Health Tip: Help Your Child's Cognitive Development

Encourage thinking and reasoning

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(HealthDay News) -- Cognitive development refers to fostering a person's ability to think and reason. In a child's case, it's an important part of his or her emotional and mental growth.

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The Lucile-Packard Children's Hospital offers these suggestions to encourage your adolescent child's cognitive development:

• Talk to your child about adult, complex topics such as politics, world issues and current events.
• Encourage discussions where the child can express thoughts, ideas and opinions.
• Encourage the child to develop personal goals, opinions and ideas.
• Recognize and praise the child for making good, well-planned decisions, and help the child learn from mistakes.
• Teach the child to think about and plan for the future, the possibilities that lie ahead, and how to best reach personal goals.

-- Diana Kohnle