Does Low Hemoglobin Affect Intelliegence in Thalassemics?

Do low hemoglobin levels and the resulting low oxygen levels  have an effect on development of intelligence in thals? Do the low hemoglobin levels untransfused intermedias have affect their intellectual development?

What has been your experience or observation about intelligence in thals overall? Minor, intermedia and major.

Hi Andy!

I'm not sure about the long term effect but it is quite possible that low Hb could result in retarded intellectual development as it is with the deficiency of other vital developmental influences such as nutrition, vitamins and minerals etc. However, even different people with normal physical health have different mental caliber and there are retarded people among them as well. I guess, there is no specific reason for that.

Well, from my experience, low Hb has not effected me in short term such as a week in Hb below 5. Remember I said that I scored more than 90% in an exam; and I believe that during that week my Hb could have been sub 5; which was 2g/dl that very day. Furthermore, it didn't effect my short term memory as well since I remembered all what I had studied the previous night. (However I have now forgotten those things and have to reconsult them for my current project as it's been about 4 years now)

Take care, Peace!

Hi Andy,

I don't know much about the scientific aspect of this intelligence thing,whatever i am sharing is solely based on my own experience wih my daughter,Zainab is six years old and right from the very beginning when she started her school her results were and are really brilliant,i remeber telling her teacher about her thal and she was really amazed as according to her Zainab is a very sharp and active child,yes she becomes a bit irritated and cranky when her hb is low but still she takes interest in her studies and participates actively in every activity at her school,so i don't think development of intelligence is effected in thals due to their thal in the long run,though low hb can be a bit distracting and can cause a little less concentration, Sajid's example is here infront of us ,what an inspiration 

LOVE TO U ALL ,

ZAINI.

Hi guys,

Our son has thalassemia major.  He has always been very quick to grasp concepts and we always thought that he was very clever (but we assumed that we were proud of our son as all parents are of their children - as they should be - kids are amazing).  He has always been a few grade levels ahead of his class, and has had a wonderful attitude toward his school.  Last week his teacher insisted that we have his IQ tested as the teachers at the school suspect that he is gifted, she was also surprised that we have not done this testing earlier.  We were always happy that he was ahead because he misses so much school and it helped him to always be ahead and not falling behind, and although it had been pointed out to us in the past we didn't pay much attention to his high IQ in the past.  The school suggested that maybe our little guy needs to be in a special school for gifted children or that they need special resources to teach him. 

He is a very happy child, which is the greatest blessing for any parent who has a child with thalassemia - so we will not change his school.  It is good to know that he is capable, athletic and confident - we have heard that this is good for children who have thalassemia so we will count our blessings. 

To be honest, I find all of the little thalassemia children that we meet to be very intelligent.  I thought that there was something about thalassemia that made them smarter (maybe the exposure to doctors nurses etc.) 

Sharmin

I live with a 7.X - 8.X hemoglobin level all the time and I will state that of all problems I have had in dealing with thalassemia, low(er) intelligence has NEVER been a part of it.

For the sake of this discussion and only this discussion I will also say that:

I was an early talker and an early reader and I was in the gifted program throughout my secondary schooling. I consistently scored 130-145 in the IQ range during this time as was shown to me by my school counselor and scored 1390 on the SAT and later was accepted to several competitive universities.

For me, intelligence has NOT been an issue.

The only problem I have encountered that might be related is that when I am feeling fatigued, I have a harder time concentrating on work/thinking in general and when I am sick, FORGET ABOUT IT.  But otherwise, I have been fine in terms of intelligence and whatnot.

And looking at everyone else here and at their achievements, I don't think intelligence has been an issue either?

And if there IS an issue with intelligence, it might not so much be an issue of intelligence as it might be an issue of: getting the right resources or having the right opportunity to prove the intelligence and simply being energetic enough/have enough energy to concentrate properly?

I definitely agree with Zadkhi. Although I have Beta Thal Major, I have always recieved good grades and been considered a "bright" or "talented" student. This may also be because I tend to run a high hemoglobin, somewhere betweeen 10 and 11. I have never heard of a lower intelligence being associated with Thalassemia before Andy posted his question.

However, I have just begun my freshman year of college and the extra stress and lack of sleep that is often associated with college has taken a toll on my energy level. For the first time in my life I'm studying in a few classes as a direct result of a lack of energy.

This leads me to conclude that being a Thal may lower an individual's ability to study well, remember information, and put forth the extra effort to do well on various assessments of intelligenct. However, I doubt anyone in conversation with a Thal would find them less intelligent than any given individual.

Hi Christine and welcome to the group,

A college schedule can be very hectic and stressful. It is important to remember yourself and make sure you get a balanced diet and take supplements to provide the added nutrients required due to both the stresses of college life and thalassemia. B-complex and vitamin E are recommended to counter physical stress. Short naps can help you get through the day if you get the time. Also, keep your sleep requirements in mind when picking your classes, and try to avoid picking early classes if it means you have to compromise on sleep.

A note on the origin of this topic. This subject has come up in posts and in group chats and even in MSN discussions many times over the years, so I thought I would pose it to see the response. The answers have confirmed what people have been telling me all along. Thals are often very intelligent and if anything, thals seem to be blessed in some ways. Lisa's mom told me that every thal she ever met had some special talent (Lisa's was music). My own experience has been that I have talked to many thals and have found no evidence that thals have suffered in intellectual development. In fact, I have met a few that have exceptional intelligence. I don't know what a study might show but I doubt that it would find any lower intelligence levels among thals. Since the heart supplies oxygen to the brain first, low hemoglobin may not be a factor in mental development.

Your point about a thal's energy level affecting studying is interesting as some thals find they do better by stretching college out a bit (5 years instead of 4 etc.) and doing it at a pace that makes sense for them.

Hi Christian,

It's nice to have new members here,and sharing with each other.

LOVE ALWAYS,

ZAINI.

http://nicologic.free.fr/Classification.htm

I scored the highest possible 150 with all correct answers but the table at the end of the test shows that more is possible?!?! How?

http://nicologic.free.fr/Classification.htm

My concern was about children who are in developmental stage and they are constantly living with low HB (6 - 7) as my son and they are not transfusion dependents

Manal

Hello Everybody

I think it does make difference specially in thal intermediate ,as they maintains there HB between 7.x to 8.x without transfusion.

Dimple
(Harminder)

Manal,

What is your experience with Ahmed,in this aspect?And Harminder,do you think it has affected priya somehow?

ZAINI.

Hi Zaini


I think it is difficult to answer, but i will try. Ahmad in daily life i think he is smart and sometimes he has very smart observations and also many times he can answer yoour questions indirectly especially if he is doing something wrong or does not want to reveal what he is doing. The only thing i find that it hard for him is memorization, it takes me a lot of effort to let him memorize somthing. I don't know is this because he is not concentrating or this is just his ability. But i observe that once he memorized something, he doesn't forget it. I know that generally girls are good in intellectual skills than boys and vice versa in motor skills. I too find that in observation ( talking academically in school) his sister was far much better than him and can grasp the information quicker.  I know it is wrong to compare since boys differ than girls. But that is the problem, does low Hb has to do with this or not. It could be just a coincedence and that it has nothing to do with Hb but  i cannot tell. So generally i feel he is smart, but in school i think if he concentrated a little more and got some more coinfidence i can have a clearer picture

Manal

Hi Zaini

I think low HB has affected Priya. Her physical activities as compared to her age group children are quite low. And in school she is average student. I have noticed that when her HB count is low she gets some speech problem also. I mean to say she takes time to recollect the things. She is very emotional.

I don’t Zaini, but when I see other children of her age gp. I find her lacking behind.
May be I am wrong, I am comparing my child with other, but I feel the difference.

Take Care

Dimple
(Harminder)
 

Hi Manal and Harminder,

As for Ahmed ,i think he has concentration problem which most of the boys usually have,as they are more interested in playing then studying,and for priya ,low hb can definitely affect physical activities,after reading your posts,i thought about Zainab's  progress,she is always been an outstanding student in class, and last year she won third prize in sports,so i do feel like if hb is kept below normal levels,may be it can effect concentration in kids,as i try to keep her hb at 10,i always try not to let it drop below 10,even if i have to transfuse her early,and ofcourse fight with iron,but i believe that by keeping her hb at nearly normal level,i think i can make it easy for her,as i know that how low hb effects a person,i have almost always been a victim of low hb,last checked my own hb was 9.7,and let me tell you i feel very cranky,biting everyone  not feeling like doing anything,and almost always tired,anyways do try to keep their hb in near normal ranges,i hope it would help.

Wishing you luck,

ZAINI.