Infant feeding method and special educational need in 191,745 Scottish schoolchildren: A national, population cohort study.
Lisa J AdamsJill P PellDaniel F MackayDavid J ClarkAlbert KingMichael FlemingPublished in: PLoS medicine (2023)
In this study, we observed that both breastfeeding and mixed feeding at 6 to 8 weeks were associated with lower risk of all-cause SEN, and SEN attributed to learning disabilities and learning difficulty. Many women struggle to exclusively breastfeed for the full 6 months recommended by WHO; however, this study provides evidence that a shorter duration of nonexclusive breastfeeding could nonetheless be beneficial with regard to the development of SEN. Our findings augment the existing evidence base concerning the advantages of breastfeeding and reinforce the importance of breastfeeding education and support.