Abstracts (Click title for full essay)

THE INFANT BRAIN: ITS GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT by Jan B. Mandernach
The brain defines our lives as humans, but it grows and develops like each of our other organs. The building blocks the brain uses to do its work are neurons and synapses.
Some of the most interesting research for professionals dealing with families is work done by Huttenlocher and others in the growth and decline of synapses in the brain (synaptogenesis). In work with the visual cortex [the cortex is the outer layer of the brain that performs our cognitive functions], Huttenlocher found that the number of synapses in the visual cortex exploded at about 2 months of age and peaked around 8 months of age.

PARENT-INFANT ATTACHMENT: THE CRADLE OF LITERACY by Claudia Quigg
When we speak of literacy, we think of the ability to use written language. However, written language is really the most refined form of communication, and is only attained after lower forms of communication have become facile. The evolution of communication begins with nonverbal or "body language," then proceeds to oral language before the mastery of written language is possible. And because communication happens between human beings, it must grow out of relationships. The earliest relationship, then, the attachment between parent and child, is in reality the "cradle" from which the child's eventual communication skills and style will develop.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUMAN BRAIN:
IMPLICATIONS FOR PARENTING IN THE EARLY YEARS by Claudia Quigg
A recent series of articles in the Chicago Tribune described in detail the development of the human brain as it has been discovered through several serious research efforts. The findings reported were fascinating but not surprising to those of us who have long believed that the early years of life have the most impact on eventual human potential.
 

READING SUCCESS RESULTS FROM EXPERIENCES IN THE EARLY YEARS
by Claudia Quigg as published in Illinois Kids Count 2005
From the first day of life until the last day of peaceful age, reading fulfills basic human needs. Books inspire us, teach us new information, comfort us, keep us company, occupy our minds with great thoughts and make us laugh out loud. Acquiring the skills needed to process written language is one of the greatest achievements of childhood. Learning to read gives a child entrance into his own culture.

Baby TALK LAPSITS: EMPOWERING LIBRARIANS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD LEADERSHIP
by Claudia Quigg as published in Illinois Libraries Newsletter Spring 2005
"The more we are together, together, together, The more we are together, the happier we'll be!"
These words from the familiar closing "Lapsit song" reflect the joy and encouragement that children and their parents experience at library Lapsits. The camaraderie parents enjoy with other parents, the fun children have playing with other toddlers, and the support whole families feel from an engaged professional all result in libraries increasingly finding themselves at the center of young families' lives.

Baby TALK - LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND LOVE FOR INFANTS
by Claudia Quigg and Janice B. Mandernach
In 1986, concern about children brought together professionals from Decatur's schools, libraries, hospitals, health department and volunteer literacy program. Sharing a belief in the power of positive relationships, these agencies committed themselves to a collaboration and Baby TALK was created. With a basic goal of encouraging parental nurturing of very young children, Baby TALK has combined resources and opportunities to reach more than 14,000 families in Decatur with the message that "Language, Literature and Love" can provide a pretty wonderful start for a child's life.  (Published in the monograph: Celebrating Family Literacy Through Intergenerational Programming, Margaret Matthias & Beverly Gulley, Editors - Association for Childhood Education International, Wheaton, Maryland)

BUILDING TRUST IN THE PROVIDER - PARENT RELATIONSHIP by Jan B. Mandernach
How to build the relationship between practitioner and parent remains the challenge. First, one must accept that relationship building is a long-term endeavor, not something accomplished in a single visit. But steps can be taken with each visit. Analogous to the development of the child (Tronick, Monaco speech), the relationship of trust evolves over time. Three phases of trust building will be discussed: affiliation, probing and affirmation.