Mom’s know how healthy breastfeeding is
Breastfeeding has already been linked to a host of health benefits for babies: lower risk of asthma, childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes, just to get started. But two new studies now associate breastfeeding with a decreased risk of common infections (throat, ear and sinus), along with allergies. What’s more? Breastfeeding prevents allergies that extends into childhood, not just the newborn days.
In one new study, led by an expert from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers looked at the health of 1,300 6-year-olds who were breastfed. Those who were breastfed for longer periods — nine months or more — had fewer throat, ear and sinus infections than those who were breastfed for a shorter time.
Breastfeeding prevents allergies
The difference was most noticeable for sinus infections, according to the researchers. Children who were breastfed a longer period had a 53-percent lower chance of having had sinus trouble within the past year.
Separately, an expert from a food-safety branch of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took a look at 6-year-olds’ rate of “probable food allergies.” The findings: breastfeeding for a period of four or more months chopped a child’s food-allergy risk in half.
The one caveat is high-risk families, where allergies already run rampant. Breastfeeding didn’t seem to decrease the odds of allergies passing to the next generation.
Childhood sinus infections and allergies can have many causes, and treatment varies greatly from child to child. If you suspect your child is dealing with either problem, get in touch with our team of NYC sinus doctors anytime.