Understanding Your Child’s Journey

Every child and young person has a unique life journey. Many things shape their development, including genetics, family life, medical history, education, and personal experiences. 

Children start and end their journeys in different places. These paths can change throughout childhood. 

What Can Affect a Child’s Cognitive Ability and Developmental Journey?

Environmental Factors

• Exposure to alcohol, drugs, certain medications, or toxins during pregnancy or childhood can affect brain development. 

• Lack of access to age-appropriate toys, activities, and interaction can slow skill development. 

• Positive relationships and interaction help build language, thinking, and social skills. 

• Physical activity is important. For example, a baby who spends most of the day in a bouncer may not get enough chances to learn crawling. 

• Children need to feel safe to learn. Unsafe conditions—such as trauma, violence, abuse, homelessness, or food insecurity—can trigger the brain’s “fight or flight” response, making learning harder. 

• Culture and location shape what children experience and what is valued. Standardised tests often reflect Western norms and may not match all children’s backgrounds. 

Mental Health

Mental health challenges can affect learning and development. These include: 

• Low mood (such as depression) 

• Unusual experiences (such as psychosis, hallucinations, or strong unusual beliefs) 

• High anxiety (such as panic, separation anxiety, phobias, or general anxiety) 

Neurodivergent children and young people may be more likely to experience anxiety or depression. These changes in mood and behaviour can affect focus, memory, and executive skills like planning and problem-solving. 

Mental health and learning can influence each other. A child who struggles with learning may feel different from their peers, which can lower self-esteem and increase anxiety or sadness. 

Mental health issues can also reduce school attendance, which affects progress and development. 

Physical Health and Acquired Health Factors

Health conditions can impact learning and thinking. These include: 

• Epilepsy – Absence seizures may interrupt attention and memory. Tonic-clonic seizures can affect awareness and cause confusion before or after the event. 

• Brain injury – Traumatic or acquired brain injuries can affect attention, memory, and executive functioning. 

• Other health conditions – Ongoing medical treatment may lead to time away from school, which can slow learning. Support can help children stay on track. 

Executive Skills

Executive function skills help us manage attention, control impulses, handle emotions, and plan tasks. These skills are like an air traffic control system, helping children organise their thoughts and actions. 

Children use these skills to read, write, do maths, and interact with others. These skills grow over time, from childhood into adulthood. 

Children need chances to practice these skills in safe, supportive environments. Like a new air traffic controller starting at a small airport, children need time and support to build their skills. 

Children with less-developed executive function skills may struggle to manage attention, plan tasks, or control emotions. This can lead to feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or frustrated. They may forget things, lash out, or withdraw. 

Helpful strategies include: 

• Calm environments 

• Stable routines 

• Practice through play 

• Encouragement and support from caring adults 

Sleep

Sleep helps us perform at our best. Children and young people need different amounts of sleep depending on their age. These are the recommended hours of sleep over a 24-hour period: 

• Infants: 12 to 15 hours 

• Preschoolers (3–5 years): 10 to 13 hours 

• Children (6–13 years): 9 to 11 hours 

• Teenagers (14–17 years): 8 to 10 hours 

• Adults (18+ years): 7 to 9 hours 

Not getting enough sleep affects how children think and learn. It can make it harder to process information. 

Sleep also affects mental health. Poor sleep can lead to low mood or increased anxiety. This affects the brain and all the thinking processes mentioned earlier. 

Children who already have challenges with thinking and learning may struggle even more if they don’t get enough sleep. This creates a double disadvantage. 

For more information on sleep and how to improve it, visit the Sleep section of this website. 

Eating and Nutrition

According to Frontiers for Young Minds, the brain controls many important functions, including mental health and physical well-being. That’s why it’s important to keep the brain healthy. 

The food we eat affects how our brain works. A healthy diet helps the brain in many ways. It can increase the growth of new brain cells, a process called neurogenesis. 

The hippocampus is a key part of the brain. It helps with memory and neurogenesis. A healthy diet supports the hippocampus, which can improve learning, memory, mood, attention, and mental health. 

The Gut-Brain Connection

The brain and gut are connected by neurons that send messages between them. This connection is called the gut-brain axis. The food we eat affects the gut, which then sends signals to the brain. An unhealthy diet can cause problems with thinking, memory, and learning. 

Unhealthy food can trigger the release of stress hormones. These hormones can cause inflammation in the brain, especially in the hippocampus. This makes it harder to plan, focus, and remember. It can also lead to depression. 

A high-fat diet can cause oxidative stress, which damages brain cells. It can also cause inflammation in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that helps control body weight. This inflammation can lead to overeating. 

Trans-fats are artificial fats that are harmful to the brain. They increase the risk of thinking problems and anxiety. Trans-fats are found in margarine, frosting, snacks, and store-bought cookies and cakes. Avoid these to protect brain health.