There is no convincing evidence that zinc supplementation to infants or children results in improved motor or mental development
BACKGROUND Zinc deficiency is a significant public health problem in low- and middle-income countries .
Zinc is essential for the formation and migration of neurons along with the formation of neuronal synapses .
Its deficiency could interfere with the formation of neural pathways and with neurotransmission , thus affecting behavior ( for example , attention , activity , engagement , temperament ) and development ( for example , gross and fine motor skills , social skills ) .
Zinc supplementation provided to infants and children is a possible strategy to improve the mental and motor development of infants and children at high risk of zinc deficiency .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of zinc supplementation compared to placebo on measures of psychomotor development or cognitive function in children .
Impact of zinc supplementation on mental and psychomotor scores of children aged 12 to 18 months: a randomized, double-blind trial.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation on mental and psychomotor scores in children aged 12 to 18 months . STUDY DESIGN In this double-blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled trial , children aged 6 to 30 months received daily elemental zinc ( 10 mg for infants and 20 mg for others ) or placebo for 4 months . Bayley Scales of Infant Development II were used for development assessment in the 12- to 18-month subgroup at enrollment and the end of the study . RESULTS At the end of the study , the adjusted mean mental ( P = .36 ) and psychomotor ( P = .28 ) index scores were similar in the intervention and control groups . In a multivariate model , the baseline mental development index score was positively associated with the mother 's schooling , the child 's height for age , packed cell volumes , hospital birth , and attendance at a day care center , and was negatively associated with the child 's age . Breastfeeding , the child 's weight for height , and packed cell volumes were positively associated with the baseline psychomotor index score . CONCLUSION Zinc supplementation did not affect the mental or psychomotor development index scores in a setting in which zinc deficiency is common
There is no convincing evidence that zinc supplementation to infants or children results in improved motor or mental development
BACKGROUND Zinc deficiency is a significant public health problem in low- and middle-income countries .
Zinc is essential for the formation and migration of neurons along with the formation of neuronal synapses .
Its deficiency could interfere with the formation of neural pathways and with neurotransmission , thus affecting behavior ( for example , attention , activity , engagement , temperament ) and development ( for example , gross and fine motor skills , social skills ) .
Zinc supplementation provided to infants and children is a possible strategy to improve the mental and motor development of infants and children at high risk of zinc deficiency .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of zinc supplementation compared to placebo on measures of psychomotor development or cognitive function in children .