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The Carter-Jenkins CenterThe Carter-Jenkins Center

presentspresents

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Humberto Nagera M.D.

Professor of Psychiatry, University of South Florida.

Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan.

Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst,

Tampa Bay Psychoanalytic Institute.

Director, The Carter-Jenkins Center.

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DAY CARE CENTERS:DAY CARE CENTERS:

RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT OR RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT OR AMBER LIGHTAMBER LIGHT

(ITS POTENTIAL DANGERS) (ITS POTENTIAL DANGERS)

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Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)

1) The greatest potential danger applies to 1) The greatest potential danger applies to

infants ranging in age from a few days orinfants ranging in age from a few days or

weeks to one and a half yearsweeks to one and a half years

2) The second most endangered group (but2) The second most endangered group (but

less fundamentally so than the previous less fundamentally so than the previous

one) is those children between one and a one) is those children between one and a

half and two and a half to three years.half and two and a half to three years.

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Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)

3) The potential damage that can accrue to 3) The potential damage that can accrue to

children outside the two groups above is children outside the two groups above is

significantly reduced and will not be significantly reduced and will not be

discussed herediscussed here

4) The nature of the possible negative4) The nature of the possible negative

impact of Day-Care will be different impact of Day-Care will be different

according to:according to:

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Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)

a) The quality of the care provided in the a) The quality of the care provided in the

Day Care CenterDay Care Center

b) The time that the child remains in the b) The time that the child remains in the

Day Care Setting every dayDay Care Setting every day

c) The type of relationship between the c) The type of relationship between the

infant and his parents in generalinfant and his parents in general

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Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)

d) The amount of interaction betweend) The amount of interaction between

mother and infant, after he comes from mother and infant, after he comes from

the Day Care Center every daythe Day Care Center every day

e) The age of the childe) The age of the child

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Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)

- To understand the potential dangers of Day CareTo understand the potential dangers of Day Care

Centers in the ages specified, you need to have Centers in the ages specified, you need to have

some familiarity with the degree of immaturity ofsome familiarity with the degree of immaturity of

the brain at birth, and what it needs in order to the brain at birth, and what it needs in order to

develop ideally. I’ll try to show you those factsdevelop ideally. I’ll try to show you those facts

- Once you understand that you can draw your ownOnce you understand that you can draw your own

conclusions about Day Care as you see this conclusions about Day Care as you see this programprogram

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THE MARVELS OF THE HUMAN BRAINTHE MARVELS OF THE HUMAN BRAIN

-An adult human brain weights 1200-1300 grams-An adult human brain weights 1200-1300 grams

-At birth it only weights 300 to 350 grams-At birth it only weights 300 to 350 grams

-By two years -By two years itit wouldwould havehave trebledtrebled in size, to 900 in size, to 900

to 1050 grams (2/3 of the adult size) **to 1050 grams (2/3 of the adult size) **

-The brain has 100 billion neurons, all active at the-The brain has 100 billion neurons, all active at the

same timesame time

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Simplified NeuronSimplified Neuron

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Simplified NeuronSimplified Neuron

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Simplified NeuronSimplified Neuron

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THE MARVELS OF THE HUMAN BRAINTHE MARVELS OF THE HUMAN BRAIN

-Each neuron establishes connections with-Each neuron establishes connections with

100,000 other neurons, with the total number100,000 other neurons, with the total number

of synaptic connection at 10 of synaptic connection at 10 2727

-The number of possible combinations of -The number of possible combinations of

synaptic connections is in the range of synaptic connections is in the range of

10 10 1,000,0001,000,000

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THE MARVELS OF THE HUMAN BRAINTHE MARVELS OF THE HUMAN BRAIN

-Brain development never stops, at least not for as-Brain development never stops, at least not for as

long as we are open to learninglong as we are open to learning

-By the same token, brain programming never -By the same token, brain programming never

stops. As Andreasen remarked in 2001 (1), “Each stops. As Andreasen remarked in 2001 (1), “Each

one of us is a unique person and has a unique one of us is a unique person and has a unique

brain primarily because each of us has had a brain primarily because each of us has had a

different combination of life experiences that has different combination of life experiences that has

shaped who we are”shaped who we are”

(1) Andreasen, N. C. (2201), Brave New Brain, New York: Oxford Universities Press.(1) Andreasen, N. C. (2201), Brave New Brain, New York: Oxford Universities Press.

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THE MARVELS OF THE HUMAN BRAINTHE MARVELS OF THE HUMAN BRAIN

She continued: “Furthermore , as we live She continued: “Furthermore , as we live each minute of each day and each day of each minute of each day and each day of each year, we make choices that change our each year, we make choices that change our brains and ultimately change who we are. Ourbrains and ultimately change who we are. Our brains are constantly rewiring themselves…”brains are constantly rewiring themselves…”

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Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)

Three sets of variables need examination:Three sets of variables need examination:

1) Coming from the Child1) Coming from the Child

2) Type of environment, including the human2) Type of environment, including the human

objects that will care for himobjects that will care for him

3) Those resulting from the interaction between3) Those resulting from the interaction between

endowment and the environmentendowment and the environment

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1) Coming from the Child:

A) Immaturity of the brain at birth (the most A) Immaturity of the brain at birth (the most

immature of all mammals, ex of foal)immature of all mammals, ex of foal)

B) Remember that the weight of brain at birth is B) Remember that the weight of brain at birth is

only 300 to 350 gramsonly 300 to 350 grams

C) Need of “C) Need of “environmentalenvironmental stimulationstimulation” in order to” in order to

complete brain development ideally*complete brain development ideally*

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Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers)Day Care Centers (Potential Dangers) WHAT DOES “ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULATION” DO?

1) Promotes dendritization of the neurons **

2) Promotes vascularization in areas of the brain **

3) Promotes myelinization **

4) Promotes important biochemical and hormonal processes, in early infancy **

5) Role of impoverished or enriched environments **

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How the brain gets programmed?How the brain gets programmed?

While the brain is developing and forming itself, it While the brain is developing and forming itself, it is at the same time being programmed, so that it is at the same time being programmed, so that it can, in time, perform the functions of which it is can, in time, perform the functions of which it is capable (language example) **capable (language example) **

The importance of the constancy of objects **The importance of the constancy of objects **

Problems with the multiplicity and quality of the Problems with the multiplicity and quality of the care takers **care takers **

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Other general considerationsOther general considerations

Physical facilities of the Day Care CenterPhysical facilities of the Day Care Center

Number of staff (ratio staff to patient at the Number of staff (ratio staff to patient at the various ages). Laws regulating this facilities,various ages). Laws regulating this facilities, etcetc

Range of ages accepted?Range of ages accepted?

Who is the staff? Quality of training if any?Who is the staff? Quality of training if any?

How are they selected? Salaries?How are they selected? Salaries?

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THE ENDTHE END

Daycare Centers: Red Light, Green Light, Amber Light (Its

Potential Dangers)

Copyright 2003A Carter-Jenkins Center production