Patient's question:
The child is only in the first grade, but always feels like they can't learn anything, suspecting there might be an intellectual problem. Can intellectual disability be inherited?Doctor's answer:
In real life, there are many cases where parents with average intelligence have children who are very smart, or parents with exceptional intelligence may raise a child with mental retardation. This proves that intelligence has a close relationship with generational inheritance, but it cannot be ignored that the environment during pregnancy and after birth also affects intelligence. Generally speaking, generational inheritance accounts for about 50-60% of the impact on intelligence, while environmental factors account for 40-50%. If we compare intelligence to an apple, generational inheritance provides the seeds and soil, while post-natal education and other factors are the diligent cultivation. Only through the diligent cultivation of a superior seed on fertile land can we expect to produce pleasing and abundant fruits.