Children who are breastfed are less likely to develop neurological conditions, including autism, a new study found.

[EddyF]

Researchers studied 570,000 infants, about half of which were breastfed for at least six months.

They found exclusively breastfed babies were 28 percent less likely to be diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental condition (NDC), such as autism, ADHD and cerebral palsy.

Breastfed babies were also 18 percent less likely to have delays in language and social milestones compared to babies who were breastfed for less than six months.

Babies who were partially breastfed - possibly supplemented with formula - were 14 percent less likely to have delays.

The reduced risk even persisted among siblings, who would most likely have similar genetic risks if they have the same parents. Those who were breastfed for at least six months were nine percent less likely to have milestone delays.

Article: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14531215/amp/Parenting-choice-slashes-childrens-autism-risk.html

What is the AIBU?

The source makes it even easier for me to call bullshit!

AIBU to assume correlation equals causation?

I don’t actually agree with this study.

EBF my two, one has adhd and the other is autistic 🤷‍♀️

Great, yet another ‘study’ (and I use that term very lightly considering it’s the DM reporting) that puts the blame on the mother.

My DS was EBF for 8 months and still turned out to have ASD.

It's only a correlation: And while this new study, published in JAMA, found a stronger positive correlation, the team did not theorize as to why there is an association.
Additionally, this study was observational and cannot prove that breastfeeding will prevent any NDC.

Margarine sales seem to spike at the same times as divorces, but that doesn't mean single people are all tucking into more sandwiches.

I use this site for any thing I want to post. I don’t care which section is ‘right’.

But the brain is developed wayyyyyyy before any type of feeding.
Load of shit.

And focusing on the mention of cerebral palsy there. It doesn’t take a genius to realise that a high proportion of those who have CP will spend a length of time in NICU and may have issues with feeding hence more being FF at least partially

Youngest suspected of having autism was ebf.

I breastfed both kids, exclusively, for over 2 years each.

My youngest is none verbal autistic. My eldest is not.

If I hadn’t breastfed, this might feel like a blame game… which, if you’re not aware, is all consuming for many parents of disabled children.

Correlation not causation. I'm not clicking on a Daily Fail link but has the report adjusted for all the other socio economic factors...eg, in v v simple terms, non autistic parents, not passing on the genes, are somewhat more likely to be professionally successful and in a higher bracket demographically, which is also the bracket with higher rates of breastfeeding. The most likely "cause" of autism is genetic and thus cannot be prevented by any kind of dietary regime.

Surely there are many factors including socio economic group (educated, more affluent mothers being more likely to breastfeed) and babies with SEND being less able to latch on, feed than those without. We know breastfeeding is objectively better for babies, but conditions like cerebral palsy are present from birth so I’m not sure how a baby is fed could have any impact

Current thinking is that autism is genetic and in a lot cases hereditary. I don't know a lot about cerebral palsy, but would that even be considered something that can "develop" based on external factors?
I don't know how they can be quantifying this, as those children would likely to have had autism, ADHD or cerebral palsy regardless, surely?

As a pp says, correlation doesn't equal causation. I imagine babies born with complications (premature etc) are more likely to be formula fed and also more likely to go on to develop neurological conditions.

It's in the daily hate. Not a credible source

I Googled the study as I didn’t want to put DM as I knew it would raise questions as they’re so dodgy but I couldn’t make the link clickable. The study is on true if you look on Google. However, like most studies, you have to do your own deeper research to come to your own conclusion.

My son was breastfed until nearly 3 years old and isn't autistic. Interestingly, his dad is, was diagnosed at 4. We thought it would be likely our child would too.

Autism is present from birth in many cases. Breastfeeding or not, won't make a jot of difference. Just because it can't be diagnosed until older, doesn't mean they weren't born with it!

Irrespective of whether there is any truth in this study or not, it's just another way of criticising those who could not BF for a variety of reasons. So YABU for sharing it and as is often the case, being all smug and righteous that mothers who didn't BF are failing their DC

Fed is best.

🙄

Some mums can't breastfeed 🥱

What do you mean you don’t agree with it? Do you mean the findings are wrong? The way the research was conducted was wrong? The reporting by the DM?