Happy Childhood --> Intelligence?

Per this link:

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/package.jsp?floc=hp-tos-feat-i-01&name=fte/shortkids/shortkids

Children's Height and Intelligence Linked

When it comes to intelligence tests, children who are short for their
age seem to do worse than their taller friends, Reuters reports of a
new study from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

The study: Information was recorded on more than 1,400 children born in
1970 in Great Britain, including their height at 22 months and 5 years
of age. At age 10, all completed a standard test of mental acuity.

The results: The shorter the child's height at age 5, the poorer he or
she performed on the test at age 10, no matter the child's birth weight
or family income. The implication is that slower childhood growth is
associated with lower intelligence.

Why? It could be that environmental factors, such as a stressful home
life, have a negative effect on both early childhood growth and mental
development. "Childhood stress can slow growth significantly," lead
study author Dr. Scott Montgomery told Reuters Health. There is
evidence that long-term stress, such as that caused when parents argue
frequently or divorce, can cause a child's growth to be impaired by
affecting the body's production of a growth hormone. Some children--and
by no means all--are shorter than they should be because of this. At
the same time, such stress can influence the development of brain
regions that are involved in memory and learning, according to
Montgomery.

The opposite is also true. "A happy childhood is likely to enhance both
physical growth and intellectual growth," he told Reuters.

IMPORTANT: Many children are shorter than average because that is their
genetic makeup, and this is not due to an underlying environmental
problem, such as family stress. In this case, short stature will not
negatively influence their intelligence or performance on IQ tests.

The study findings were published in the Archives of Disease in
Childhood.

----

This is what I always believe, a stress free environment and a good
night sleep are very important for kids (and adults alike.) Parents
might have their own problems but they should shield their problems
from the children and give kids a sense of protection, security and
love.

.

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