Duration of Breastfeeding and Its Relationship with Autism Severity in Cases with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Year 2019, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 5 - 9, 20.03.2019

Nilfer Şahin , Damla Balkan Ulviye Kırlı

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of
neurodevelopmental disorder characterized with social interaction,
communication impairments and stereotypic behaviour. Although the aetiology of
autism has not yet been fully elucidated, several hypotheses have been proposed
to explain the aetiology of autism. Conditions related to breastfeeding, such
as duration of breastfeeding, timing have been proposed as environmental risk
factors for autism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship
between breastfeeding time and autism severity in children with ASD. The study
included 88 children with autism who were diagnosed according to DSM-5
diagnostic criteria and 61 healthy age-matched children. Autism severity was
assessed by the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Demographic data and CARS
scores were obtained by scanning the file information. Mean breastfeeding time
was 12.97±8.13 months in the ASD group while breastfeeding time was 15.55±7.81
months in the control group. The difference between the groups was not
statistically significant (p=0.055). There was a negative correlation between
CARS scores and breast milk intake times in the ASD group (p<0.001, r:
-0.435). In this study, breastfeeding times in children with ASD were similar
to healthy controls. However, the severity of ASD was found to be increased as
the duration of breastfeeding decreased in children with ASD. Further studies
are needed to clarify the potential pathophysiological role of breastfeeding in
the aetiology of ASD and its relationship with disease severity.

Keywords

Autism, Autism Severity, Breastfeeding

Otizm Spektrum Bozukluğu Olan Olgularda Anne Sütü Alım Süreleri ve Otizm Şiddetiyle İlişkisi

Abstract

Otizm Spektrum Bozukluğu (OSB), sosyal etkileşim
ve iletişimde bozulmalar ve stereotipik davranışlarla karakterize bir grup nörogelişimsel
bozukluktur. Otizm etyolojisi henüz tam olarak aydınlatılamamış olmakla
birlikte otizm etyolojisini açıklamak için birçok hipotez öne sürülmüştür. Anne
sütü alım süreleri, zamanlamaları gibi emzirme ile ilgili durumlar, otizm için
çevresel risk faktörleri olarak öne sürülmüştür. Bu çalışmada OSB’li çocuklarda
anne sütü alım sürelerinin otizm şiddetiyle ilişkisinin değerlendirilmesi
amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmaya DSM-5 tanı kriterlerine göre OSB tanısı almış 88 çocuk
ve yaş ve cinsiyet olarak eşleştirilmiş 61 sağlıklı çocuğun verileri dahil
edildi. Otizm şiddeti Çocukluk Otizm Dereceleme Ölçeği (ÇODÖ) ile
değerlendirildi. OSB grubunda ortalama anne sütü alma süresi 12.97±8.13 ay iken
kontrol grubunda bu süre 15.55±7.81 ay idi. Gruplar arasında ortaya çıkan bu
fark istatistiksel olarak anlamlı değildi (p=0.055). OSB grubunda ÇODÖ
puanlarıyla anne sütü alım süreleri arasında negatif korelasyon saptandı
(p<0.001, r:-0.435). Bu çalışmada OSB’li çocuklarda anne sütü alım süreleri
sağlıklı kontrollere benzer bulundu. Bununla birlikte OSB’li çocuklarda anne
sütü alım süreleri kısaldıkça OSB şiddetinin arttığı bulundu. Anne sütünün OSB
etiyolojisindeki potansiyel patofizyolojik rolünün ve hastalık şiddetiyle
ilişkisinin aydınlatılması için daha geniş çaplı çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır.

Keywords

Anne Sütü, Otizm, Otizm Şiddeti

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