Harvard Medical School study: children in Romanian orphanages had lower IQ

An ongoing Harvard Medical School study called the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, has shown that children in Romanian orphanages had significantly lower IQs (65 versus 103) than children living in the community.

Those living in orphanages also have a much higher rate of mental illness than those living in the community, the study also shows.

Those placed in foster families made dramatic recoveries in mental health and language acquisition - but the success rates were significantly diminished for those who were older than two when they were put into the foster homes.
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav121409b.shtml Dec 14, 2009

This adds to evidence on the importance of human interaction, stimulation and a rich language environment during the first 2 years after birth. Our research shows that the first 6 months after birth is critical to brain and language development.

Our Gifted Babies program is a brain development program for babies from high income highly educated families during weekdays when both parents are away at work. Many babies are brought up in acute deprivation of interaction with people and language stimulation, akin to babies in orphanages.

The program mimics a round the world tour. A group of babies of similar age join an arm chair tour. A local guide, i.e. the native teacher, will organize singing, exercising and story sessions with the babies in the host language. The group moves on to another country the next day, and the day after. The 5-country tour repeats on a weekly basis, with different themes, but often familiar songs which babies love to hear.

The Gifted Babies program expose young children to the sounds and culture of different countries. This stimulates the massive wiring of brain synapses. Babies become more responsive, more curious and more intelligent. The languages they pick up so effortlessly is just an added bonus.

By the age of two, Beaumont babies are confident, elogquent and can speak the 5 languages they learn with as much details as a native speaker. When they attend interviews in English for kindergarten admission, they are often asked this question:
"Have you come back from abroad?"
"Why?" Parents sometimes ask.
"How come your child speaks English so well?" The teacher wonders.
Early exposure to native English speakers does make a lot of difference.
Same applies to Putonghua, and other languages.
Why not make the best use of the opportunity when your baby is still growing up?