Can breastfeeding protect against ADHD?

[Oliver Crangle]

Can breastfeeding protect against ADHD?


©2013 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

Breastfeeding has a positive impact on the physical and mental
development of infants. A new study suggests that breastfeeding may
protect against the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) later in childhood. The study is reported in
Breastfeeding Medicine.
A team of Israeli researchers led by Aviva Mimouni-Bloch, MD compared
breastfeeding history and other factors in a group of children 6-12
year of age diagnosed with ADHD to control groups of children who did
not have ADHD. The results demonstrated that overall, the children
with ADHD were less likely to have been breastfed at 3 and 6 months of
age than the children without ADHD. This association between ADHD and
lack of breastfeeding was statistically significant.

"Breastfeeding has been shown to have a positive impact on child
development, good health, and protection against illness. Now, another
possible benefit of breastfeeding for three months and especially six
months or longer has been identified," says Ruth Lawrence, MD, Editor-
in-Chief of Breastfeeding Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics,
University of Rochester School of Medicine. "This study opens another
avenue of investigation in the prevention of ADHD."

More information: The article is available free on the Breastfeeding
Medicine website at http://www.liebertpub.com/bfm.

Provided by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc




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