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Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to discuss the role of maternal regulation for successful breastfeeding of infants later diagnosed with autism.
Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to discuss if early feeding behaviors maybe a soft sign of autism.
Purpose: To describe maternal breastfeeding experiences and neonatal breastfeeding behaviors of children later diagnosed with autism.
Theoretical rationale: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability which affects social communication (eye contact, verbal and nonverbal communication) and motor movement. Neonates later diagnosed with autism were found in comparison to control neonates, weaned from breastfeeding to bottle feeding at a 3:1 ratio. In addition, other neurodevelopmental disabilities such as Down’s syndrome have demonstrated a slower trajectory of social turn taking and feeding in comparison to controls. Delays in development of early social behaviors in neonates with Down syndrome are likely to affect patterns of interaction with their caregivers. No study has described breastfeeding behaviors of neonates later diagnosed with autism. Identifying altered neonatal breastfeeding behaviors and social turn taking interactions may be an early neurobehavioral screening tool for neonates later diagnosed with autism.
Subjects: A convenience sample of 20 mothers whose children were later diagnosed with autism self-reported their breastfeeding feeding experience and their neonatal breastfeeding behaviors
Method: A retrospective descriptive study that utilized a socioenvironmental questionnaire and a semi-structured interview
Results: Two altered neonatal behaviors were described. One was a compulsion to suck. Eight mothers described infants as constantly eating after satiation of hunger, “compulsive breast feeder”. Six infants were pacifier or thumb suckers from the neonatal period. Second, eight infants had poor turn taking behaviors as neonates with limited eye contact or socially interacting with their mother while breastfeeding.
Conclusion: Surveillance of early breastfeeding behaviors and mother-neonatal social interactions by clinicians may be a screening tool for autism in the future.