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Product Description

Though not for the impatient, What's Going on in There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life will undoubtedly make you a better parent. It is thick, detailed, and scientific. But it is also accessible to parents who have the time and patience to immerse themselves in the latest research on brain development. And for those who do, the rewards can be great.

You'll understand the inner workings of the brain like never before. You'll learn the latest thinking on the nature vs. nurture question. You'll gain invaluable insights into the evolution of the senses, motor skills, social and emotional growth, memory, language, and intelligence. But most importantly, you'll understand--maybe for the first time--exactly how great your contribution as a parent can be to the development of your young child's brain. Written by Lise Eliot, Ph.D., a neurobiologist and mother of three, What's Going on in There? is an immensely intelligent labor of love. It is based on the author's own "odyssey of discovery" as she sought answers to questions about her own role in carrying, delivering, and parenting her children. --Kelley Smith

As a research neuroscientist, Lise Eliot has made the study of the human brain her life's work. But it wasn't until she was pregnant with her first child that she became intrigued with the study of brain development. She wanted to know precisely how the baby's brain is formed, and when and how each sense, skill, and cognitive ability is developed. And just as important, she was interested in finding out how her role as a nurturer can affect this complex process. How much of her baby's development is genetically ordained--and how much is determined by environment? Is there anything parents can do to make their babies' brains work better--to help them become smarter, happier people? Drawing upon the exploding research in this field as well as the stories of real children, What's Going On in There? is a lively and thought-provoking book that charts the brain's development from conception through the critical first five years. In examining the many factors that play crucial roles in that process, What's Going On in There? explores the evolution of the senses, motor skills, social and emotional behaviors, and mental functions such as attention, language, memory, reasoning, and intelligence. This remarkable book also discusses:

how a baby's brain is "assembled" from scratch
the critical prenatal factors that shapebrain development
how the birthing process itself affects the brain
which forms of stimulation are most effective at promoting cognitive development
how boys' and girls' brains develop differently
how nutrition, stress, and other physical and social factors can permanently affect a child's brain


Brilliantly blending cutting-edge science with a mother's wisdom and insight, What's Going On in There? is an invaluable contribution to the nature versus nurture debate. Children's development is determined both by the genes they are born with and the richness of their early environment. This timely and important book shows parents the innumerable ways in which they can actually help their children grow better brains.

Customer Reviews:

• Great Book
  This was a great book, and I wish I had read it earlier. It goes though in great detail (but easily understandable language) how a baby's brain develops in utero and after birth. It also explains how babies learn at different stages during the first year, and discusses such issues as the impact of day care on brain development and attachment. It's a great balanced book that doesn't push any particular agenda or approach to child rearing. I'd recommend this for any parents or parents-to-be....more info
• Thorough, Organized, and Very Useful
  As a former biologist, i found much of the popular reading material (from my admittedly incomplete review of what is available) about childhood development pretty lacking. And with the depth of scientific literature on the topic, it is refreshing to find something written with the lay public in mind that covers this subject so well.
  
  I imagine the book will be fairly challenging to persons without a substantial amount of scientific training, but that being said it is well worth reading if you like accepting challenges and will be a parent (or have an interest in how your brain works).
  
  Probably the best book i read last year, and the only "baby book" i have come across that is worth reading at all....more info
• Absolutely Must Read
  I am an Early Childhood Specialist and this book is well written, clear and easy to understand, begins at conception and continues through age 5, information is research documented but written in an understandable and usable form. Very pleased that i bought one for myself and my daughter-in-law....more info
• Excellent!
  This book is especially good for readers with rudimentary knowledge about neurobiology. However, it is also good for the absolute layman if one can 'read' pass the jargon. ...more info
• Informative to anyone, not just parents!
  This book more than fulfilled my expectations on content. I'm currently reading a number of parenting books, and none have appealed to my intellectual hunger for knowledge like this one! Not only will you learn about sensory development in various parts of the brain and at different stages of growth, but you will also be able to see up-to-date statistics on substances, diseases, and vaccinations you may or may not have been warned about. You'll find good advice to not only direct parenting decisions about health and nutrition for your child(ren), but also to direct health and nutrition decisions for yourself.
  
  Lise Eliot is very straightforward in her writing, relying on scientific studies and statistical charts to back up her claims. She shows little bias beyond what is clearly shown by the scientific data. One thing I appreciate is how she shows how some concerns are simply due to being "better safe than sorry," while others are more valid....more info
• Great Book To Own
  An easy to understand filled with knowledge from a terrific writer....more info
• Recommend to any mom interested in your new baby's brain development
  I read this while I was pregnant and was able to apply concepts right away. This is perfect for anyone who is interested in their newborn/toddler's brain development, which to me was fascinating. It's not fluffy, but not difficult to read either. ...more info
• Interesting, but recommended mostly for people currently conceiving, pregnant or have a newborn
  I got this book based on the title where it states, "how the mind develops in the first five years of life." I have a 9 mos old and a two and a half year old so I thought that I could get some valuable info, since they are both still pretty young. This book is only 460 pages long, and Dr. Eliot doesn't even really start talking about children over a year of age until about page 300 (and I'm being generous to start that far back.) This book, while interesting, mostly discusses brain development from conception (especially conception through infancy) through the first two years years. Naturally, our brain continues to develop after two years, and she mentions the years 3-5 here and there but it's usually in reference to statistics supporting her facts on the subjects she talks about pertaining to brain growth during infancy (thus she's "justified" in adding the "birth through five years" on her cover.) I still felt like the title was misleading though. I spent the first 300 pages reflecting back on my pregnancies and all the things I did "wrong." The first 300 pages kinda made me feel guilty.
  Now that doesn't mean that I didn't like the book itself. This is a great book. It's different than all the other "child rearing" books on the market because it's not all psychology. Most of this book is biology. So I will say that if you like science, you'll enjoy this book. Even though it is on the scientific side, I think that it was written (as well as it could be) in layman's terms. I wouldn't go as far to say that it's like college textbook material, but it does use jargon that you probably haven't heard since you've been in school. I also liked the way the book was written. You can tell that she tried to write a "science" book to appeal to everyone (whether science is your thing or not). When I read it, I felt like I was having a discussion with a Mom who has a biology degree instead of listening to a boring science professor. Overall, I think that if you don't have any distractions around you, this book is easier to follow. I just wished I had read it earlier, is all. ...more info
• what about developmental delays?
  I borrowed this book from the library hoping to improve my understanding of developmental delays in toddlers. When I looked up 'autism', I only found 2 brief references. This is a lengthy book and autism is mentioned as an aside! 'Apraxia' and 'Aspergers' were not even referenced! One way to gain a better understanding of brain development is by studying those cases which do not portray a 'typical' development. Thus in no way is this book a comprehensive summary of our understanding of brain development in the 1990ies. Basically the author summarizes and presents the findings of a plethora of scientific studies in lay person's terms. I did not see any original thinking on the part of the author or any new insights. For example, under 'the effect of childcare' she states that a child's development is mainly influenced by the quality of the childcare purchased, and great childcare is as good as if not better than being looked after by a dedicated family member. It seems self-evident that 'bad' childcare is worse than 'excellent' childcare. So overall, if this is a subject that fascinates you look beyond a book that merely summarizes a number of scientific papers. ...more info
• A superb, evidence-based guide to your child's development
  Any visit to a bookstore and you can see for yourself that the baby book industry is alive and well. I have borrowed several of the more popular child development titles and spent many hours pouring through the pages in search of tidbits to help my child grow. Again and again these popular titles disappoint: either they are filled with out-of-date information, speculation, and rumor or they insult the reader's intelligence with oversimplification and lack of evidence.
  
  Lise Eliot's book, "What's Going on in There?" does _not_ disappoint. It is a factual and engrossing look at what modern science knows (and doesn't know) about child development. The author provides an overview of research across all the major areas of development (sensory, motor, emotional, memory, etc.) outlining how the brain is developing at various stages and what corresponding behaviors you will likely see in your child. Also covered is how parents can use the results of research to enhance and encourage their child's growth. Some of these things are very simple yet provide significant developmental advantages. For example, page 155 describes a vestibular stimulation study where spinning young infants in a swivel chair resulted in motor development advances.
  
  The information in the book about child emotional and social growth is particularly compelling. I think almost any parent reading that section couldn't help but pause and consider how their own interactions with their children are shaping their little minds. The information in those sections really made me reconsider how I was going to approach the job of being a parent.
  
  I particularly appreciated that the author takes time to delve deeper into studies to give the reader an understanding of the context and meanings of the results. This is particularly important for some of the socioeconomic studies where, at first blush, it appears that moneyed parents have smarter children.
  
  In conclusion, Lise Eliot does a great service to those parents wanting a sound and rational guide to understanding their child's development. Readable, interesting, with 458 endnotes. Highly recommended.
  
  PS - It appears Bantam fixed the binding issue. I have a copy from the 8th printing and there are no problems with the binding....more info
• Wow! What a great book.
  Some books should be mandatory for new parents. This would be one of them. It's not an "easy" read, but it has such great information presented in great detail....more info
• Excellent book. Lousy binding
  This book is terrific. Well-written, well-researched and informative to the max. It gives you practical activities and advice for building your babies brain and backs it up with scientific evidence. Everything is presented in a reader-friendly fashion.
  
  The binding fell apart and all my pages are loose now. A real flaw, but still worth 5 stars....more info
• Fantastic information for parents
  I found this book really insightful and full of great practical infomation that helps me understand my baby girl....more info
• Very scientific but interesting
  I recieved this book when by son was 3mo old. I agree that it is best for pregnant women or when your child is very young. There is lots of details about brain development, I am a nurse and have a science background, and it was even too much for me. I would skim the beginning of each chapter, through the details on ganglia and neuron growth to get to the applicable stuff. It's also not a reference type of book, you can't go to a chapter for your age child. Each chapter has a topic...hearing, smell, touch, language, intelligence, etc. It is interesting, I learned a lot, but if you are not a reader (its 460 pages), or you want something very hands on practical, this is not for you. ...more info
• Fascinating account of neurological development
  This is a fascinating account of how the brain develops in early life, and how this maps to changing behavior. "What's Going On in There?" is written for a lay audience and is very accessible.
  
  I only have two grievances with this book. The first is that although it is written in a very readable narrative format, I wish she put a reference section at the end with diagrams, timelines, references, etc to summarize the narrative - because you probably won't memorize all of the fascinating detail on first read, but then it is difficult to locate specific information later on when you are trying to remember something. The other grievance is that she makes many assertions without citing references - a pet peeve of mine, but this is not something that is likely to bother most readers. But again, this is a good book, and it is the only one I know about this fascinating topic....more info
• Very interesting - very scientific
  It's been a month and I'm still in chapter 3. I learn a lot, but it feels like going through a class textbook. This book is an endless source of information, if you have the scientific background and you're willing to make the commitment....more info
• A Must-have Resource for Expecting Parents
  I found this book to be a great introduction to how a child's mind develops. As an expecting father, it was really interesting to know how the senses play a large role in developing the intelligence of a child and that the best way to develop a healthy mind is to provide a child with lots of stimulation at the proper time. The chapters toward the end of the book were particularly interesting as they covered the development of intelligence, language, and memory. I highly recommend that all expecting parents read this book. One caution though, the author takes a scientific approach, so if you're not prepared to read a book that approaches the developing mind from a scientific perspective, you might want to try other lighter books. However, if you are prepared for it, you'll be glad that you read this book. ...more info
• Very Tough Read
  Neither my daughter or I have made much progress reading it. It's not really written for a lay person....more info
• Very interesting to read
  As someone entering parenthood, I immensely enjoyed reading the book. It provides detailed information on how the baby grows and how nature and nurture can affect its growth. The author cites studies and researches that support the facts mentioned in the book. The book also points out the correct time when a parent can step in to enhance the development of a certain area. Since I am planning to use the book in raising my baby, I think it would have been more helpful if the author included a sort of graph or timeline which could serve as a quick reference on what is developing at what point. One other comment, as I was reading the book, the pages fell off....more info
• Read it while pregnant
  I read this book while I was pregnant with my daughter. I reread it later. It is a cogent work that helps us to understand the brain. I think my daughter has benefited tremendously! A must read for any expectant parent or anyone with young children....more info
• Just what I was looking for
  This excellent book filled a palpable void in my parenting books by (finally!) answering so many of my questions about my baby's development. Dozens of other books on my shelf told me what to avoid during pregnancy, for example, but none explained why. The author brought the best research along with her own (and others') personal experiences to create a fabulous book about babies' cognitive development. It's wonderful!...more info
• The most insight and information I use day to day to raise my baby
  I love this book. The information is the most useful. My baby is 6 month old and I really appreciate the teaching from this book. I skip on the sections that describe the mechanism in the brain and devour the sections that describe the developmental milestones. Highly recommended!...more info
• A how-to book on nurturing neural pathways!
  The old debate regarding nature vs. nurture when it comes to learning ability and all kinds of human traits has essentially ended. Both contribute. It's true that any child's (or adult's) cognitive abilities can be directly enhanced with the right kind of environmental stimulus/experiences. Dr. Eliot's book offers a very thorough overview of how the process of neuron development and "pruning" works and offers parents insight into how they might help optimize their own child's potential. A fascinating read.. Great reference for parents and professionals who deal with kids....more info
• Wonderful material AND writing
  "It's been a month and I'm still in chapter 3. I learn a lot, but it feels like going through a class textbook. This book is an endless source of information, if you have the scientific background and you're willing to make the commitment."
  
  I couldn't disagree more! I was amazed at how accessible the information was (when you consider that we're talking about the science of BRAINS). Honestly the most well-written nonfiction book that I have read in a long time (NONE of my college textbooks came even close to being this readable). The experiments she describes are fascinating and the language she uses well within the reach of your average adult. I made it through the book in a little over a month and found myself looking forward to reading it every night--I was genuinely excited to know what Eliot would explain next!
  
  This is much more than a "do this and your child will be a genius" book--it is explaining the way our brains develop and function.
  
  Best of all, the author is down-to-earth about the process, reminding the reader that there is no perfect prenatal experience, no perfect mother...we just do our best. She advocates moderation...this isn't a book that insists you must play Mozart into your belly.
  
  While this book will appeal most to parents of young children, I think it should be marketed to a much wider audience...anyone interested in the way brains function and looking for a well written and easy-to-understand explanation would enjoy this book!...more info
• Great book for parents!!!
  This book contains everything that parents really need in developing their children's skills. It describes in detail using layman's term how the brain actually develops each of the child's senses. From this book, I got know what, when and how to teach my children as they grow up....more info
• Excellent
  If you are interested in how your baby is learning and developing, this is a great book! The author shares current research on brain development in a fun and informative way. I actually enjoyed reading this book unlike other brain development books....more info
• Excellent reading for the scientifically curious!
  This text is presented as an introduction to brain development without speaking down to those unfamiliar with state-of-the-art neurological/molecular vocabulary and research. The writing style is engaging and the presentation style motivates each successive topic in a compelling manner. It is both a page-turner and an excellent reference, and my copy has been rebound and has important passages marked. Specifically interesting to me, as a pregnant mother, are neurochemical sensitivities during fetal development, and language development after birth. It makes for excellent reading for expecting parents who have any curiosity in science at all. Indeed, my friends with engineering and science backgrounds have been enthusiastically passing it around. My sister took my recommendation, and is using it as an undergraduate textbook in molecular neurobiology at Carnegie Mellon U. ...more info