Almost half of a child's energy goes to fuel his brain

In order for the brain to stay running at top-notch, it requires significant amounts of energy. And this is even more true for young children who are still learning, processing, and developing at a fast rate. "Scientists at Northwestern University discovered recently that in the preschool years, when a child's brain development is faster, physical growth is slower, possibly to save more energy for the developing brain," explains Dr. Wingeier. "Conversely, during puberty, when physical growth is faster, brain development is slower—which may come as no surprise to parents of teenagers.