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OPINION

Children’s Path to

Academic, Economic Success

Begins Before Birth

By John Menchaca, MD

Scientific evidence suggests that a mother's
abnormal metabolic state due to obesity can
have adverse effects on her offspring's neu-
rodevelopmental outcomes.
As a retired pediatrician who had to over-
come several obstacles to obtain a medical
degree and practice for more than 50 years,
I eagerly support the efforts of those
strongly advocating for more early child-
hood education.
After reading the thoughtful commentary
by Rivard Report Publisher Robert Rivard
and the announcement of the upcoming
2018 San Antonio Regional PK-12 Public
1
Education Forum , I was pleased to see that
people in this city are deeply concerned and
willing to talk about the education of our
preschoolers, especially those from disadvan-
taged sectors of our city.
However, a child’s path to academic suc-
cess does not start at birth but at conception.
There is now ample scientific evidence that a
2
mother’s abnormal metabolic state due to
obesity, poor diet, and other environmental
factors during the ensuing pregnancy will have a significant adverse enrollment in Pre-K 3 and Pre-K4 classes, low breastfeeding rates,
effect on her offspring’s neurodevelopmental outcomes, including inadequate mothering skills, lack of time spent with babies and tod-
3
its cognitive abilities . The “Western diet” of high sugar, saturated dlers, parents’ inadequate English-language skills, parental absence,
fats, and salt contents — commonly eaten by many of these moth- and adverse childhood experiences such as domestic abuse or neigh-
ers — is harmful to the developing baby. Mothers should be en- borhood violence may contribute to negative outcomes.
couraged to eat better, by way of the food stamp program, if Far-reaching educational efforts could encourage mothers to in-
necessary. crease interaction with their babies and toddlers in order to attune
The period between birth and age 3 merits attention as offsprings them to learning processes prior to being enrolled in preschool. One
4
of poor, obese mothers are at a distinct educational disadvantage such program, Parents As Teachers , already is achieving impressive
5
before they even leave the newborn nursery. Prior to these children’s results . This international nonprofit focuses on parent education

32 San Antonio Medicine • April 2018