Intellectual development after severe malnutrition in infancy.

Intellectual performance, sensory motor abilities and social adaptation were studied in 41 
subjects (2 to 21 years of age) who had severe malnutrition 
in infancy. A control group consisted of 41 siblings. The mean 
IQ of 31 parents ws 108 (S.D. plus or minus 11.3). 
Socioeconomic deprivation was not present. The results of the Merrill-Palmer test 
for the malnourished group and the controls revealed significant differences in 
favor of the controls. No differences were found in the older 
population for whom the WISC and WAIS were used. The Lincoln-Oseretsky 
test of motor development and the Vineland scale of social maturity 
showed no significant differences. These results are consistent with the hypothesis 
that malnutrition in infancy can affect intellectual development in the first 
five years of life. Beyond this age, given adequate socioeconomic support, 
no significant differences were observed. 