ABSTRACT
The human brain is a remarkable structure, with functions that go beyond anything other organisms can achieve. However, although the human brain is fully in place at birth, with many of its functions working, it still has a lot more development to do, and will not be completely mature until about 22 years later. Being locked up inside a bony box (the skull) the brain relies entirely for much of that development on the sensory nervous system. It is through the senses that the brain keeps in contact with the outside world, and it is the outside world that has the biggest influence on the brain (Blows 2003). Therefore the brain can only make progress in development if the sensory systems are fully functioning. Fortunately, the sensory systems are always the most advanced at all stages of development.
