Social Competence and Independence. This spiral of encounter, learning and mastery results in social competence and independence. While circular reactions have been long observed, only recently have their origins in neurobiology been uncovered. An infant is born with approximately 100 billion brain cells, or neurons, most of them unconnected to each other. Early childhood experiences, education and other interventions, close parental relationships and their own genetic and biological makeup cause infants' neurons to grow fibers called dendrites.
Dendrites enable connections with other neurons at points called synapses.
Generally speaking, the more dendrites there are, the more synaptic connections there can be and the better able the neurologic system to process information. In this way, dendrites and synapses are the neurological building blocks of growth and development. If experiences are repeated well and often enough, the dendrites used in processing that information will become permanent and encourage more synaptic growth. If not, the dendrites wither and the synapses are lost. For a child whose disabilities make access to the environment difficult, repeated enriching experiences may not be possible, thus making adequate repeated stimulation of certain synapses impossible.