extraordinary passion for newborns and young children. She partners with Rita Stevens, a registered nurse with extensive experience in obstetrics.

During the past five years these dynamic nurses have offered education and support to our community through their focus on childbirth classes, parenting, child development, CPR and asthma care.

According to Nurse Boden, neuro-science research has confirmed that the first years of life are the most important for brain development, wiring the brain so that windows of learning are opened and foundations for all future learning are made.

Nurse Boden said: "It is not yet fully known at what age critical stages of learning end. I believe that the first year is the most important, followed by the next four years. Perhaps language development remains open for a few more years. In order to learn a baby must feel secure and loved.'' They encourage parents to read every day to their babies from birth. "We believe that not only will this encourage young babies to enjoy books from a very early age, we also hope to encourage good concentration. We hope to prevent attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonplace in every classroom,'' she advised.

They see babies of four months holding their own books, others of eight months turning the pages and vocalising as they read and one-year-old babies choosing books rather than toys.

Time magazine reported in 1997 that after birth, the brain experiences a second growth spurt, as the axons (which send signals) and dendrites (which receive them) explode with new connections. Electrical activity, triggered by a flood of sensory experiences, fine-tunes the brain's circuitry -- determining which connection will be retained and which will be pruned.

The nurses recommend playing classical music for your child. "Stimulation of your baby's senses -- sight, sound, touch, taste and smell can positively affect your baby's level of curiosity, attention span and memory,'' concluded Nurse Boden.

Their motto is, "families first''.

They may be contacted by phone: 232-0264 or fax: 232-0265.