Feeding and developmental outcomes of infants in a South African community.

Early introduction of cup feeding was found to be a predictor of possible expressive language and articulation difficulties. Gagging, spitting, or vomiting, pocketing, the use of force feeding, and poor sucking and chewing abilities were significantly associated with behavioural and social-emotional difficulties. Breastfeeding was found to be a protective factor for language development. The results emphasise the importance of primary prevention and early identification of risks in late infancy in LMIC.