Primal Health Databank: Study

Entry No:0318
Title:Breastfeeding and neurological outcome at 42 months.
Author(s):Lanting CI, Patandin S, Weisglas-Kuperus N, Touwen BC, Boersma ER.
Reference:Acta Paediatr 1998 Dec;87(12):1224-9
Place of Study:The Netherland
Abstract: This study investigated the effect of early feeding mode on the neurological condition at 42 months. For this purpose, healthy pregnant women were recruited in Groningen and Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Children were healthy and born at term. At 42 months, the children were neurologically examined. In addition to the clinical diagnosis, the neurological findings were interpreted in terms of optimality. Special attention was paid to the quality of movements in terms of fluency. In total, 200 (51%) exclusively breastfed(for > or = 6 weeks) and 194 (49%) formula-fed children were studied. Twelve (3%) 42-month-old children were considered to be neurologically mildly abnormal and 1 child was diagnosed as abnormal. No effect of the type of feeding was found on the clinical diagnosis or the neurological optimality. After adjustments for study centre and social, obstetric, perinatal and neonatal neurological differences, a beneficial effect of breastfeeding on the fluency of movements was found (odds ratio for non-optimal fluency 0.56; 95% confidence interval 0.37-0.85). The prolongation of full breastfeeding beyond 6 weeks did not influence the quality of movements. In conclusion, among Dutch preschool children, there was a small advantageous effect of full breastfeeding during the first 6 weeks of life on the fluency of movements.
Keyword(s):breastfeeding, formula feeding, psychomotor development
Discussion:No discussion mentioned for this entry
See Also:No related entries mentioned for this entry

Go Back | New Keyword Search