Can I Make my Baby Smarter?

Author: Mel WAGENAAR
Educational Psychologist, Teacher and Mother, South Africa

Let us give some thought here to thinking. So much has been written about cognitive development but often it is presented in a very academic way. The bottom line for most new parents is that they want the answer to the title of this article: Can I make my baby smarter (and if so, how)? Alas, there is no quick answer and in fact the answer to that question is both yes AND no!

Researchers into intelligence tend to agree that roughly 50% of a human being’s intelligence is because of genetic factors (genes) with the rest due to other factors. And it is these “other” factors over which NO parent has control. Think of infections and certain illnesses that can affect brain development negatively as well as stressful circumstances such as natural disasters and accidents causing physical brain trauma. Of course, on the flip side of the coin, access to excellent nutrition promotes neural pathway building. Eating healthy foods like fish, fruits, and vegetables rich in amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids helps the brain stay strong, resilient and better able to learn new things and to remember things better.

Parents of young children need the facts provided in an easily understood way. It is very common for parents to be anxious about the way their baby is going to turn out intellectually: what will their potential be? And of course, the question that most parents grapple with the most: Is it my fault if my child does not turn out to be as intelligent as I had hoped?

We need to start by looking a little closer at the factors that can influence cognitive skills or intelligence. There are several factors, but mainly it can be narrowed down into 3 inter-linking factors: BIOLOGY, GENETICS and the ENVIRONMENT. It is a very common misconception that if you do a “good” job stimulating your child in all manner of intellectual ways that you will end up with a “clever” child. Many toys are sold worldwide promising to make baby clever(er), more musical, more analytical – the list goes on. Toys certainly have their place but do exercise wisdom in this regard.

So, when babies grow up into children that have not turned out as their parents have expected them to, parents’ minds instinctively go the default button of, “I have not done a good job”. Parents tend to look around and compare themselves to say a neighbour who may have an easy baby: one who sleeps, feeds, smiles and plays on schedule – and reaches all the developmental milestones ahead of time. Some textbooks will have you believe that all babies who achieve ahead of milestone parameters become intellectually gifted children. It is not that simple.

You do not have total control of how your baby will turn out, but you can prepare as much as possible by being sensible during pregnancy and following the wisdom of generations before you – and you can consult helpful articles on this website!

Let us look at what we mean by BIOLOGY. Your baby will be born with the underlying biological means to think, in other words biological matter or tissue, referred to as the brain. At birth the human being has around 100 billion brain cells. Not every human has the exact same number of these.

And what about GENETICS? We inherit genetic traits from our parents. This is closely tied in with the biological aspect. Think of the genes that are passed on as being a broad outline with much capacity, but the specifics still need to be filled in. These come with exposure to learning experiences. So yes, the traits that we pass on influence cognitive development, because we need to interact with that baby for its brain to develop as it should. If you are withdrawn and do not talk to your baby or touch and hold your child, this has a negative effect on cognitive development. Mental connections are made, and hormones are released when we physically touch and comfort a crying baby – both processes which have a positive effect on cognitive development.

The ENVIRONMENT also plays a role. This would include the culture the child is born into and what the child sees and hears occurring around them. Babies get better at thinking and learning when they spend time with other people and explore the world around them. Parents, caregivers, teachers, family members, friends and caregivers play a vital role in the cognitive development of infants. Much research has proven that positive interactions with infants have a positive influence on their intellectual development. In fact, infants raised by responsive adults in a caring manner develop cognitively at a faster rate.

The best tip I can give you to ensure that your baby is learning and developing intellectually is to make things enjoyable – take your cues from your baby and choose the right time. If your baby laughs, they are enjoying the activity and stimulation is occurring. Provide variety with the activities you provide as the attention span of babies is short. I have drawn up a simple table for quick reference:

Remember that if you do have any concerns about your child’s intellectual development, a specialist paediatrician will need to be consulted. Always trust your instincts as a parent – even if you are given advice to adopt a “wait and see approach”. Find ways to help your child from infancy to discover their natural strengths and to develop these, but always keep in mind that each human being is unique with their own intellectual limitations – respect that.