Approximately 10% of babies worldwide are born prematurely — before 37 weeks of gestation. For parents of preterm infants, particularly those born very early, a pressing question is: how will prematurity affect my child’s cognitive development? Research spanning decades and tens of thousands of preterm-born individuals now provides a clear, …
How Your Diet During Pregnancy Affects Your Baby’s Brain Development
The nine months of pregnancy represent the most rapid and consequential period of brain development in human life. By birth, a baby’s brain contains roughly 100 billion neurons, nearly all of which were produced during gestation. The nutritional environment during this window has lasting effects on the architecture, connectivity, and …
Does Breastfeeding Make Kids Smarter? A Critical Look at the Evidence
The claim that breastfeeding boosts intelligence is one of the most frequently cited benefits of nursing. Parenting guides, health organizations, and pediatricians routinely include “higher IQ” among the advantages of breast milk. But how strong is the evidence, and how much of the observed association reflects the milk itself versus …
Screen Time and Children’s Intelligence: What the Research Actually Shows
Few topics provoke more parental anxiety than screen time. As smartphones, tablets, and streaming services become embedded in children’s daily lives, a persistent worry has taken hold: is all this screen exposure damaging their cognitive development? The research paints a more nuanced picture than either the alarmists or the dismissives …
Gender Differences in Early Education Impacts on Cognitive Outcomes
This study, published by Burchinal et al. (2024), examines the long-term effects of early childhood education (ECE) interventions on cognitive outcomes, with a focus on how impacts vary by gender. Using data from the Carolina Abecedarian Project, the researchers explore treatment effects from infancy through middle adulthood, highlighting key differences …
Cognitive Development in Individuals Born Small for Gestational Age
Research by Eves et al. (2020) examines the cognitive outcomes of individuals born small for gestational age (SGA) from infancy to adulthood. The study assesses whether the effects of being SGA differ based on neonatal or fetal growth references. Findings highlight both the cognitive challenges faced by SGA individuals and …
Impact of Very Preterm Birth and Low Birth Weight on Adult IQ
Research by Eves et al. (2021) examines the long-term cognitive outcomes of individuals born very preterm (VPT) or with very low birth weight (VLBW) compared to those born at term. The study uses a comprehensive meta-analysis of individual participant data (IPD) from multiple cohorts to identify factors contributing to differences …
The Impact of Maternal Vitamin D Levels on Neurocognitive Development
Melough et al. (2021) investigated the role of maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy on the neurocognitive development of children aged 4–6 years. Using data from the CANDLE cohort, the study provides evidence linking higher maternal plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels with improved IQ outcomes in children, highlighting the importance …
Maternal Obesity and Child Cognitive Outcomes
This post reviews the findings of Widen et al. (2019), who examined how maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) affect cognitive outcomes in children. The study focused on a diverse, low-income, multiethnic cohort to explore potential sex-specific differences in child neurodevelopment linked to maternal obesity. …