engleski

Archives of Disease in Childhood

In the available recommendations and literature, breastfeeding of prematurely born infants and children with disabilities is interpreted as a protective factor of health and stable connection of the child and the mother. Researches on breastfeeding at risk groups of new born and premature infants indicate the need to further promote breastfeeding in the population of parents of premature infants, while researches of breastfeeding of children with disabilities in the Republic of Croatia are few. In order to find out more about breastfeeding of children born prematurely and children diagnosed with developmental disabilities, in 2019, parents of children with developmental disabilities and premature babies were interviewed about breastfeeding after discharge from hospital. Objective to examine the relationship between the duration of breastfeeding and the term of childbirth and the type of developmental difficulties. Methods: 120 parents participated in the study whose children, were 5.5 years old on average (M = 65.34 months, SD = 29.32), of which 74.2% boys and 25.8% girls.A semi-structured interview was conducted with the parents. Data analysis was performed using Fisher’s exact test. The results of the research showed that the age until which the child was breastfed was related to the term of birth (F = 14.75, p <0.001) and to the diagnosed disabilities in the child’s development (F = 11.56, p <0.05). Children who were not breastfed at all were more likely to be premature (z = 3.3, p <0.001) as opposed to breastfed children. Children who were breastfed shorter (up to 3 months) were more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and multiple difficulties (z = 1, 96, p <0.05) in contrast to children who were breastfed longer (6 months to 1 year). Of the 120 children, none were breastfed for longer than a year. Conclusion: Breastfeeding support should be continuous, especially in the preterm babies and in the newborn babies with risks of developmental disabilities.

breastfeeding, children with developmental disabilities, protective factors

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