PURPOSES:
to evaluate the time of breastfeeding and identify possible interfering factors in disables and phenotypically normal children.
METHODS:
ninety-nine (99) disabled and phenotypically normal children from 1 to 4 years of age, of both genders, enrolled in and cared for at the Dental Care Centre for Disabled Persons and at the Association of Parents and Friends of Handicapped Persons ("Associação de Pais e Amigos dos Excepcionais - APAE") of Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil and at the Baby Clinic of the Araçatuba Campus Dental School, of the "Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" were included in the study. A questionnaire, specifically developed for this study was used, and answered by the respective mothers and/or caregivers. The dependent variable used was exclusive breastfeeding up to six months of age. Data were submitted to the chi-square or Exact Fisher test, and linear regression models, considering the level of significance of 5%.
RESULTS:
cerebral palsy was the disability that occurred most frequently in the study. Children of the male gender in the phenotypically normal group received exclusive breastfeeding for a longer period of time. The mothers' educational level and complications at birth were also factors influencing the duration of this practice.
CONCLUSIONS:
the time of exclusive breastfeeding did not differ between the two groups studied. The highest prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was observed in the group of phenotypically normal children of the male gender, with significant difference between the genders in the phenotypically normal group. However, it is not only the patient's condition that limits the practice of exclusive breastfeeding, but the set of associated factors, such as gender in the phenotypically normal group, mother's educational level in the group with disability and complications at birth in both groups.
Breastfeeding; Infant; Disabled Children
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