An excellent well put together letter to the Sunday Mail Megan. I also noted the article and was appalled by the irresponsible reporting. Telling women not to breastfeed beyond 12 months - in direct conflict to advise given by knowledgeable midwives and by world and government health promotion. some people believe what the papers say on health matters and then get confused when a health professional who knows tells them differently.
Ruth Cantrill RN. RM. IBCLC. > From: "Maternity Ward Mareeba Hospital" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Sun, 31 Mar 2002 21:20:42 +1000 > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: the rotten state of our childrens teeth > > Megan Davidson-Eales > 219 Walsh Street. > Mareeba. QLD. 4880. > 31/3/2002 > > Dear Editor, > > I am writing to express my disappointment with regards to the article "The > rotten state of our children's teeth", published in today's Sunday Mail. > Although I found the subject to be important and pleased to see your > publication offering advice on dental care for infants and children, I was > disturbed by your advice not to breastfeed after 12 months of age. > > As a midwife and breastfeeding mother, I had not heard of a strong association > between breastfeeding beyond one year of age and the development of dental > decay. After reviewing recent literature I believe that to suggest cessation > of breastfeeding by 12 months of age is poor advice based on unfounded > information. > > Whilst current literature does confirm that the development of rampant dental > caries does occur in breastfeed babies, it is usually found in children who > have nursed for 2 to 3 years and who have spent long stretches at the breast, > however, these cases represent a small percentage of young children. (Lawrence > and Lawrence, 1999. Riordan and Auerbach, 1998. Brams and Maloney, 1983. > Gardner et al 1977 and Kotlow, 1977) It should be noted that overall > breastfeed babies have less dental decay than do those who are fed otherwise > (Al-Dashti et al, 1994. Tank and Stovick, 1995. Riordan and Auerbach, 1998.) > > Dental caries are thought to be an inherited trait, therefore, breastfeeding > toddlers who develop dental disease, probably represent a group who are more > susceptible, and therefore it could be argued that some breastfed children > develop caries not because they were breastfeed but in spite of it (Riordan > and Auerbach, 1998.). > > I am interested to learn what information the author, Elissa Lawrence, based > this statement on, as the World Health Organisation has published findings > regarding the benefits of breastfeeding into the second year. > > In the area of orofacial development breast feeding has been found to have > "immeasurable impact" (Riordan and Auerbach, 1998.). Breast feeding has been > found to prevent malocclusion, (which is associated with both speech and > dental problems). A study under taken by Adamiak (1981) found that the longer > the duration of breastfeeding, the lower the incidence of malocclusion > anomalies. This finding was confirmed by Labbok and Hendershot's analysis of > the Child health supplement of the 1981 National Health Interview Survey, > which found an increased duration of breastfeeding was associated with a > decline in the proportion of children with malocclusion. "This trend was found > to be constant for all variables tested and remained even when adjusted for > age and maternal educational level as a proxy of socioeconomic status" > (Riordan and Auerbach, 1998:624.). > > Lawrence and Lawrence (1999) state that the breastfeeding benefits for the > older infant have been scientifically evaluated, for example a study conducted > on middle class infants between the ages of 16 and 30 months in the United > States revealed a decrease in the number of infections and improved overall > health compared to those infants who were no longer breastfed. > > "Unfortunately, many mothers are driven to "closet feeding" by insensitive, > uninformed relatives and friends, even physicians. Closet nursing is nursing > privately at home in secret and propagates ignorance about breastfeeding > duration. * Thousands of normal healthy children are breastfeed until they > are 3 or 4 years old. The benefits of human milk continue. Research documents > health protection and improved development for at least 2 years. It has not > been evaluated beyond that except for the positive emotional and bonding > experience associated with long term nursing." (Lawrence and Lawrence, > 1999:346). > > The benefits of breast feeding longer extends to the mother, such as a > decreased risk of developing osteoporosis and premenapausal cancer, and are to > numerous to be listed in such a short communication. > > I believe that breast feeding is such an important social, emotional and > health influence on the child that it should not be undermined by such > unsubstantiated advice. I demand that the Sunday Mail retract the advice to > cease breast feeding and instead replace it with scientifically based > recommendations. In the case of infants with a family history of dental enamel > problems, consideration should be given to fluoride treatment as well as > regular dental reviews. Lawrence and Lawrence (1999) state that tooth > susceptibility is genetically programmed and children with a strong family > history of caries may need fluoride supplements whilst breastfeeding. > > To counteract the negative publicity, regarding breastfeeding after the age of > one, inflicted by your publication, I am urging the Sunday Mail to research > the benefits of breastfeeding into and beyond the second year (as recommended > by the World Health Organisation and the Royal College of Australian General > Practitioners) and publish a well researched, enlightened and encouraging > article. > > Sincerely, > > > Megan Davidson-Eales. > Registered Midwife, Registered Nurse, BNSc, MaNSc and proud breastfeeding > mother of an 11 month old who will be breastfeed as long as he desires. > > Adamiak, E. (1981) Occlusion Anomalies in Preschool Children in Rural Areas in > Relation to Certain Individual Features. Czas Stomat. 34:551-5. > > Al-Dashti, A., Williams, S., Curzon, M. (1994) Breastfeeding, Bottle Feeding > and Dental Caries in Kuwait, a country with low-fluoride levels in the water > supply. Community Dental Health. 12:42-7. > > Brams, M. and Maloney, J. (1983) "Nursing Bottle Caries" in Breastfed > Children. Journal of Paediatrics. 103:415-416. > > Gardner, D., Norwood, J., Eisensen, J. (1977) At will Breastfeeding and dental > Caries: Four Case Reports. Journal of Dentistry For Children. 44:186-91. > > Kendall-Tackett, K.A. and Sugarman, M. (1995) The Social Consequences of Long > Term Breastfeeding. Journal of Human Lactation.11:79. > > Kotlow,L. (1977) Breastfeeding: A Cause of Dental Caries in Children. Journal > of Dentistry For Children. 44:192-93. > > Labbok, M. and Hendershot, G. Does Breastfeeding protect agianst Malocclusion? > An Analysis of the 1981 Child Health Supplement to the National Health > Interview Survey. American Journal of Preventative Medicine. 3:227-232. > > Lawrence, R and Lawrence, R. (1999) Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical > Profession. Mosby, Sydney. > > Prentice, A. (1991) Breastfeeding and the Older Infant. Acta Paediatr Scand > Suppl. 374:78. > > Reamer, S. and Sugarman, S. (1987) Breastfeeding Beyond Six Months: Mother's > Perceptions of Positive and Negative Consequences. Journal of Tropical > Paediatrics. 33:93. > > Riordan, J. and Auerbach,k. (1998) Breatfeeding and Human Lactation. Jones and > Bartlett, London. > > Sugarman, S. and Kendell-Tackett, K. (1995) Weaning Ages in a Sample of > American Women Who Practice Extended Breastfeeding. Clinical Paediatrics. > 34:642. > > Tank, G. and Stovick, C. (1995) Caries Experience of Children of One to Six > Years Old in Two Oregon Communities. Journal of the American Dental > Association. 70:101. > > > > ********************************************************************** > This e-mail, including any attachments sent with it, is confidential > and for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). 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