The belief that firstborn children are smarter than their younger siblings is one of the most persistent ideas in folk psychology. Parents joke about it, media repeats it, and surprisingly, the research largely supports it — though the effect is far smaller than most people assume and the reasons behind …
Premature Birth and IQ: What Research Says About Long-Term Cognitive Outcomes
Approximately 10% of babies worldwide are born prematurely — before 37 weeks of gestation. For parents of preterm infants, particularly those born very early, a pressing question is: how will prematurity affect my child’s cognitive development? Research spanning decades and tens of thousands of preterm-born individuals now provides a clear, …
How Your Diet During Pregnancy Affects Your Baby’s Brain Development
The nine months of pregnancy represent the most rapid and consequential period of brain development in human life. By birth, a baby’s brain contains roughly 100 billion neurons, nearly all of which were produced during gestation. The nutritional environment during this window has lasting effects on the architecture, connectivity, and …
Does Breastfeeding Make Kids Smarter? A Critical Look at the Evidence
The claim that breastfeeding boosts intelligence is one of the most frequently cited benefits of nursing. Parenting guides, health organizations, and pediatricians routinely include “higher IQ” among the advantages of breast milk. But how strong is the evidence, and how much of the observed association reflects the milk itself versus …
Screen Time and Children’s Intelligence: What the Research Actually Shows
Few topics provoke more parental anxiety than screen time. As smartphones, tablets, and streaming services become embedded in children’s daily lives, a persistent worry has taken hold: is all this screen exposure damaging their cognitive development? The research paints a more nuanced picture than either the alarmists or the dismissives …
Sensorimotor Variability and Early Cognition
A recent study by Denisova and Wolpert (2024) investigates how early sensorimotor features relate to cognitive differences in toddlers diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). By examining over 1,000 children with varying IQ levels, the researchers reveal how sensorimotor variability impacts behaviors linked to autism, providing valuable insights for individualized …
The Role of Maternal Milk Feeding in Neurodevelopmental Outcomes
The study by Belfort et al. (2022) investigates the impact of maternal milk feeding on neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants at 7 years of age. Conducted across multiple Australian perinatal centers, this research provides valuable insights into how early nutrition may influence long-term cognitive and academic performance in children born …
Impact of Digital Media on Children’s Intelligence
This review examines the findings of Sauce, Liebherr, Judd, and Klingberg (2022) on how digital media influences cognitive development in children. By incorporating genetic data and controlling for socioeconomic factors, the study offers an evidence-based approach to understanding the effects of screen time, video gaming, and social interactions on intelligence …
Screen Time and Cognitive Outcomes in Extremely Preterm Children
Vohr et al. (2021) conducted a cohort study examining the relationship between screen time and various developmental outcomes in children born extremely preterm (EPT). The findings highlight the influence of high screen time on cognitive, executive, and behavioral functions at school age. This post reviews the study’s context, results, and …
Cognitive Development in Individuals Born Small for Gestational Age
Research by Eves et al. (2020) examines the cognitive outcomes of individuals born small for gestational age (SGA) from infancy to adulthood. The study assesses whether the effects of being SGA differ based on neonatal or fetal growth references. Findings highlight both the cognitive challenges faced by SGA individuals and …