Long-Term Cognitive Ability and Academic Achievement After Childhood Severe Malaria

Do decreases in cognitive ability and academic achievement observed following childhood severe malaria persist into later childhood and adolescence?In this descriptive analysis of 2 prospective cohort studies that included 889 individuals, survivors of childhood cerebral malaria or severe malarial anemia, but not other forms of severe malaria, had lower overall cognitive ability and math achievement scores compared with unaffected community children when assessed 4 to 15 years after a severe malaria episode, while reading and attention scores were not significantly different.Childhood cerebral malaria and severe malarial anemia are associated with cognitive impairment and decreased academic achievement in some metrics in later childhood and adolescence.

Corresponding Author: Chandy C. John, MD, MS, Ryan White Center for Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Global Health, Indiana University School of Medicine, 705 Riley Hospital Dr, RI5900, Indianapolis, IN 46202 (chjohn@iu.edu).

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