“Providing DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, to children born prematurely boosted their IQ by 3.5 points compared to preterm infants who did not receive DHA supplementation.
Preterm children are more likely to have lower IQ scores and cognitive impairments compared with term-born children.
The study followed 323 infants born before 29 weeks’ gestation, who were given 60mg of DHA/kg per day via enteral or control tube feeding.
They were compared with 333 children in the control group, who received an emulsion with no DHA. At five years old, children in both groups underwent the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) IQ test.
On average, those in the DHA group scored 3.5 points higher on the IQ scale than those in the control group”
Original Article: Omega-3 Fatty Acid Could Boost IQ for Preterm Babies