Mental development in severe protein calorie malnutrition (a study of 252 children and 25 mothers)
Udani, P.M.; Bhat, U.S.; Shah, B.P.
Indian Pediatrics 13(7): 507-516
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 827497 Document Number: 105866
All the children studied came from poor socioeconomic and cultural communities of India; 60 normal children acted as controls, 136 children were in hospital with protein-energy malnutrition or kwashiorkor, 22 were siblings of those in hospital, and 22 were followed up for a long period after kwashiorkor. A further 12 of those in hospital were examined 1 to 11 months after the stay in hospital. A variety of tests were used to assess the intelligence quotient (IQ) of the children and 25 of the mothers. Of the control children, 65% had normal or high IQ, above 90, 33% were in the dull to normal range, 70 to 89, and 2% were subnormal, below 69. Among the malnourished children 12% were considered normal, 28% dull to normal and 52% subnormal. During the short-term follow-up only 1 child had a significant improvement in IQ, although all showed improvement in behaviour during recovery. Of the children who had had malnutrition 5 to 10 years earlier, none had a normal IQ, 45% were considered dull to normal, and the others were retarded. Among the siblings, 9% had a high IQ, 41% were normal, 37% dull to normal and 14% subnormal. Only 4% of the mothers examined had a normal IQ, 36% were dull to normal and 60% were subnormal. The mean IQ was significantly higher in control children than in those with kwashiorkor or the siblings, and in the siblings than in children with protein-energy malnutrition.