What are the Determinants of Children's Intelligence?

Every parent would want to have an intelligent and healthy children. Provide optimal nutrition is one way. But exactly what are the factors that affect children's intelligence?

Nutritionists from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia Saptawati Bardosono said, there are many factors that affect a child's intelligence including nutrition. "It's no secret, good nutrition is the key to the child's intelligence. Yet it is not the only one," he said on the sidelines of the Dancow Parenting Centre on Thursday (01/31/2013) in Jakarta.

In general, he added, there are two factors that affect children's intelligence in general, namely internal and external factors. Internal factors are genetic factors, while external factors are environmental, including nutrition, stimulation, physical activity, and health maintenance efforts.

"That's why there are children who may be less well nourished but still smart," said the doctor with Tati's familiar greeting.


He explained that, although the two factors were equally influential, but internal factors that genetic factors have a relatively small contribution which is only about 5 percent. While the factors that play a role eksternallah large at around 95 percent.

"So it is not impossible that their parents are less intelligent, but his son was smart," he said.

Questioning the phrase, "if you want smart children, his mother also have to be smart", Saptawati said it is true. Therefore, the body of a mother-child was "deposited" in the womb. However, that does not mean the father has no role in shaping the baby's intelligence. "You can make healthy and intelligent children were not separated from the role of fathers who take care of his wife during pregnancy. And of course taking care of the child when the child is born," he explained.

Intelligence of children, said Saptawati, also rely heavily on the first 1,000 days of life, in the time in the womb until the age of five. Therefore, to form a bright child, there needs to be a persiapanan from parents since the beginning of planning a pregnancy, he concluded.

Source : health.kompas.com