Can infants and toddlers intelligence be measured? can it be improved?

Question

Can infants and toddlers intelligence be measured? can it be improved?

Answer 1

there are tests that assess a baby or toddlers' skill levels. and the old adage applies, "If you don't use it you lose it." An infant and toddler can increase intelligence by exposure to many things out there in the world. Yet, a toddler will 'shut down' windows of learning just because the toddler was never exposed to that one thing as a baby. A baby and toddler will easily learn two languages, but as the child gets into school, and never exposed to a second language, that older child will have difficulty learning a new language. basically, if you put your baby off somewhere in a bouncy seat and have very little meaningful conversation, and not expose your child to the world, you will have successfully raised a child that won't reach his/her full potential. I have too many preschoolers in my class that have a blank stare when I ask a question. Many don't know how to answer a question, some can't even find let alone get a tissue out of the tissue box. I had one that could did not know 'trash can'. where do you put the trash, and he'd dropped down on the floor or stuffed the trash someplace.

Answer 2

Yes, cognitive skills can be measured in infants and toddlers.  There are standardized cognitive tests that are used on children regardless of age.   These tests can be used to qualify a child for special education.  Children from birth to age five may qualify for special services due to low scores on cognitive tests.  And, yes, it likely can be improved.  Young children's brains are a 'work in progress', they are making new connections and developing constantly as they grow and learn.  Their brains can be stimulated and taught through all sorts of means.

Answer 3

I don't know about measured, but some toddlers are certainly smarter than others.  It's all about stimulation and the amount of information they are exposed to.

Babies and toddlers need a lot of stimulation.  Different toys, colors, textures, shapes and sizes.  They need exposure to language, meaning someone has to talk to them repeatedly and use a lot of different words.  Even if they don't understand, they are still exposed.

Nursery rhymes and songs are great, too.  Even if they can't repeat them, they still learn them.  That makes them one step ahead in preschool and Kindergarten, and then they can focus on learning what they don't know.