In psychology, early childhood is considered as the stage in human development which generally spans from birth till 8 years . Early Childhood Development (ECD) refers to the gradual unfolding of a child’s cognitive language which ha s an effect on the intellectual capacity, personality , and social behavior of the individual. A focus on improving a chi ld’s nutritional intake is considered today as being one of the most successful strategies in enhancing cognitive functioning (Hurley, Yousafzai, & Lopez-Boo, 2015) .
According to a report, inadequate nutrition in early childhood interferes with brain development and can possibly lead to neurological and behavioural disorders , such as intellectual disabilities , that involve problems with general mental abilities and affect functioning in two areas , namely (a) intellectual functioning (such as learning, problem solving, judgement) and (b) adaptive functioning (activities of daily life such as communication and independent living) (Parekh, 2017 ;United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund [UNICEF], n.d.) .
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The cognitive effects of some nutritional deficiencies in children are reversible in some cases and not in others. A study found that zinc supplementation alone does not affect infants' cognitive development which was deduced from the results of an Infant Development test, while the same test conducted by combining zinc with iron supplementation showed an improvement in cognition .
A strong focus on the nutritional intake of a child during early development has been regarded as one of the single most effective means of enhancing cognitive function for long term benefits of the individual. Although the cognitive effects of some nutritional deficiencies in ECD are treatable others, however, are not. Therefore, maintaining a nutritional balance during ECD is the best solution for promoting long term cognitive health and preventing intellectual disabilities.
References
Parekh, Ranna. (2017). What is Intellectual Disability? AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION. Retrieved from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/intellectual-disability/what-is-intellectual-disability
Hurley, K. M., Yousafzai, A. K. & Lopez-Boo, F. (Eds.). (2015). R eview from ASN EB 2015 S ymposium: AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR NUTRITION SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS AND ANNUAL MEETING AT EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY. Boston, MA: American Society for Nutrition.
United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund . (n.d.). Early Childhood Development: The key to a full and productive life. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/dprk/ecd.pdf
