This was sent to me this morning.....

FYI-press release
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

NIH NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 20, 2002

Contact:
Robert Bock
(301) 496-5133

UNDERSIZE INFANTS SCORE HIGHER ON IQ TESTS IF BREAST FED EXCLUSIVELY

Full-term infants who are born small score an average of 11 points
higher on IQ tests if they are exclusively breastfed for the first six
months of life compared to those who are given formula or solids early
on, according to findings published in the March "Acta Paediatrica".
The study was conducted by researchers at the National Institute of
Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the Norwegian University
of Science and Technology.

The study is consistent with earlier reports that full-term infants who
were of normal size for their age scored 3 points higher on IQ tests at
five years of age when breastfed exclusively for the first six months
than did infants who either stopped breastfeeding before six months or
had supplements such as formula or solids introduced into their diets.

The finding also discredits the widely held belief that supplementary
feedings of formula and cereal, in addition to breast milk, will help
these smaller infants reach normal size faster than they would on breast
milk alone.  Ten percent of all births in the United States are small
for gestational age (SGA) or less than six pounds when born full term.

"This study provides strong evidence that exclusive breast feeding for
the first six months benefits the cognitive development of both small
and normal-size infants," said Duane Alexander, M.D., Director of the
NICHD. "Also noteworthy is the observation that exclusive breast feeding
does not compromise growth."

According to the study's principal investigator, Malla Rao,
the researchers evaluated 220 full term SGA children and 299 full-term,
appropriate for gestational age (AGA) children. The scientists conducted
the study in Norway and Sweden, because mothers in those countries
exclusively breast feed their infants for longer durations than women in
the United States.  The most recent United States statistics from the
Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicate that
while only 21 percent of infants are still being exclusively breastfed
for 4 months, this percentage drops to 16 percent by six months of age.

The children were evaluated by study physicians at birth, at six weeks
of age, and at three, six, nine, and 13 months of age.  At each visit,
the children's mothers were asked whether they had fed their children
formula, milk, cereal, or other solids, and the age at which such foods
were given. The researchers tested the children at 13 months by using
the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, which measure children's motor
skills and mental abilities.  When the children were five years old, the
researchers tested their intelligence with a Norwegian version of the
Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence. This test
measures children's intellectual capacity, rating how well they perform
on various verbal and nonverbal tasks.

By the time the infants were 24 weeks old, the researchers could find no
evidence that supplements had increased the growth of either SGA or AGA
infants. However, the researchers did find that, at five years of age,
SGA children who were breastfed exclusively for the first 24 weeks of
life scored approximately 11 points higher on the tests than did SGA
children breastfed for 12 weeks.

"Exclusive breast feeding does not appear to hinder the
growth of SGA infants," Mr. Rao said.  "Our findings
suggest that, whenever possible, exclusive breastfeeding
for the first 24 weeks of life is the method of choice to enhance
children's cognitive development."

The NICHD is part of the National Institutes of Health, the biomedical
research arm of the Federal government.  The Institute sponsors research
on development before and after birth; maternal, child, and family
health; reproductive biology and population issues; and medical
rehabilitation. NICHD publications, as well as information about the
Institute, are available from the NICHD website,
http://www.nichd.nih.gov, or from the NICHD Clearinghouse,
1-800-370-2943; E-mail [log in to unmask]

**********
Joan MacNeil, RN, PNC(C), BScN, IBCLC
Halifax NS Canada mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://www.sidelinescanada.org

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