Another health tip of the day: if you have a pre-school child, guess what--a nap helps promote learning. I doubt this will surprise anyone, and obvious this isn't Moebius-Syndrome specific; a nap will benefit any young child, whether he or she has Moebius Syndrome or not. But it's still a good reminder; read on:
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A preschooler’s nap may be an important tool for learning, a new study of 3- to 5-year-olds suggests.
Researchers tested 40 children in the morning by showing them a
picture on a card, then flipping the card over and asking the child to
remember its location on a grid.
The children then continued their regular program. At around 2 p.m.,
half the children were encouraged to nap, while the other half were
given activities to keep them awake.
The researchers re-tested the children after nap time, and again the
next morning. All the children participated both as nappers and
non-nappers.
When children napped, they scored higher on tests of recall afterward
than when they stayed awake for the same time period. Nappers also did
better on tests the next day. The findings were published online in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“Children not only need to nap, but should be encouraged to nap,”
said the senior author, Rebecca M.C. Spencer, an associate professor of
psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “Schools are
getting pressure to add curriculum and activities, but naps serve an
academic function as well. A nap really supports the goals of
preschool.”
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