, VISIT WWW.DGMT.CO.ZA CHILD CHILD CHILD DEVELOP AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH A FAMILY WITH YOUNG CHILDREN WITH LESS STIMULATION FEWER NEURAL CONNECTIONS ARE MADE. THE BRAIN CIRCUITRY DOES NOT DEVELOP TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL CHILD CHILD CHILD TOXIC STRESS: ONGOING LACK OF ATTENTION ABUSE AND/OR NEGLECT FAMILY DISFUNCTION CAREGIVER ADDICTION HELP FAMILIES TO EXPOSE INFANTS TO LANGUAGE AND TO CULTIVATE A LOVE OF READING IN CHILDREN BE A WITNESS TO A CHILD'S UNFOLDING LIFE. PROVIDE MODEST CONNECTIONS TO OPPORTUNITY, LIKE EXPOSING THEM TO NEW EXPERIENCES MOTHER POOR NUTRITION DEPRESSION LACK OF INFORMATION LACK OF SUPPORT SUBSTANCE ABUSE MOTHER ADEQUATE NUTRITION GOOD MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT ACCESS TO INFORMATION