Related Experiment Videos
A comparison of breastfeeding rates among children with pervasive developmental disorder, and controls
L Burd1, W Fisher, J Kerbeshian
1Child Evaluation and Treatment Program, Medical Center Rehabilitation Hospital, Grand Forks, ND 58202.
Insights
Breastfeeding rates for children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) were lower than the national average. However, siblings of PDD children showed typical breastfeeding rates, suggesting parenting practices may not be the primary factor.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
- Child Neurology
Background:
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) affects child development.
- Understanding factors influencing PDD is crucial for early intervention.
- Breastfeeding is a key early parent-child interaction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare breastfeeding rates in children with PDD to national averages and a control group.
- To investigate if breastfeeding rates in PDD families differ due to parenting practices.
- To explore potential links between breastfeeding and PDD development.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective comparison of breastfeeding rates for 50 children with PDD.
- Inclusion of a matched control group (age, sex, IQ).
- Analysis of breastfeeding rates in siblings of both PDD and control groups.
Main Results:
- Children with PDD and the control group had significantly lower breastfeeding rates than the national average.
- No significant difference in breastfeeding rates between PDD and control groups.
- Siblings of PDD children exhibited breastfeeding rates similar to the national average.
Conclusions:
- Lower breastfeeding rates in PDD patients may not solely be attributed to parenting practices.
- Further research into early parent-child interactions in PDD families is warranted.
- Findings suggest a complex interplay of factors in PDD etiology.
Abstract:
The breastfeeding rates for 50 children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) from North Dakota's roster of PDD patients were compared with the national average and with the rates for a control group matched for age, sex, and IQ. In addition, the breastfeeding rates for the normal siblings of the PDD and control groups were compared with the national average to help determine whether the lower breastfeeding rate among PDD patients was a function of parenting practices. The breastfeeding rates for the PDD and control groups were not significantly different from each other, but both were significantly lower than the national average. The breastfeeding rate for the normal siblings of PDD children was almost identical to the national average, but the rate for the siblings of the matched control group was significantly lower than the national average. These results are discussed in terms of hypotheses regarding the early parent-child interactions and characteristics in the families of PDD children.