Child health: repeated bouts of diarrhoea affect IQ

Repeated episodes of severe early childhood diarrhoea (ECD) may have permanent effects on brain development, according to a new study [1]. A group of 73 children from a Brazilian shantytown community, who suffered serious and ongoing episodes of diarrhoea during the first two years of life, performed less well than other children in intelligence tests some 5-10 years later. This could have a long-term impact on a country's workforce, wealth and productivity. Previous research [2] has shown that children who suffer from severe ECD tend to enter school later and be older than their classmates, and perform worse in non-verbal intelligence tests. Chronic ECD can lead to dehydration resulting in a decrease in blood flow to the brain or failure to absorb enough dietary nutrients. Easing the burden of chronic childhood diarrhoea involves improving water, sanitation, basic nutrition and health care, and, importantly, seeing value in the lives of people affected by poverty, said lead researcher Dr. Richard Guerrant of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

[1] Ori, R.B. ... [et al.] (2003). Impaired verbal fluency following early childhood diarrhea : a form of brain injury? Paper presented at American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 52nd Annual Meeting and Centennial Celebration, Dec 3-7, 2003. http://www.astmh.org/meetings/2003abstract.rtf
[2] Niehaus, M.D. ? [et al.] (2002). Early childhood diarrhea is associated with diminished cognitive function 4 to 7 years later in children in a northeast Brazilian shantytown. American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene ; vol. 66, no. 5 (2003) ; p. 590-593. http://www.ajtmh.org/cgi/reprint/66/5/590.pdf

Contact: Prof. Richard L. Guerrant, M.D., Division Head, Division of Geographic and International Medicine, University of Virginia, USA, rlg9a@virginia.edu, http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/ci...

Source: Reuters Health, 24 Dec 2003

Keywords

• Water-related diseases