The following appeared in Pediatric Notes, a sort of "keeping up to
date digest" of articles for pediatricians too busy to read all the
journals.  It is an abstract from the annual meeting of the american
pediatric society and the society for pediatric research which took
place in New Orleans on May 1-5.  Because it was presented at a
conference, it is not published (yet).

"This study involved 298 children (96% of a cohort surviving with a
birthweight less than 1500 g).  Children were tested at 7-8 years on
the Revised Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children.  73% of the
mothers were able to proved breastmilk for their infants after birth;
36% for less than 4 months; 16% for 4-7 months; and 21% for more than
8 months.  There was a clear and significant dose response
relationship between duration of breastfeeding and WISC-R scores.
Children who received breastmilk for 8 months or longer had mean
verbal IQ scores 10 points higher and performance IQ scores 6 points
higher than the mean score for children of mothers who chose not to
breastfeed.  These differences were substantially reduced after
statistical control for social, family and perinatal factors
associated with the mother's decision to provide breastmilk.
Nevertheless, even after control for confounding factors, there
remained a significant association between duration of breastmilk
feeding and verbal IQ.  (Darlow BA et al. Christchurch Schl Med. New
Zealand)"

The editor writes:

"Comment: Good for New Zealand! I kow of no similar study in the US;
if there has been one, I've missed it.  In the US, mothers seem more
interested in exposing infants to flash cards with printed words. (I
have a thing about such misguided efforts!).  Perhaps job interview or
college applications should have a line in their applications giving
information about breastfeeding (yes, no) and, if yes, duration of
such feeding!"

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC