My son was breastfed, has taken piano lessons since age 5, musical theater which includes dance, acting and singing since 4, and I let him play challenging computer games that were both fun and educational since he was about 2. I read to him and talked to him a lot since he was a baby, and I answered his many questions to the best of my ability while driving many miles to doctors appointments and museums until he got an iPhone and could look up answers himself, which only game him more ammunition to debate with me which I find even more challenging, but I didn't make him practice coloring which he hated and other fine motor activities like jigsaw puzzles or legos because his fingers seemed weak and his hands got tired so quickly. I think having a disability that affects fine motor skills can cause differences in IQ scores. Even though my son's disability doesn't affect the way he thinks, and it didn't hurt his verbal IQ score, it affects what he is able to do because some (but not all) of his muscles are a little weaker and he does not have the endurance that most other kids have, although he is working on that and improving. He often has to work through pain which can be distracting and adds to his fatigue.
I think my son's IQ increases when he manages to get plenty of sleep which seems impossible in the brace he has to wear. His memory is much better when he is not sleep deprived or getting a migraine. The psychologist, who tested my son even though we told her that my son hadn't slept well the night before because of anxiety about the test and was also getting a migraine, didn't think that would make much difference in the IQ score. I don't believe it because I know how sleep deprivation and migraines affect me.
I don't know how sleep deprivation affects anyone else, but my son and I definitely don't think as well when we are sleep deprived or have a bad headache which seems to happen more often when we are sleep deprived. My son and I have talked about this a lot since the test and I notice that my executive function and my ability to multitask and do mental math are very impaired when I can't sleep and haven't slept well for weeks. I can't imagine that anyone would do well on an IQ test while in a sleep deprived state. I am afraid to drive when I am sleep deprived. So I think getting enough sleep might also improve IQ.
I think sleep is important enough that we were often late to his musical theater class and they had to work around it. I hated being late but it was an accommodation my son needed. Melatonin only helps a little when my son is wearing the painful brace at night. If he got less than six hours of sleep at night his ability to memorize lines and learn dances was impaired. With six hours and caffeine to get through the day he can memorize and learn well enough to do what he needs to do, but he still learns better if he gets 8 or 9 hours of sleep. It is even harder for him in piano if he gets less than six hours of sleep or has a bad headache.
We often watch television, usually something educational or the news while working out on the elliptical and weight machines. Not sure what effect that would have on IQ if any. We try to exercise a little before getting started on academics. I do that that helps and I think there have been studies that support this.
