[Child development in children with exclusive breastfeeding]
Néstor Isaí Domínguez-Delgado1, Jacqueline Lezama-González2, Elisa Sánchez-Cabrera3
1Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Unidad de Medicina Familiar No. 2, Área de Medicina Familiar. Puebla, Puebla, México.
Revista Medica Del Instituto Mexicano Del Seguro Social
|April 25, 2025
Summary
Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) significantly enhances child development, including cognitive, motor, and social skills. This study demonstrates that infants receiving EBF show markedly better developmental outcomes compared to non-EBF infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health Nutrition
Background:
- Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is recognized for its critical role in infant development.
- EBF provides essential cognitive, motor, and emotional benefits for children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and determine the impact of exclusive breastfeeding on child development.
- To compare developmental trajectories in infants with and without exclusive breastfeeding.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal and retrospective study involving 359 children aged 1-24 months.
- Infant development assessed using the Infant Development Assessment Test (gross motor, fine motor, language, social aspects) at baseline, 3, and 6 months.
- Analysis included child and maternal variables using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Main Results:
- Infants receiving exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) showed significantly higher developmental scores (97.8% green score at 6 months) compared to those without EBF (48.5% green score at 6 months).
- A statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) in developmental progress was observed between the EBF and non-EBF groups.
- The study included a diverse sample with a median child age of 9 months and predominantly middle-high socioeconomic status mothers.
Conclusions:
- Exclusive breastfeeding is strongly associated with superior psychomotor, cognitive, and social development in children.
- Promoting and supporting exclusive breastfeeding is crucial for optimizing early childhood development.
- The findings underscore the long-term benefits of breastfeeding for child well-being.
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