Aloufi, H., Alotaibi, F., Zamzami, L., Almadani, R. (2022). Breastfeeding and Its Relation with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children. The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine, 87(1), 1092-1096. doi: 10.21608/ejhm.2022.221663
Hanin Raja Aloufi; Felwah Faris Alotaibi; Linah Zuhair Zamzami; Raneem Maher Almadani. "Breastfeeding and Its Relation with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children". The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine, 87, 1, 2022, 1092-1096. doi: 10.21608/ejhm.2022.221663
Aloufi, H., Alotaibi, F., Zamzami, L., Almadani, R. (2022). 'Breastfeeding and Its Relation with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children', The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine, 87(1), pp. 1092-1096. doi: 10.21608/ejhm.2022.221663
Aloufi, H., Alotaibi, F., Zamzami, L., Almadani, R. Breastfeeding and Its Relation with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children. The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine, 2022; 87(1): 1092-1096. doi: 10.21608/ejhm.2022.221663
Breastfeeding and Its Relation with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children
Background: The causation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is uncertain, in spite of the fact that the influence of genetic and environment related influences for sure to play a principal function in the series of action. Study objectives: to investigate the strength of association between autism and maternal breastfeeding in affected children. Subjects and Methods: A community-based case control study was carried out in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the period from 1 August to 31 September, 2021.A convenience sample of 102 autism child from different areas of Saudi Arabia and 100 matched control child were included in the study. A predesigned questionnaire was filled only by the parents of autistic children and normal children. Results: the majority (59.8%) of the mothers of autistic children and 62% of the mothers of the control children were early breastfed (P value <0.05). Child bottle-feeding was found in 78.4% of the autistic children and 74% of the control (P value >0.05). The number of autistic children who were never breastfed was significantly higher than non-autistic children. Most (64.7%) of our studied autistic children were females. Conclusion: The majority of the mothers of autistic children were early breastfed but they took breast feeding for less than 6 months. The majority of autistic children received colostrum during 1st two weeks after birth, but less than half were exclusively breastfed, and only small number had completed duration of breastfeeding. Pregnant mothers should be educated about the importance of breastfeeding for prevention of ASD.