Intellectual Levels of School Children Severely Malnourished During the First Two Years of Life

Intellectual functioning at school age was studied in boys who had been severely malnourished during the first 2 years of life (index cases). IQ in these index cases was compared with that of male siblings closest in age and unrelated class mates or neighbors matched for sex and age (comparisons). Full Scale, Verbal and Performance IQs were lowest for the index cases. All IQ measures were significantly lower in the index cases than in the comparisons. Full Scale and Verbal IQ were significantly lower in the index cases than in the siblings. Siblings differed from comparison children only in Performance IQ. No association was found between the intellectual level of index cases and the ages at which they had been hospitalized for the treatment of severe malnutrition during the first 2 years of life.