Dr. Worraporn Tantichanon, a pediatrician from the Thonburi Hospital, sheds some light on the seriousness of iodine deficiency and the effects nutrition has on IQ.

How serious is iodine deficiency?
In Thailand, iodine deficiency is quite high. A large percentage of women who come in for health exams have low iodine levels. Because of this, the government has released a new supplement [that combines iron, folate and iodine].

Why is iodine intake important for kids?
The most important time for a child’s development is the first three years of their life. This is when the thyroid hormones start to develop. The thyroid hormone is one of the most important factors in brain development, and iodine is important in nurturing the thyroid hormones.

What happens if thyroid glands aren’t developed properly?
If they don’t develop properly, the child will get hypothyroidism. It will affect the development of the brain and the IQ. It affects their metabolism, and their capacity to learn. Some kids will not be alert and have problems focusing in class.

What else determines IQ?
Getting properly developed really depends on whether you were given proper nutrition as a child, but it also depends on your genes. There’s no way to redevelop an underdeveloped brain. You can do brain training exercises to keep your mind fresh and active, but there’s not really a way to raise your IQ to a much higher level. With practice, you might be able to raise it a little bit, but it wouldn’t be a huge change. But IQ isn’t everything; like, if a child has a good IQ and isn’t raised properly, or is not properly disciplined, they probably wouldn’t excel in their studies.

Does it matter if you have a low IQ?
Success in life depends on each person. It’s what success means to you that is important. Even if some people aren’t good at school, it doesn’t mean they won’t be good at other things.