Nutrition and cognitive development are major concerns for parents of preterm infants, who generally have weaker immunity than full-term babies. Research indicates that sodium supplementation significantly benefits cognitive development in preterm infants. Compared to full-term infants, babies born 8 weeks or more prematurely lose more sodium through urine. Consequently, hospital protocols routinely include sodium supplementation during the first two weeks of life.
A 13-year follow-up study of two groups of premature infants revealed that those who received supplemental salt after birth scored 13% higher on IQ tests than those who did not.
Additionally, they demonstrated superior performance in memory and language assessments. Physicians noted that these infants received supplemental salt only during the first two weeks after birth and never again thereafter. Nevertheless, the sodium intake during that initial period laid a solid foundation for their subsequent physical and cognitive development.