ABSTRACT
This study analyzed the effect of breast-feeding on the frequency of acute otitis media. The protocol was designed to examine each child at 2, 6 and 10 months of age. At each visit nasopharyngeal cultures were obtained, the feeding pattern was recorded and the acute otitis media (AOM) episodes were documented. The analysis was based on 400 children from whom complete information was obtained. They represented 83% of the newborns in the study areas. By 1 year of age 85 (21%) children had experienced 111 AOM episodes; 63 (16%) had 1 and 22 (6%) had 2 or more episodes. The AOM frequency was significantly lower in the breast-fed than in the non-breast-fed children in each age group (P < 0.05). The first AOM episode occurred significantly earlier in children who were weaned before 6 months of age than in the remaining groups. The frequency of nasopharyngeal cultures positive for Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Streptococcus pneumoniae was significantly higher in children with AOM. At 4 to 7 and 8 to 12 months of age, the AOM frequency was significantly higher in children with day-care contact and siblings (P < 0.05 and < 0.01, respectively). The frequency of upper respiratory tract infections was increased in children with AOM but significantly reduced in the breast-fed group.
Subject(s)
Breast Feeding , Otitis Media/epidemiology , Acute Disease , Breast Feeding/statistics & numerical data , Cohort Studies , Haemophilus influenzae/isolation & purification , Humans , Incidence , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Moraxella catarrhalis/isolation & purification , Nasopharynx/microbiology , Prospective Studies , Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology , Streptococcus pneumoniae/isolation & purification , Sweden/epidemiologySubject(s)
Bacteria/growth & development , Bacterial Infections/microbiology , Carrier State/microbiology , Nasopharynx/microbiology , Bacteria/isolation & purification , Bacterial Infections/epidemiology , Carrier State/epidemiology , Female , Haemophilus influenzae/growth & development , Haemophilus influenzae/isolation & purification , Humans , Infant , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Moraxella catarrhalis/growth & development , Moraxella catarrhalis/isolation & purification , Prospective Studies , Streptococcus pneumoniae/growth & development , Streptococcus pneumoniae/isolation & purification , Sweden/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Twenty-seven infants who survived intensive care during early infancy in the pioneering period of neonatal intensive care (1956-1965) were investigated after 8-17 years. The selection criterion was maintenance of a tracheotomy for more than 15 days during the first 12 months of life. A variety of clinical, physiological, radiological and psychiatric sequelae was found. Respiratory symptoms were the dominating problem during the post-tracheotomy period. The long-term follow-up revealed that these symptoms had a strong tendency to subside. At the time of the follow-up, as many as 20 children (74%) did not experience any functional impairment.