by Maria Prihtamala Omega
There are differences among normal and autistic children in their ability
to understand complex ideas, to adapt to the environment, to learn from
experiences, to engage in various reasons, to overcome obstacles by taking
thoughts and solutions. Therefore, the child’s intellectual performance is
various depending on different occasions and criteria. For example, intelligence
is attempts to organize the complex set of phenomena and systems of abilities
which can be captured by standard psychometric tests (Neisser, et al., 1996). The psychometric
approaches include the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (a childhood verbal
intelligence) and Raven’s Progressive Matrices (a non-verbal inductive
reasoning about perceptual patterns). Another psychometric analysis of
Halstead-Reitan Categories test (a non-verbal abstract thinking ability) and
Wechsler Memory Test used by Goodwin, et
al. (1983) to analyze the worse scores of the result tests, due to
depressed cognitive function caused by malnutrition and reduced nutrient intake
of vitamin C, vitamin B12, riboflavin or folic acid. Moreover, inadequate
childhood nutrition (low protein and high carbohydrate intakes) during brain
development can have a strongly negative impact on long-term outcomes, such as
decreased number of brain cells, deficits in behavior, learning and memory,
lower verbal IQ at school age, higher incidence of frank cognitive and
neuromotor impairment, developments of obesity, insulin resistance,
hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes (Hay, et al., 1999). Others
emphasize on the primary roles of nature (inheritance of intelligence genes)
and secondary roles of nurture (cultures, environments and nutrition
influencing the acquisition of intellectual skills).
Therefore, the diet factor (nutritional needs) must be met by intake from
the environment codified for Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) in America
(Figure 1), Dietary Standards for Canada, Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) in
Indonesia/other countries for safe intakes recommended by WHO (Williams-Hooker,
2013) as well as five main food groups in Australia such as fruit, vegetable,
dairy, meat and meat alternatives, and cereals (Australian National Children’s
Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey, 2007).
Figure 1. 5-8 Year Olds Nutrition
