ABSTRACT
Young children’s language development processes are related to specific areas of brain development, and this is especially apparent during the preschool years. Some studies have compared the brain development effects of preschoolers’ training on various tasks. In a review by Brown and Jernigan of preschool children’s brain development, they note that both structural growth and morphological changes are extensive, with increases in the cortical area, changing cortical volume, gray and white matter tissue changes, and increasing metabolic demands. In spite of the expansive and positive evidence about the dynamics of brain development during the preschool years, it is also clear that the impact of poor environmental conditions, especially abusive conditions, can show particularly deleterious effects on children of this age level. According to Fletcher, preschool children’s social development, language growth, and increases in symbolic representation can be observed in their interactions with peers and in their advanced levels of pretend play.
