Faster than the fastest computer, your amazing brain controls every move you make. It lets you feel emotions, laugh and cry. It allows you to learn new things and get out of the way of danger. Your brain keeps working even when you’re asleep. It sends the signals that make your heart beat, your lungs draw in breath and your eyelids blink.
The biggest part of your brain is the cerebrum, which makes up 85% of the brain’s weight. The cerebrum is the thinking part of the brain and it controls your voluntary muscles. So you can dance or kick a soccer ball. You need this part of the brain to solve math problems, figure out a video game and draw a picture.
Next up is the cerebellum, which sits at the back of your brain, below the cerebrum. It controls balance, movement and coordination. Because of the cerebellum you can stand upright, keep your balance, and move around.
The brain stem sits beneath the cerebrum and in front of the cerebellum. It connects the rest of your brain to the spinal cord, which runs down your neck and back. The brain stem is in charge of all the functions your body needs to stay alive, like breathing air, digesting food, and circulating blood.
The pituitary gland is very small, but its job is huge! It produces and releases hormones into the body. If your clothes from last year are too small, it’s because your pituitary gland released special hormones that made you grown.
And last, your hypothalamus – it’s like your brain’s inner thermostat. It knows what temperature your body should be and if your body is too hot, the hypothalamus will tell it to sweet and if it’s too cold, you start shivering. Both shivering and sweating are attempts to get your body’s temperature back to where it needs to be.
So what can you do to keep your brain healthy? Plenty! Eat healthy foods like fish, fresh vegetables and fruit, and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Get a lot of playtime and exercise. Wear a helmet when you ride your bike or play other sports that require head protection. Use your brain by doing challenging activities, such as puzzles, reading, playing music, making art, or anything else that gives your brain a workout!
Mesa Pediatric Urgent Care and Gilbert Pediatric Urgent Care
It can be scary any time your child is sick, but rest assured that AllKids Urgent Care is here to help guide you every step of the way with a caring and knowledgeable pediatric staff. Both our Gilbert Pediatric Urgent Care and our Mesa Pediatric Urgent Care are open every day, from noon to 10 p.m. No appointment is necessary, just stop in and start your child on the road back to health.