Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Non-Nutritive Suck Parameters Measurements Using a Custom Pressure Transducer System
06:19

Non-Nutritive Suck Parameters Measurements Using a Custom Pressure Transducer System

Published on: April 19, 2024

Infant-feeding methods and childhood sleep-disordered breathing

Hawley Evelyn Montgomery-Downs1, Valerie McLaughlin Crabtree, Oscar Sans Capdevila

  • 1West Virginia University, Department of Psychology, 1124 Life Sciences Building, PO Box 6040, Morgantown, WV 26506-6040, USA. hawley.montgomery-downs@mail.wvu.edu

Pediatrics
|November 3, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Breastfeeding for at least two months was associated with reduced severity of childhood sleep-disordered breathing. Longer breastfeeding duration did not offer additional benefits for sleep-disordered breathing severity.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Childhood sleep-disordered breathing negatively impacts cognitive development, behavior, and quality of life.
  • Chronic upper airway inflammation and tissue hypertrophy underlie sleep-disordered breathing in children.
  • Infant breastfeeding offers immunologic protection against early exposures that may contribute to sleep-disordered breathing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between infant breastfeeding and the severity of childhood sleep-disordered breathing.
  • To determine if breastfeeding duration influences sleep-disordered breathing severity in children.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective survey was administered to parents/guardians of 196 children undergoing polysomnography for habitual snoring.
  • Infant feeding methods were recorded.
  • Sleep-disordered breathing severity was assessed using measures like apnea-hypopnea index and respiratory arousal index.

Main Results:

  • Children breastfed for at least two months exhibited significantly reduced sleep-disordered breathing severity across all assessed measures.
  • No additional benefits in sleep-disordered breathing severity were observed for breastfeeding durations exceeding five months.

Conclusions:

  • Breastfeeding may offer long-term protection against the severity of childhood sleep-disordered breathing.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms by which infant feeding impacts the pathophysiology of childhood sleep-disordered breathing.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Assessment of the Efficacy of An Osteopathic Treatment in Infants with Biomechanical Impairments to Suckling07:11

Assessment of the Efficacy of An Osteopathic Treatment in Infants with Biomechanical Impairments to Suckling

Published on: February 5, 2019

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea07:54

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Published on: December 6, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Sleep Apnea01:21

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing stops intermittently during sleep, often leading to significant health issues. Each episode can last from 10 to 20 seconds or more and is frequently accompanied by a brief arousal from sleep. This disturbance, largely unnoticed by the individual, can lead to severe daytime fatigue. Commonly, individuals seek help after being informed by their partners about loud snoring and noticeable breathing pauses during sleep.
The condition is more prevalent among...
Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation01:13

Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation

Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder01:15

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of muscle paralysis that normally occurs during the REM phase of sleep. This absence allows individuals to physically act out their dreams, which are often vivid and disturbing. Common behaviors exhibited during episodes include kicking, punching, and yelling. These actions can be dangerous, potentially leading to injuries for the person with RBD or their bed partner.
RBD is significantly associated with...
Nightmares and Night Terrors01:18

Nightmares and Night Terrors

Nightmares and night terrors represent two distinct types of sleep disturbances that differ in timing, characteristics, and the sleeper's recall of the event. Nightmares are vivid, disturbing dreams that usually awaken the sleeper from REM sleep, a stage of sleep where brain activity is high, and dreams are most frequent. Upon awakening, individuals often have detailed recollections of their nightmares, which can include themes of threats to survival, security, or self-esteem.
Nightmares often...
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep01:24

Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep

Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...