T. Berry Brazelton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
T. Berry Brazelton
|
|
|---|---|
Brazelton in 2000
|
|
| Born |
Thomas Berry Brazelton
May 10, 1918 Waco, Texas, U.S.
|
| Died | March 13, 2018 (aged 99) |
| Occupation | Pediatrician author |
Thomas Berry Brazelton (May 10, 1918 – March 13, 2018) was an American doctor who specialized in children (a pediatrician). He was also a writer and created a special test called the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). Dr. Brazelton had his own TV show called What Every Baby Knows and wrote a newspaper column. He wrote many books and articles about children.
Contents
About Dr. T. Berry Brazelton
His Early Life and Education
Thomas Berry Brazelton was born in Waco, Texas. He went to Princeton University and then studied medicine at Columbia University in New York City. After finishing medical school in 1943, he worked at Roosevelt Hospital.
After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he continued his medical training in Boston. He specialized in pediatrics, which is the branch of medicine dealing with the health and medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. He trained at Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital.
His Work with Children
In 1950, Dr. Brazelton opened his own medical practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He became very interested in how children grow and learn, which is called child development. He also studied child psychiatry, which focuses on the mental, emotional, and behavioral health of children.
Later, he worked at Harvard University. In 1972, he started the Child Development Unit at Children's Hospital in Boston. This center helped train other doctors and do research on children. From 1988, he was a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Brazelton was a leader in several important groups that focused on children. He often spoke to the United States Congress to support laws that would help parents, like those about parental leave from work. He also helped create Parent Action, a group that supports families.
Helping with Toilet Training
Dr. Brazelton was well-known for his "child-oriented" way of thinking about toilet training. He suggested that parents wait until a child is at least 24 months old. He believed parents should look for "readiness signs" from their child, like showing interest or being able to control their body.
He felt that children don't naturally want to be clean and dry. Instead, they learn it by cooperating with their parents. He advised parents not to feel pressured by others, like grandparents, to start toilet training too early. Later in his career, he worked with the Pampers Parenting Institute and even appeared in ads for Pampers diapers.
Dr. Brazelton also appeared on popular TV shows like The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Understanding Babies: The NBAS
Dr. Brazelton's biggest achievement was helping doctors understand how babies' actions and feelings affect their parents. He wanted pediatricians to pay more attention to these things.
What is the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale?
The Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) is a special test for newborns and babies up to two months old. It looks at many different behaviors. It doesn't just check a baby's physical and brain responses. It also looks at their emotional well-being and how each baby is unique.
When a doctor uses the NBAS, they create a "portrait" of the baby. This portrait shows the baby's strengths, how they adapt to new things, and any areas where they might need more support. The doctor then shares this information with the parents. This helps parents learn the best ways to care for their baby and build a strong relationship.
The NBAS checks 38 different behaviors and 18 reflexes. It helps understand how a baby uses different skills (like moving, controlling their body, and interacting with others) to get used to their new world. This was a new idea because it showed that even tiny newborns are very capable.
Key Ideas Behind the NBAS
The NBAS is based on a few important ideas:
- Babies are capable: Even very young babies are smart and able to do many things. Dr. Brazelton said, "A newborn already has nine months of experience when she is born." He believed babies can control their actions to respond to their new surroundings.
- Babies communicate: Babies "talk" through their actions. Even if it doesn't always seem clear, their behavior is a way of communicating. Babies respond to things around them, like their parents' faces. They also try to control their environment, for example, by crying to get attention.
- Babies are social and unique: Babies are social beings, and each one is different. They are ready to both be shaped by their family and to shape their family's environment.
His Passing
Dr. Brazelton passed away on March 13, 2018. He was 99 years old.
