What's your baby thinking? Groundbreaking study could finally unlock mystery every parent wants to crack

It can be challenging to find out what goes on in a baby's brain before they learn to talk or communicate. However, a new study is examining when and how a young child develops the ability to focus and learn, as reported by the BBC. It is still not known at what point these skills develop in children. The study is tracking hundreds of children from the age of six months to five years to learn when these abilities, which affect their academic and social skills, are developed by following their brain activity at specific moments.

Organized by the University of Bristol, the study aims to track children's brain development in the first five years of their lives. It seeks to find out why some children struggle to pick up things at school while others do considerably well. Additionally, the experiment is part of another study in which the mothers of 300 babies, who are part of the initial study, have also been examined for their health since they were infants in the 1990s. The data will help researchers understand the link between babies' brain development and their parents' genetics, health, and experiences. "We need to know when different skills develop, and we need to understand how individual children develop over time," Dr. Karla Holmboe, the study's lead researcher, told the outlet.

Dr. Holmboe explained that children who struggle at the beginning of school might continue to struggle later. "That can even continue into adulthood. So, there's this whole period of development that we need to understand so we can support children at a much younger age." The study's participants and their parents are asked to come to the university's psychology lab and play scientific games. Their brain activity is measured in this span. "In a classroom, a child needs to be able to focus and not let their attention drift. To learn new things, we need to be able to stop old habits," Dr. Holmboe pointed out. The children who participated in the 90s study are now thirty-five years old. The research observed the health of around 14,500 children born between 1991 and 1992. The study provided insights into obesity, autism, and the effects of the pandemic on mental health.

The researchers pointed out that even though fussy eating might cause worry, it is unlikely to impact a child's health and development in the long term. Additionally, the study suggested that children who lacked oily fish in their diet were less sociable and kind. It found that one in five young people shows signs of fatty liver disease, and one in forty young people might have liver scarring. The researchers understood that such conditions can be prevented through changes in diet. One mother, Emily Chatham, who was one of the children in the '90s study, continues to participate in the second leg of the study with her sons, Henry and Jaxon. This study will follow the children until they start school.

"We've both been a part of this since birth. It wasn't a choice for me at the start—my mum signed me up. But it is now, and I just think it's fascinating," Chatham explained. "This is the groundwork that will help us support children at the right time," Dr. Holmboe expressed. "My boys just love coming here. They love all the toys—they get free snacks. So I'll continue coming just as long as they want to. Why wouldn't you want to be part of this and maybe help future generations?" Chatham added.