THE’feeding with milk prolonged treatment would reduce the risk of behavioral problems in children between the ages of 7 and 11, according to the results of a study published in the medical journal Plos One. This benefit can only be seen if babies have been breastfed for 6 months.
The benefits of exclusive breastfeeding early in life are well established. This optimal nutrition protects babies against infectious diseases.
“In contrast, the long-term benefits of breastfeeding on child development and behavior are less clear,” says Dr Tamsen Rochat of the Humanities Research Council in Durban, South Africa.
The duration of breastfeeding, a factor to take into account
Researchers at the Humanities Research Council in Durban conducted a study with 1,500 healthy children, 900 of whom were breast-fed. They observed that the breastfed babies by their mothers up to six months of age were 56% less likely to have behavioral problems between the ages of 7 and 11, compared to children fed breast milk less than one month.
“The duration of exclusive breastfeeding of a newborn is much more important than previously thought for several aspects of the development of the child,” notes Dr Tamsen Rochat of the Science Research Council. human resources in Durban, the main author of this work.
“Thus, conduct disorders in childhood can lead to aggressive and anti-social behavior. These affect learning and relationships with peers, and in turn can lead to self-esteem issues and mental health disorders. It can contribute to professional failures later in life, ”he explains.
The nursery helps children to concentrate
During the study, the researchers also observed that children who spent at least a year in nursery were 74% more likely to be better structured. They develop a greater ability to concentrate and memorize instructions. They more easily multitask successfully.
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