Dysregulated Breastfeeding Behaviors in Children Later Diagnosed With Autism

Lucas, Richard; Cutler, Ann

doi:10.1891/1058-1243.24.3.171

Cited by 22 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Odds ratios of association of breast milk feeding duration and prevalence of ASD diagnosis. there are questions raised that infants who are later diagnosed to have autism may have dysregulated breastfeeding behavior [35]. A small retrospective study of the association of autism and dysregulated breastfeeding behavior revealed that the majority of infants in this study who developed autism were breastfeeding well and a few who were identified as having dysregulated breastfeeding behavior were breastfeeding more often and quite vigorously [35].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 65%

Impact of Infant Feeding Methods on the Development of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Shafai¹,

Mustafa²,

Mulari³

et al. 2017

Autism - Paradigms, Recent Research and Clinical Applications

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There is strong and convincing evidence that infant's sensory stimulation, which is associated with breastfeeding, contributes significantly to the infant's neurodevelopment. Our study compared the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children who were breastfed, given breast milk through a bottle (breast-milk fed), or formula-fed. We reported significant association of ASD in children who were formula-fed from birth or weaned early from the breast. The statistical data revealed that increasing the duration of breastfeeding resulted in a decrease in prevalence of ASD. The odds ratio of a child not having autism was 0.27, 0.93, and 6.67 for breastfeeding for less than 6, 6-12, or longer than 12 months, respectively. There is significant evidence that this association is mediated by the ingredients of the breast milk and infant's endogenous oxytocin. Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator and we postulate that oxytocin may increase neuroplasticity, synaptic connections, and alter ASD genes' expression. Animal experiments and imaging studies demonstrate the central role of oxytocin in maternal love and bonding. Currently, there are no specific treatments for patients diagnosed with autism; therefore, it is imperative to identify the risk factors that contribute to the development of ASD. In this communication, we demonstrate that lack of breastfeeding is highly associated with ASD development in children with genetic susceptibility.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 65%

Impact of Infant Feeding Methods on the Development of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Shafai¹,

Mustafa²,

Mulari³

et al. 2017

Autism - Paradigms, Recent Research and Clinical Applications

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“…In a case series of seven children with ASD, Keen [] found two children with ASD who had poor suck, became distressed and refused to be breastfed if feeding was delayed. Likewise, a small study ( n = 23) by Lucas and Cutler [] documented a dysregulated breastfeeding pattern of sucking without stopping on their own volition in 56% of children with ASD. This pattern of sucking without stopping may lead to sore nipples, which is another reason for early breastfeeding discontinuation [Ahluwalia et al, ; Li et al, ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association Between Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Preschool Children Enrolled in the Study to Explore Early Development

et al. 2019

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Studies report inconsistent findings on the relationship between ASD and breastfeeding. We explored associations between ASD and breastfeeding initiation (yes/no) and duration (months categorized in tertiles) in the Study to Explore Early Development, a community-based case-control study in six sites in the Unites States. We adjusted for various child and mother demographic and pregnancy factors. Breastfeeding initiation was reported in 85.7% of mothers of children with ASD and 90.6% of mothers of controls. After adjustment, we found no significant difference in breastfeeding initiation (adjusted odds-ratio [aOR]: 0.88 and 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.60-1.28). However, mothers of children with ASD were less likely to report duration of breastfeeding in the high (≥12 months) versus low tertile (<6 months) (aOR and 95% CI: 0.61 [0.45-0.84]) or the middle (6-<12 months) versus low tertile (0.72: 0.54-0.98). The association of ASD and breastfeeding duration was slightly attenuated when the presence of the broader autism phenotype (BAP) in the mother was accounted for, but still remained for the highest tertile. This association does not appear to be totally explained by maternal BAP. We were unable to distinguish whether the difference in duration was due to difficulties breastfeeding children who later develop ASD, other factors not adjusted in our study, or greater ASD risk resulting from shorter breastfeeding duration. Longitudinal studies that compare reasons why mothers stop breastfeeding between ASD and controls and establish a temporal relation between ASD and breastfeeding are needed. Future studies should also evaluate interactions between ASD risk genes and breastfeeding. Autism Res 2019, 12: 816-829.Lay Summary: In this study, we compared breastfeeding practices between mothers of children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We found that the percentage of mothers who started breastfeeding was similar between the two groups, but mothers of children with ASD breastfed for a shorter amount of time compared to mothers of children without ASD. Future studies are needed to evaluate the reasons why the duration of breastfeeding was shorter for mothers of children with ASD compared to those without ASD.

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“…It is also critical to note that it is problematic to assign a causal role to breastfeeding in the development of ASD because infants later diagnosed with ASD as children may already display certain characteristics that make breastfeeding more difficult for the mothers. A study by Lucas and Cutler reports “dysregulated” breastfeeding patterns in infants later diagnosed with ASD, and cite potential mechanisms for atypical feeding patterns such as reduced joint attention during social interactions [ 49 ]. More generally, large prospective longitudinal studies that measure social development directly (experimentally) and comprehensively in children are needed to appropriately address this issue.…”

Section: Psychological Effects Of Breastfeeding In Childrenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological effects of breastfeeding on children and mothers

Krol

Großmann

2018

Bundesgesundheitsbl

269

158

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While the nutritional and physical health benefits of breastfeeding are well established, accumulating research demonstrates the far-reaching psychological effects of breastfeeding on children and their mothers. Here, we provide a non-exhaustive review of the empirical evidence, showing that breastfeeding impacts children’s brain, cognitive, and socio-emotional development. In mothers, research is presented indicating that breastfeeding influences mood, affect, stress, and maternal care. The current review aims to provide a broad overview of existing findings on the psychological effects of breastfeeding, highlighting the important role that breastfeeding plays across several dimensions of psychological functioning. We also discuss the potential mechanisms that may underpin the observed effects, provide a constructive commentary on the limitations of the existing work, and put forth some considerations when evaluating this line of research.

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Dysregulated Breastfeeding Behaviors in Children Later Diagnosed With Autism

Cited by 22 publications

References 28 publications

Impact of Infant Feeding Methods on the Development of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Impact of Infant Feeding Methods on the Development of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Association Between Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Preschool Children Enrolled in the Study to Explore Early Development

Psychological effects of breastfeeding on children and mothers

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