EFFECT OF EARLY ADOPTION ON I.Q. AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCE OF MALNOURISHED CHILDREN

There has been recent interest in the thesis that the effects of early malnutrition can be reversed in children who are subsequently raised in an “enriched” environment. To test this possibility we examined the records of a cohort of Korean children, severely malnourished (SM), moderately nourished (MN), and well nourished (WN) during the first six months of life. All were adopted by U.S. families and school records were evaluated between ages 6 and 12. Results demonstrated that in those adopted before age two the I.Q. of the SM averaged 102, that of WN, 112, with the MN in between. Measurement of school performance showed a similar pattern (stanine 5 - SM; 5 - MN; 6 - WN. In those children not adopted until they were beyond two years of age, I.Q. and achievement was reduced in all groups so that the malnourished children fell significantly below American norms (stanine 4.5). An inverse relationship between height, I.Q. or achievement and time of adoption was noted. These data demonstrate that although certain differences may persist between previously malnourished and well nourished children, time of adoption is extremely important in determining the magnitude of these changes.