New research reveals we can predict a child's future at age three

A detailed study of the lives of nearly 1,000 people in New Zealand from birth to age 38 by researchers at King’s College London, Duke University and the University of Otago in New Zealand, revealed that only a small portion of the population account for major social costs such as crime, welfare dependence and health-care as the results showed that 20% of the study population accounted for 81% of criminal convictions and 77% fatherless childrearing. The same 20% also consumed three-quarters of drug prescriptions, two-thirds of welfare benefits and more than half of hospital nights and cigarettes smoked. According to the researchers, one could predict who was likely to incur such costs as early as age 3 based on assessments of brain health and early interventions could help avoid some of the costs.

A detailed study of the lives of nearly 1,000 people in New Zealand from birth to age 38 by researchers at King’s College London, Duke University and the University of Otago in New Zealand, revealed that only a small portion of the population account for major social costs such as crime, welfare dependence and health-care as the results showed that 20% of the study population accounted for 81% of criminal convictions and 77% fatherless childrearing. The same 20% also consumed three-quarters of drug prescriptions, two-thirds of welfare benefits and more than half of hospital nights and cigarettes smoked. According to the researchers, one could predict who was likely to incur such costs as early as age 3 based on assessments of brain health and early interventions could help avoid some of the costs.

Each child in the study participated in a 45-minute examination at age three with studied neurological signs including intelligence, language and motor skills. The examiners also rated the children on factors like tolerance, relentlessness and impulsivity, and the combined result was termed ‘brain health’.  According to the researchers, children with low scores predict high healthcare and social costs as an adult.