Study Finds It's Possible to Predict Your Child's IQ When They're Born

Wednesday, January 17th, 2024 -- 10:01 AM

(WBAY) It’s possible to predict your child’s IQ when they’re born, a new study says.

The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association is revealing the connection between weight and how early a baby is born that impacts his or her mental development later in life.

Babies who are born too early or those who are born very small are at a greater risk of a number of health and developmental problems. Researchers analyzed more than 30,000 kids around the world who all had cognitive testing at the age of 5.

They found a low birth weight and being born prematurely were independently associated with IQ scores later in childhood. Specifically, IQ scores were higher as birth weight and how long that baby was in the womb increased.

This means that up to a certain point, the more babies weight at birth and the closer they are to being full-term, the less likely they are to have a lower IQ score later in childhood. Doctors say early intervention for any developmental delay is key to a child’s success.

If your child has risk factors for any developmental delay or you’re worried they’re missing milestones, talk to your pediatrician about how to help them catch up.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.