How eating seaweed, ice cream and strawberries in pregnancy could make your child better at spelling

Experts have discovered that iodine intake during pregnancy affects a child's ability to read in later life

But a deficiency in the nutrient did not affect child's maths results, said Tasmanian study



Strawberries contain high levels of iodine

Children deprived of iodine in the womb are worse at literacy especially in spelling, a new study warned.

But lack of the chemical had no effect on a child's maths skills, suggesting the deficiency affects the development of auditory pathways and auditory working memory.



Scientists say expectant mums could prevent long-term neurological impairment by taking supplements as part of their daily diet.

Iodine is absorbed from food and plays a key role in brain development, but even a mild deficiency during pregnancy can harm the baby's brain development.

The nutrient can be found in a variety of foods and is especially rich in shellfish, but pregnant women should not eat this food.



The study examined standardised test scores of 228 children whose mothers attended The Royal Hobart Hospital's antenatal clinics in Tasmania between 1999 and 2001.



The children were born during a period of mild iodine deficiency in the population, but conditions were reversed when bread manufacturers began using iodised salt in October 2001 as part of a voluntary iodine fortification programme.

Results showed inadequate iodine exposure was associated with lasting effects with nine-year-olds - the children who received insufficient iodine in the womb - gaining lower scores on their literacy tests particularly in spelling.



However researchers from the University of Tasmania found that low iodine intake had absolutely no effect on maths scores.



They suggest iodine deficiency may take more of a toll on the development of auditory pathways and consequently, auditory working memory.

Children who were fed adequate levels of iodine in the womb performed better in reading tests. A deficiency did not affect maths results however.

They say the results are preventable if pregnant women take daily dietary supplements containing iodine.



Dr Kristen Hynes said: 'Our research found children may continue to experience the effects of insufficient iodine for years after birth.



IODINE RICH FOODS

Canned Salmon

Cheddar cheese Ice cream Eggs Beef Pork Lamb Apples Oranges

Grapes Strawberries



'Although the participants' diet was fortified with iodine during childhood, later supplementation was not enough to reverse the impact of the deficiency during the mother's pregnancy.

'Fortunately, iodine deficiency during pregnancy and the resulting neurological impact is preventable.

'Pregnant women should follow public health guidelines and take daily dietary supplements containing iodine.

'Public health supplementation programs also can play a key role in monitoring how much iodine the population is receiving and acting to ensure at-risk groups receive enough iodine in the diet.'