‘Children’

The Williams Syndrome

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

The Williams syndrome (also known as the Williams-Beuren syndrome) is a condition that you, like so many other people probably have not heard before. What does it mean? What can we expect? What these children need? These are but a few questions that parents and professionals will deal with a child when the diagnosis is made. This site has some information available, but obviously this is not everything. In some places it is also indicated where further information can be found. (more…)

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Pregnancy, pollution will decrease the IQ of the unborn child

Monday, January 18th, 2010

Pregnancy

The pollution would be harmful to the child even before its release to the world. A French team has already shown a few months ago that polluted air during pregnancy could have a significant effect on the size of the child. A U.S. study has shown that pollution is harmful to brain development of fetuses. Exposed children aged 5 years then accuse a delay of a few IQ points compared with similar unexposed.

This study was performed on pregnant women and their children under the direction of Dr. Frederica Ferrara Columbia University. Pregnant women living in the most polluted neighborhoods in New York were followed by portable devices for measuring the air. Then, their children, once born, followed by pediatricians until age 5. The study discovered that children were most vulnerable are equipped with an IQ slightly lower (some points) to less exposed. This difference does not mean it will determine the future and affect the social and intellectual development of children. However, these results tend to prove once again the influence of environment and pollution including pregnancy and its likely impact on the future child. (more…)

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Posted in Women and Pregnancy | 38 Comments »