Researchers at Tulane University and Children's Hospital Boston recently performed a study on Romanian children that indicates how time that these youths spend in social deprivation and neglect can lower their IQs and cause behavioral problems. These situations can go as far as changing a child's chromosomes, affecting how quickly they age.

Youths who are exposed to these negative situations can prematurely shorten their chromosome tips, which are called telomeres. This process will affect how those children get older. According to researchers, this is the first study that has found an association between poor childhood conditions and telemere length in youths.

The study was part of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, which tracks one group of children who remain in institutions, such as orphanages, and those who are removed and given high-quality foster care. Researchers are discovering how both situations may affect youths of various ages.

Parents who are concerned that their youths may have lower intelligence levels than other students may want to consider having them take a children's IQ test.