Early reading skills may have positive influence on intelligence later

A new study has revealed that early reading skill might positively affect later intellectual abilities.

According to the study by University of Edinburgh and King's College London, early remediation of reading problems might aid not only the growth of literacy, but also more general cognitive abilities that are of critical importance across the lifespan.

The researchers found that earlier differences in reading between the twins were linked to later differences in intelligence. Reading was associated not only with measures of verbal intelligence (such as vocabulary tests) but with measures of nonverbal intelligence as well (such as reasoning tests).

The differences in reading that were linked to differences in later intelligence were present by age 7, which may indicate that even early reading skills affect intellectual development.

Researchers said that children who don't receive enough assistance in learning to read may also be missing out on the important, intelligence-boosting properties of literacy.

The study was published in the journal Child Development.