Publication

Early childhood diarrhea is associated with diminished cognitive function 4 to 7 years later in children in a northeast Brazilian shantytown

Authored by:

Niehaus, M.D., Moore, S.R., Patrick, P.D., et al

Full Citation:

Niehaus, M.D., Moore, S.R., Patrick, P.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. 66(5).

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Additional key concepts from this publication:

Repeat episodes of childhood diarrhea can impair cognitive function in children years later.

Key Evidence: A study looking at the long term cognitive deficits faced by children in an urban Brazilian shantytown with high incidence of diarrhea in the first two years of life showed that this cohort scored significantly lower on 3/5 types of test measuring cognitive function at ages 6-10 compared to children who did not suffer recurrent bouts of early childhood diarrhea. In particular, the children who suffered from persistent early childhood diarrhea scored lower on tests assessing nonverbal intelligence (TONI) and IQ through assessing ability to match symbols to numbers (WISC-III Coding task) and short-term memory (WISC-III digit scan).