Breastfeeding reduces chance of baby developing ADHD, according to research

Parents have been warned that babies who are not breastfed are three times more likely to develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to research.

The study found children who were bottle fed at three months of age are more likely to have ADHD than those who were breastfed.

ADHD, characterised by problems with concentration and impulsiveness, is the most common behavioural condition in the UK, with about five per cent of children believed to be affected.

Increasingly children are being given drugs such as ritalin to help them deal with the problem.

Dr Aviva Mimouni-Bloch compared breastfeeding histories of six to 12-year-old Israeli children including: those diagnosed with the condition, their healthy siblings, and a control group without the disorder and lacking any genetic ties to it.

Mother's milk is known to be good for infants' health, particularly in promoting brain growth and intelligence.

The researchers found children with ADHD were much less likely to be breastfed in the first year of their lives than others.

At three months, just 43 percent in the ADHD group were breastfed compared to 69 per cent of the sibling group and 73 per cent of the control group.

And at six months, 29 percent of the ADHD group was breastfed, compared to 50 per cent of the sibling group and 57 per cent of the control group.

The impact of breastfeeding on the condition may be due to the milk itself, the special bond formed between mother and baby during suckling, or other biological or psychological factors, Dr Mimouni-Bloch said.

But in their findings published in Breastfeeding Medicine, the researchers said breastfeeding can guard against the disorder.

The parents also answered a detailed questionnaire on medical and demographic data that might also be relevant to ADHD. This included their marital status and education, problems during pregnancy such as hypertension or diabetes, birth weight of the child and genetic links to the condition.

Many sufferers also have learning difficulties and may struggle with sleep disorders.

Symptoms tend to be first noticed at an early age, and half continue to have symptoms as an adult.

Many people with ADHD also have learning difficulties and may also have additional problems such as sleep disorders.

Although the exact cause is unknown, research shows it tends to run in families.

Prescriptions for ritalin have quadrupled in the past decade, with children as young as three taking the powerful drug.

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