HEALTH, GROWTH AND THROAT MICROFLORA IN RELATION TO TYPE OF FEEDING AMONG INFANTS

Document Type : Original Article

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Abstract

Introduction: WHO can now say with full confidence that breastfeeding reduces child mortality and has health benefits that extend into adulthood. On a population basis, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is the recommended way of feeding infants.
Aim of the study: to evaluate if full breast-feeding confer the greatest protection, and are declining proportions of breast milk in the infant's diet correlated with increasing illness prevalence.
Patients and Methods: Prospective study that was performed on 94 infants (6 months old) presented to Al Hussein and Sayed Galal University hospitals. Patients were divided in three groups Group I: 28 exclusively breast-fed infants, Group II: 49 infants on mixed - breast and formula-feeding and Group III: 17 exclusively formula-fed infants. Every infant was followed-up every 2 months along the second half of first year of his life and all changes that take place in all aspects of his health regarding (feeding, growth, fever, cough, diarrhea, vomiting, otitis media, pneumonia, hospital admission) were recorded. And Laboratory investigations CBC, Throat cultures at age 6 mo. were done.
Results: exclusively breast-fed infants had less number of episodes of fever, cough, diarrhea, vomiting, and otitis media than mixed and formula feeding infants. Hemoglobin level at 6 month of artificial fed infants was more than mixed and breast feeding. Pathogenic organisms identified in throat cultures of artificial fed infants were more than that of mixed fed infants.
Conclusion: Exclusive breast-feeding has protective effect against infant illness e.g fever, diarrhea, cough/wheeze, vomiting, otitis media and pneumonia episodes, overweight and underweight.

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