Maternal care

Maternal care

Dorothea McCarthy (1906-74) was an American developmental psychologist. She worked with Alan S. Kaufman on the development and standardization of the McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities

A scale  is a psychological tool for infants and toddlers that measures cognitive skills in six areas:

• Motor
• Verbal
• Perceptual-Performance
• Quantitative
• General Cognitive
• Memory

These are the six points on McCarthy Score.

Motor skills section looks at fine and gross motor ability in addition to laziness and the development of left or right-handedness.

Each domain scale comprises several individual subtests. The Verbal range includes the subtests of Word Knowledge, Pictorial Memory, Verbal Fluency, Verbal Memory, and Opposite Analogies. The Perceptual Performance scale consists of the subtests such as Puzzle Solving, Tapping A Sequence, Block Building, Right-Left Orientation, Draw-A-Design, Draw-A-Child, and Conceptual Grouping. Subtests of Numerical Memory, Number Questions, Sorting and Counting. The General Cognitive scale includes the previously enumerated subtests, which compose the Verbal, Perceptual-Performance, and Quantitative levels.

The intent of The McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities was to evaluate progenies aged 2 to 8.  McCarthy Scales is very comprehensive and all-encompassing and yields  valid and reliable data

The test creates not only scores pattern but also diverse of amalgamated scores, which is an added advantage which permits scrutinizing of the overall analysis and individual subtests. Research combining various subtests to form an aggregate score deemed more advantageous as the final score is additions of subscores making the whole process more valid and reliable.

Various research studies have endorsed The McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities and used it appraise the sequel of pollution on infants intellectual developments, effects of supplements given to lactating mothers on the development infants, the results, establishing a relationship between breastfeeding and growth of infants, among others.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding involves nourishing infant or young child with a nursing woman’s milk

Breast milk is a perfect food for a baby. It’s an almost ideal blend of vitamins and fats that an infant needs to grow and develop. What’s more, it’s easier to digest than the recipe. Breast milk has antibodies that fight off disease-causing microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and others. Breastfeeding reduces a baby’s risk of allergies and asthma. There are five primary forms of antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, all of which are found in milk. They protect children from disease and infection and neutralizes bacteria and viruses. Babies who are exclusively breastfed and only breastfed for the first six months will have fewer cases of, respiratory diseases, ear infections, diarrhoea, etc.

Breast milk composition

Breast milk contains living cells. According to Aydın, M(2018), breast milk contains antibodies that reinforce the infant’s defence system and stem and primordial cells that help the infant’s organs to grow, develop and heal. Aydın, M describes milk as a healing solution to a breastfeeding baby. Also, there are approximately 1,400 microRNAs that regulate gene expression, prevent or inhibit disease progression, support the immune system of a baby.

Breast milk contains hundreds of proteins and amino acids that help an infant grow and develop, activate the immune system, and improve nerve cells in the baby’s brain. Lewis, E(2017) explains that amino acids in breast milk act as the building blocks.  Proteins strengthen, builds, rejuvenate sand repairs baby’s, muscles, organs,  blood and bones. Protein is also a component of, enzymes, antibodies, bioactive compounds and hormones. Proteins in milk contain nucleotides that increase at night, which scientists believe will lead to better sleep for babies at night. Enzymes in milk are vital in baby’s digestive system, absorption and assimilation of minerals such as iron.

Breast milk contains complex sugars known as oligosaccharides. Oligosaccharides forms  when monosaccharides join by O-glycosidic bonds. Blessing, E (2020) asserts that the oligosaccharides act as probiotics to feed the “good bacteria” in baby’s gut. It also prevents the infection from entering the baby’s bloodstream, reducing the risk of encephalitis.

Breast milk contains hormones: Mazzocchi, A (2017) describes hormones as responsible chemicals that pass information between organs and tissues to ensure they are functioning correctly. Some of these can help in baby’s nutrition, puting baby to sleep, and keeping baby connected.

You’ve probably heard the term long-chain fatty acids before, as they play an essential role in building your baby’s nervous system and promoting healthy brain and eye development.

In some studies, breastfeeding has been associated with higher IQ levels during childhood. Koh, K(2017) found that milk has a positive effect on the development of a child’s brain. Besides, physical intimacy, skin, and eye contact can make your baby feel more intimate, confident and makes the infant get acquainted with the surrounding. Exclusively Breastfed infants are more likely to gain an appropriate weight and maintain consistent growth patterns. breastfeeding also plays an essential role in preventing sudden infant death syndrome. .This paper focuses on establishing the relationship between breastfeeding McCarthy scores of children abilities.

MCCARTHY GENERAL COGNITIVE ABILITIES AND BREASTFEEDING

The relationship between these two variables-the relationships to the timing of lactation-has been extensively studied within the dynamic systems theory, constraints of these early studies provide essential information about the child’s developmental system. The other growth and development processes, such as motor development, are studied within the framework of the system, hence the ongoing study14 Burgard (2003) on a network model of processes related to nutrition and cognitive abilities. Their model involved includes physiological variables of the prolactin and oxytocin hormones nervous system, as well as dietary variables, behavioural types and social interactions of mother-child contact and paternity. This study shows that additional variables can be added to this model.

Studies using the McCarthy scale have compared it to other ability tests, including the Wechsler test and the Stanford-Bennett Intelligence Scale. For a sample of 33-111 children in various ages in these studies, correlations on the Stanford Binet scale and; relationships between the McCarthy General Cognitive Index and the verbal, personal, and actual IQ scales WPPSI and WISC and generally ranged from 0.6 to 0.75 (1, 7, 8, 12, 17). The McCarthy score demonstrates some degree of compatibility with other proven eligibility tests.

The industry of food is nourishment for the baby, as it gives the first of the baby, the milk of their breasts, it is necessary the early months of life they came up to meet all the nutritional needs of the baby, the middle of the half or more of the year. Two years and up to one year needs raw breast milk and cognitive development that promotes and protects the baby will become infected with the disease. Only reduces breastfeeding infant mortality from common childhood illness such as diarrhoea or pneumonia and contributes to faster recovery. These effects can be measured with limited resources and rich countries and regions (Cramer, M. et al., Improvement of Study on lorem Interventions (probe): a randomized study in the Journal of the American Medical Belarus, 2001

Cognitive development is Bailey’s Mental Development is the commonly used tests Peabody’s Picture Vocabulary Test and McCarthy’s General Index of Child Cognitive Ability Wexler’s Child IQ Scale and Bint’s, Stanford and IQ Scale. (Sightings). The measure of cognitive-developmental abnormalities during lactation ranges from 5 to 6 points. After correction, the difference narrowed to 3.16 points. However, Low-birth body recombination benefited most from breastfeeding, with a mean corrected by 5.18 points across six available studies. This is a 2.66 point increase over the adjusted mean observed in breastfed and healthy weight infants and is significantly higher than the adjusted mean. And there are definite advantages to breastfeeding for more extended periods.

It has also been suggested that initiation of breastfeeding immediately after birth plays a Key role in reducing the risk of cognitive impairment in children at a tender age.  Clinically related studies indicated the breastfeeding background of children between 4 to 11 years of age with a diagnosis of specific language impairment (SLI) with a history of neurotypical development. They found that children with most children in the Western world were significantly less likely to be breastfed immediately after birth. This suggests that the relationship between early breastfeeding and the development of specific cognitive deficits will have a far-reaching effect on a child’s growth and development.

Higher IQ

The degree of benefit of cognitive development associated with the burden of breastfeeding increases progressively (resulted to average score of 1.68 points) from the age of 8 to 11 weeks by ≥ 28 weeks (weighted average benefit of 2.91 points). Breastfeeding is primarily associated with higher cognitive assessments, teacher assessments, standardized performance tests and improved learning outcomes. The duration of breastfeeding is positively correlated with cognitive abilities and levels of academic achievement from early childhood to school leaving. However, after controlling for social and family differences, the strength of the associations was reduced, indicating that breastfeeding is not the only factor affecting cognitive abilities and school performance. Nevertheless, there were weak but consistent patterns and soft but consistent associations between increased breastfeeding time and high IQs, standard performance tests, teacher scores and school performance.

Cognitive measures generally include general intellectual functions, verbal abilities, visual and motor skills, and memory. Exclusively breastfed children are likely to attain a higher score higher in every area of cognitive function, except for memory. After adjusting covariates for a family environment, maternal verbal ability. An overview of parental occupation and education and, as well as the length of stay in the hospital, researchers have concluded that that breastfed infants stood a higher chance on specific measures of motor and visual integration (IQ of 5.1, 95%confidence  which is an interval score of 1.0, 9.2 ). The difference in test scores between non-breastfed and breastfed children was 3.6 IQ (95% confidence interval score of -0.3, 7.5) for total intelligence and 2.3 scores in IQ (95% confidence interval score of -3.0, 7.6) for verbal abilities. Social performance indicators confuse the relationship between non-breastfed and breastfeeding among non-breastfed, monitored measurement can be used to attain the confidence that remains during breastfeeding. Numerous studies have shown that breastfed children experience fewer infections and are less likely to be overweight. They often performed better in cognitive development and at school than the so-called bottle-fed children. Long-chain unsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) are held responsible for this mental advantage. These are abundant in breast milk, but hardly in cow’s milk.

That breastfeeding lowers the risk of diarrhoea, otitis media and later obesity is mostly undisputed which was recorded by a group of experts on behalf of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs in the monthly children’s medicine in 2010. On the other hand, there is a lot of debate about the influence of breast milk on the child’s brain. Critics like the University of Toronto pediatrist Gideon Koren doubt that the ingredients in breast milk make you smart. He wrote an overview study on this topic last year and believes that other factors from the living environment of breastfed children have caused the effect.

The decision to breastfeed and the duration of breastfeeding in industrialized countries are very closely linked to the socio-economic status of parents. In essence, breastfeeding mothers have usually enjoyed better education, a higher IQ and thus, many social benefits such as a higher family income. “But these factors also affect children’s health,” says Cynthia Colen, a sociologist at Ohio State University. And it is practically impossible to calculate these out. Breastfeeding and cognitive, social development studies with pregnant women who took LC-PUFA fats as tablets, did not find any influence on the child’s brain development. For some years now, many manufacturers have been adding LC-PUFAs to breast milk substitutes. So far, however, it has not been possible to prove that such carton milk is used cognitively by children.

However, some critics s argue that breast milk alone probably does not influence intelligence. They suggest that breast milk alone is unlikely to affect brain development and information. The US researcher Colen concludes this from data from a prospective long-term study. Among them were 1773 siblings who were fed differently. At least one child was breastfed after birth; others received replacement baby food; there are no actively distorting factors in the family environment. Cynthia Colen analyzed the development of children between the ages of four and 14 years. She observed body mass index and asthma as well as reading comprehension, math skills and school performance. The result: the breastfed children showed no head start in brain development. There were hardly any differences in the children’s health condition, not even when the mothers were nursing for a long time. Breastfeeding children are slim, but that is also due to the social differences, she speculates.

Cognitive abilities, promoting brain development and general, breastfeeding experience are associated with improvement and reducing the joint social development and antisocial behaviour risk as well as CIA. However, several aspects should be considered when considering this area of research. Breastfeeding is termed as an independent variable generally established differently in several studies, making a comparison between studies difficult. In particular, the various studies classified breastfeeding experience as a qualitative (categorical) dichotomous measure – breastfeeding as opposed to non-breastfeeding, but studies applied the quantitative or continuous test, such as the current percentage of food duration and the exclusive breastfeeding.

Time, which proved to be an essential factor in influencing various outcome indicators, was used to initiate breastfeeding. Because of this issue, a study conducted to compare these several indicators of the breastfeeding experience are essential to understand better the precise relationship between duration of breastfeeding, and the crucial tools for the infant development. Secondly, the studies give room for questions to be asked about the specific impacts of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding, triggers cognitive and social, brain development, development of the infant. More so, research indicates a multitude of dependent variables that combine the cerebral, social data, cognitive and on the child’s development.

Gómez-Sánchez, Cañete, Rodero, Baezá and Avila (2004) and found a moderate to a strong correlation between cognitive outcomes and breastfeeding time after following their sample until the age of two. The difference in cognitive scores between infants older than four months and breastfed infants younger than four months and breastfed was significant after adjustment for covariates (difference of 4.3 points). It was found that differences in imprecise agents on which the effect size calculations were based. After adjustment for some covariates, the relationship between cognitive results and nutrition was insignificant. After correction, infants with FB had an advantage of 3.4 (95%).43 ID: -0.1, 6.9) over infants with FB, but the authors note that infants under six months of age with FB who would be classified as infants with FB.

The  Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test results of the experiments show that more prolonged breastfeeding is associated with higher scores on the at age three years and higher scores on the Kauffman short IQ test at the age of 7 years.  However, the results showed that continuous breastfeeding for at least six months was not associated with better memory and performance in a wide range of subjects. Children whose mothers consumed more fish while breastfeeding (more or less twice a week) scored higher at the age of 3 years on a wide range of visual-motor assessments than children of women whose mothers consumed less fish (less than twice a week). Various analysis indicates that mothers who started breastfeeding are less interested in the receptive development and expressive of their children and in exceptional motor abilities than mothers of children who never breastfed. Results have shown that breastfeeding can protect infants from delays in speech and motor development. o= Infants breastfed for three months had less fear of speech and motor development, and general anxiety decreased as breastfeeding lasted longer than > o= nine months.

Pictorial Memory Score

Previous studies indicate that some image-based memory tests can accurately be used to test dementia. Besides, dementia can be detected through the  SDCD test in a shorter period than other tests studied previously. Some of the advantages of Image-based memory tests, as opposed to verbal memory tests, is that pictures are better stored compared to words. This is known as “picture superiority effect”. Pictorial memory superiority, as indicated by previous studies, is used as a memory aid for older people. Exclusively breastfed children are likely to have prolonged visual memory compared to non-breastfed children. More so, memory tests based on the image are not limited to the child’s level. Some verbal memory tests cannot be used for populations with low education levels.

MCCARTHY MEMORY SCORE AND BREASTFEEDING

Long treatment breastfeeding durations protect infants against the development of autistic signs, and data shows that this association is independent of cognitive activity. At least three case-control studies also confirm that Hypothesis of connection between breastfeeding and ASD. A study using data from the Internet survey of 861 children. With antidepressants and 123 tests showed that children who were not breastfed were 2.5 times more inclined to ASD development than breastfed children older than six months (14). A small survey conducted among parents of 60 children

, on the mechanisms most frequently mentioned, shows the  Impact of breastfeeding on neuropsychological development as the mother gear of the leading long polyunsaturated chain. Fatty acids (LC-PUFA), available in large quantities in breast milk. Increased consumption of this substance in the first years of life development leads to improved cognitive abilities while at the same time, reducing behavioural disorders in children. LC-PUFA is, therefore, a plausible mechanism of action. That enables breastfeeding to play a vital role in ADHD symptoms and cognitive development as well as protecting the infant. The effect of breastfeeding was associated with more positive and high LC-PUFA values and levels. However, if the same children were tested at four years of age.y, the relationship between intelligence and breastfeeding was not related to LC-PUFA. Other assumptions were maternal influenza interaction Breastfeeding with an intestinal macrobiotic. Further research is necessary to find out how breastfeeding stimulates brain Development.

Verbal Memory Score

Breastfeeding facilitates communication. The communication skills of a human child develop over time. The experience of babies in dealing with other people and the experience of feeding is one of the initial and frequent interactions of the child with people around. Mothers and babies learn to communicate with each other, during breastfeeding through Flashes and pauses while sucking babies (Field, 1977; Kay, 1977). ‘There is an indication of possible regular and adaptive pause function that can be its most possible effect which provokes a reaction from the mother” (Kaye, 1977, p. 93), and indeed is often “waver” their children during breaks, during which the children suckle again.

Verbal intelligence score for five-year-olds who have been breastfed for at least six months is highest, compared to children who have inadequately been breastfed who falls at the lowest rates. Another study, which used the Wechsler IQ scale to measure the cognitive abilities of children aged 1 to 7 years, indicated that the maintenance of cognitive advantage with age depends on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding in early childhood. Also, children who are exclusively breastfed have steadily increased intelligence at ages 1 to 7 years compared to children who are fed with mixed breast milk (formula combined with human milk). Another extensive longitudinal study showed that even when monitoring maternal intelligence, the benefits of intelligence based on exclusive breastfeeding experience were evident in children.

This reversal has this essential for language learning as it enables the babies to understand similar twist that occurs in conversation (Kaye, 1977). Interestingly, Lavelli and Paulie (1998) findings show the differences in scapular pause behaviour in The children of BF and FF. In general, FF babies spend less time breastfeeding, and the breaks are shorter. It, therefore, means that bottle-feeding can reduce the possibility of Mother-child communication (Lavelli and Pouli, 1998). It is because breastfeeding can be one limited period during which a busy mother can sit and be intimate with another. with her child (Buckley, 1992 and Epstein, 1993). Also, home breastfeeding can be one of the few times when the mother is intimate with her baby (Buckley, 1992; Epstein, 1993). A study by Lavelli and Paulie (1998) suggested greater physical stimulation and more general consideration of lactating mothers with their babies, concerning bottle mothers. Shared attention and touch are essential communication tools in childhood that promote language attainment of emotional and social development (Epstein, 1993; Hertenstein, 2002).

Speech development measured at three years of age and joints at 5 and 7 years of age, TO researched to find out whether breastfeeding was connected with differences in 11 IQ indices as well as speech development at 3, 5, and 7 years of age. Incorrect results show that children who have been breastfed for four months or more generally have test results that vary according to the length of time they are breastfed. The standard deviation in the test of 10, these babies scored between 5.55 and 1.90 (mean = 3.84), which was significantly higher than bottle-fed babies. Even though the regulation for seven covariates (maternal intelligence, maternal education in the upbringing of children, the child’s experience, mother’s level of education, the child’s weight at birth, the family’s socioeconomic status, and gestational age) smoothed out these differences, breastfed babies continued to score significantly higher (0.82 to 2.71 (mean = 1.89)). There is no interaction between gender and breastfeeding, indicating that the sexes are irresponsive differently to the impact of breastfeeding on verbal intelligence.

The positive relationship found between intellectual performance and breastfeeding is consistent with most studies. Although the findings have been criticized due to lack of certification on social as well as environmental issues, Findings show that these factors cannot fully explain this relationship. However, a lack of modification of these variables is more likely to lead to a reassessment of the positive effects of breastfeeding, as confirmed by previous studies (2,3).

Visual Memory Score

Visual memory usually carried out using the DCS test, which is positively and moderately correlated with overall cognitive and memory functions. The DCS test includes the “memory, name phase differences, the “memory” phase”. These phases require memory functions and other cognitive functions which include attention. In the past, findings have used related difference-point, which provides for cognitive tests. The latest studies have examined brain activation in the testing of difference-point tasks in visual memory. While the above check failed to include a memory phase (as opposed to the DCSD test), the outcomes indicate the areas of the brain associated with attention and visual information which were activated at the time of the task. The results showed that DCSD was connected with the majority of the sub-tests carried out. The DCSD test, therefore, seems to be associated with both visual memory and attention as well as general cognitive functions.

MCCARTHY MOTOR SCORE AND BREASTFEEDING

Motor coordination is defined as the integration abilities of neurons and muscles. The idea of coordination and motor skills was first formulated by Bernstein (1967). He stated that coordination skills were the mechanism involving the control of muscle and joint movements, which is essential in coordination ability in the physical movement of the muscle. Schnabel (1973) categorized the capability to coordinate into several factors which are rhythm, reaction, connection, balance, orientation, differentiation and transformation. The study on coordination emphases on motor control (Lagarde et al., 2005; Swinnen & Wenderoth, 2005; Vangheluwe, Forner-Cordero et al., 2007). Several findings have been carried out to investigate the relationship between breastfeeding concerning child development and coordination abilities and (Schnabel & Blume, 2002, Zimmermann, Azumane & Kirino &, 2004; Sadowski & Lyakh,2006). For active infant development, muscle tissue can be strengthened, through coordination training of the respiratory systems and cardiovascular and, as well as the central nervous system network. The organizational principle of symmetry in the neuronal management of complex movements has been studied in In kinesiology,  with relation to coordination (Li et al., 2005). These findings focus on the relationship between physical actions and coordination abilities concerning breastfeeding.

Media analysis should show that the initiation mediator predicts the duration of breastfeeding (Kenny &Baron, 1986; Shrout & Bolger, 2002; Kenny et al., 1998;). The findings failed to reveal a significant relationship between the initiation of breastfeeding and duration of breastfeeding. The length of breastfeeding was established by partial duration of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding, p = 0.41, F (2, 41) = 0.90. Then, as a progressive inverse regression was demonstrated, the duration of partial breastfeeding was excluded. This made sense from a statistical and practical point of view, as a significant number of infants had a more extended period of partial breastfeeding than the age of growth and therefore probably did not facilitate initiation of breastfeeding. When the report was rechecked using only exceptional breastfeeding durations, again, the results showed smaller. Studies have shown that coordination and control exercises differ from the effects of brain activation assessed by MRI. The experiment has been conducted to observe the variation in brain activation between control exercises and coordination visualization exercises.

In the frequency range considered most affected by myelination (0.1-3 Hz), indicate that breastfed infants showed they reached muscle coordination peak (at six months) compared to breastfed infants (at nine months). The  EEG measured which measured frequency range, with a subsequent decrease with age, as observed in both groups. The findings indicate that breastfeeding influence the length of myelination processes in a child’s. Breastfeeding affects the developing brain and prolongs peak myelination at older ages. Although the authors of this study do not make strong statements about the benefits of breastfeeding, various scholars suggest that these unique patterns of early neurodevelopment may lead to unprecedented trajectories in cognitive development and brain between bottle-fed infants and breastfed babies.

Based on the conclusion that breastfeeding affects myelination time, it was found that all children who had been breastfed for a prolonged period studied white matter maturation between 10 months and four years and found a positive correlation between the duration of exclusive breastfeeding and the development of breast milk pathways. The increase in the number of motor abilities is associated with breastfeeding in areas that are generally more mature, including the frontal and temporal regions. Besides, the study indicated that breastfeeding was associated with higher motor scores in a manner commonly associated with increased levels of cognition and socio-emotional functioning.

General Motor Skills

Infants who received breast milk only for initial six months of life crawled earlier and walked more often in 12 months compared to infants who were bottle-fed and received solid foods from the age of 4 months of life. Babies in the EBF group were also able to sit up slightly (but significantly) before those who were bottle-fed at four months of age. Breastfeeding was linked with differences in motor abilities and mental in different age groups up to the age of  5 years and with school performance in early childhood education. Other findings indicate that Bailey’s Mental Development Index on breastfed infants was slightly higher than in the case of bottle-fed infants. Breastfeeding for a short period of time scored 1 to 3 points lower than infants who were bottle-fed and 3 to 7 points lower than infants who were breastfed for an extended period of time. However, the difference was only insignificant for 24 months.

The outcome of the psychomotor development index indicates similarity, with a tendency for relatively higher scores on the infants who underwent prolonged breastfeeding period and significant differences between groups only at 24 months. The McCarthy scale dictates that infants breastfed for a long time tended to attain a higher score (2 to 4 points) than infants who had been breastfed recently. These changes were significant at the ages of 3 and 4 years.  However, they were slightly higher at the age of 5 years. The breastfeeding duration was not significantly related to higher scores in early childhood education. The authors conclude that in some Bailey and McCarthy stores, at any time between 2 and 5 years of age, there were minor but essential benefits of breast milk for infants. This benefit was needed for both cognitive and abilities motor abilities in infants.

Overall, the assessment of the relationship between children’s cognitive development and breastfeeding behaviour is essential as it does not require reflective self-assessment. One similar study indicated and that increases in the duration and frequency of exclusive breastfeeding in the first year of life were undoubtedly associated with Bailey’s measures of the Child Development. Studies have also shown that better skills in problem-solving in children were linked with more extended periods of breastfeeding. Similarly, significant executive benefits and cognitive control at the of age four years for were exclusively breastfed children for more than six months after birth were higher compared to those who were bottle-fed. Breast milk is the best and most useful for breastfeeding. Breastfeeding means normal milk. It contains all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals and meets the infant’s nutritional requirements for the initial stages of life. The first hours of a child’s life are the critical period when the rate of infection of micro-organisms and other viruses is highest. In mothers, breastfeeding reduces physiological and subjective stress, promotes positive effects, increases sensitivity and care for the mother. Once

CONCLUSION

Breast milk is the natural first food for infants; it provides the baby with all the energy and nutrients that are needed in the early months of life. It continues to satisfy up to half or more of the baby’s dietary needs in the second half of the first year of life and up to one-third of the requirements in the second year of life. Breast milk promotes sensory and cognitive development and protects the baby from infectious and chronic diseases. Exceptionally breastfeeding reduces infant mortality due to common childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea or pneumonia and contributes to a faster recovery. These effects can be measured in resource-poor societies and affluent societies (M. Kramer et al. Promoting the study of breastfeeding interventions (PROBIT): a randomized trial in the Republic of Belarus Journal of the American Medical Association, 2001, 285 (4): 413-420)

Breastfeeding is explicitly recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF and the Austrian Breastfeeding Commission of the Supreme Sanitary Council as the exclusive nutrition for infants during the first six months of life. This recommendation is not without reason because Scientific studies show that breastfeeding has a beneficial effect on both physical and cognitive development. The ingredients lactose and the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are responsible for the positive impact on the baby’s brain. The latter is a component of healthy cell membranes of all tissue types in the human body – including those of brain and nerve cells. Women who frequently eat fatty sea fish during pregnancy and breastfeeding – which contains a high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids – can increase the enrichment of their breast milk and additionally promote the brain development of the child.

Infants who are breastfed in the first three months, the white brain substance is formed 20-30% faster. At birth, a baby’s brain is only a quarter of the size of an adult’s. During the first two years of life, it develops steadily and has then already reached 75% of its later size. The ingredients of breast milk play an important role here. In addition to experiences and information that the baby makes and links during the first two years of life, breastfeeding is an essential factor in brain development. But don’t worry, babies who are not breastfed are no less intelligent than fully breastfed babies. Their brains develop more rapidly than babies who are additionally bottle-fed in the first three months of life. The omega-3 fatty acids in breast milk are supposed to stimulate this faster development.

The development of the brain and the desire to learn and discover the world is innate in every baby – and early childhood brain development is correspondingly rapid: at birth due to the many new experiences and information, most of the connections between nerve cells (neural connections) are established in the brain during the first years of life. But nutrition also plays a role in brain development. Fully breastfed babies have advantages here: Their brain develops more rapidly than babies who are additionally fed bottle-fed in the first three months of life or who receive bottle-fed food exclusively and in cognitive tests, fully breastfed babies perform better than bottle-fed babies at the age of 4 years.

More and more scientific studies are proving that breastfeeding not only has a positive effect on physical development, but children also benefit from breastfeeding in terms of their cognitive abilities. Breastfeeding has positive effects on the cognitive development of primary school children. Researchers see the reason for this in certain ingredients of breast milk, some of which cannot be produced synthetically. For example, lactose from breast milk is involved in the development of the central nervous system (lactose content of breast milk 6.8 gr./100 ml, lactose content of formula food 0.3 gr./100 ml).

Taurine also supports brain development: the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) plays a unique role in proper brain development. This is because it is an essential component of healthy cell membranes in all tissues, not least in the membranes of brain and nerve cells. DHA accounts for as much as 40% of the fatty acids found in our brain. And so it is not really surprising that studies show If, during pregnancy and lactation, the mother fed on oily sea fish, the most important source of omega-3, the child will develop better cognitive skills by the age of 8. These results are also supported by studies on bottle-fed babies: If bottle-fed foods contain a sufficient amount of Omega-3 or DHA or LCPUFA, this also leads to improved cognitive performance in childhood.

Verbal score and breastfeeding

Between 1986 and 1994, a verbal score option was created. This score consisted of several variables that included but were not limited to the following; the 0, P, Z, C, CP and CZ in the Verba(variable)yyy variables. The main aim of this sort of assessment was to identify how the child is able to trap words in the short term memory. It also assessed on how long the child retains that memory in response to other stimuli. This assessment consists of two main parts. The child is first asked to repeat words or sentences directed to him by the examiner. The next section, the child is supposed to listen and retell significant aspects of a story that is read to him/her by the examiner. If the child narrates and answers well, he passes the verbal score. This part describes how the verbal score is in relation to breastfeeding. It also discusses the main aspects and uses of the verbal score in a child, as demonstrated by McCarthy.

Dorothy’s assessment tests were done on children between the ages of 3 and 6 when it came to verbal communication and verbal score. The choice of this bracket is because children at the age of 3 have already mastered their first language. Additionally, children at six years of age and below are still young and can demonstrate child-like behaviours. Also, the results of their tests can be compared to their maternal care, such as breastfeeding period. The last child McCarthy assessed was in the year 1994. However, before this period, there has been many surveys and tests conducted on children to gauge their verbal scores. The following is how McCarthy administered the verbal tests

Administration of the Verbal exam

Word and sentences played a crucial role in managing these exams, as described by McCarthy. Between 1960 and 1994, this type of assessment was typically used to gauge whether the child is physically developing well. Today, the test is administered by doctors and paediatricians to try and understand whether a child is growing in a manner that they should. This oral exam is used to gauge the understanding of the child and rule out the possibility of retardedness. McCarthy used to administer the verbal test to children using the first part (A and B) before the 1960s. This administration technique continued up to 1993. However, specialists and doctors became concerned with the legitimacy, proof and data quality of the admiration method. This part was discontinued after 1994, and the second part of McCarthy’s assessment technique was adopted. This part was part C, the narration of a sentence or story and gauging whether the child can retell the essential elements of the story.

The results and analysis of the Verbal memory scores

According to the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth Children and Young Adults, the study of McCarthy’s verbal scores was depicted as follows. In the first part, which was Part A, the child had a higher rating if the child was able to retell the words as easily and similarly to the ones directed to them by the researcher. In the second part, which was part B, the child has received a good score if the child was able to repeat the sentences in a clear and concise manner as directed by the researcher. Therefore, if the combination of the count of both Part A and that of part B was more than half, then the child would be able to move to part C. Part C determined whether the child would listen keenly to a story and almost retell the entire story. The results were also determined by the national standard represented score. So the child’s results were compared to the national standard to decide whether or not he/she passed the verbal test.

As earlier depicted through part A and B, the child received a higher score only after proving the capability of passing these exams by over half of the national standard mark. The years before 1990, required that the child pass all the three tests to establish whether they have a good verbal memory and short-term memory retaining. After 1994, the child was allowed to skip part A and part B and only take the tests of part C. this retelling of a story was conducted on a child when the child was four years of age and above. The reason for this skip was because it was considered that the child was taught how to re-pronounce words at a younger generation by his/her guardians.

A child could do part C as it was believed the child had already a score of 8 in part A and B as taught by the primary guardians. If the child took part A and B and could not score eight at all costs, then the child would not proceed to part C. this process was to be repeated two years later because the child was considered to have failed his oral scores. This was the reason why the first two parts were skipped after 1994. Moreover, the child was administered this verbal score between the ages of 4 and 6 before 1990, but as from 1994, the age bracket was increased to from 3 to 6. The age-eligible children for this up to 1990 were from 4 years of age due to national concerns. To begin with, these children were under stringent parental guidance and a changing economy. Their growth was limited due to these factors. However, with the advance in technological factors, children were able to master words and items quickly. This was also added with the introduction of schools.

The relation of verbal score and breastfeeding

According to the information depicted by McCarthy, the child had to score a minimum of 8, in connection with the standard mark to be able to proceed to Part C. Additionally; the child had to score a minimum of half in the third part by doing 12 different tests. Therefore, a combination of all these tests was analyzed. Thereafter the score was compared to the national standard score to determine whether the child passed the test or not.

The breastfeeding period of each child was taken from the maternal care the child received. According to McCarthy, children who scored between 8 and 11 in part A and B, and 60% in part C all had a caring maternal background. Moreover, these kids were enthusiastic and vibrant during the tests; they were not hesitant to communicate even if they gave out the wrong answers. These children recorded 8months to 1 year breastfeeding periods.

However, children who recorded less than six months breastfeeding period recorded the following results. The child scored between 4 and 6 in part A and B, respectively. Also, they scored at least 40% in the third part. The children in this bracket were not readily responsive. They were timid and challenging to deal with. Additionally, they were shy. These results did not vary with the child’s origin. However, other factors contributed to the results, such as the environment and the comfort of the child. Therefore, there is a significant impact on breastfeeding in a child’s short term memory. This is because; a child is able to re-tell a story and pronounce words and sentences as directed. They were breastfeeding well allowed them to grow physically and develop quickly. This could be seen by the age bracket McCarthy chooses, which was from 3 years of age.

McCarthy Quantitative Score and Breast Feeding

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McCarthy Quantitative Score and Breast Feeding

McCarthy’s quantitative score is also referred to as McCarthy’s scale of a child’s ability. McCarthy’s quantitative score is an assessment of a child’s functional human skills. McCarthy was among the first people to come up with a method of testing a child’s psychological functions in the 1970s. McCarthy’s quantitate score was made based on cognitive ability rather than the intelligence of the child. Therefore, the tests conducted did not need the values of knowledge, genes or productivity; however, it was simplified to use only the strengths and weaknesses of the child. Breastfeeding is a standard recommendation for women with infants. Doctors recommend that breastfeeding should be done up to 6 months or a year. This essay is an analysis of how breastfeeding is about the quantitative score of Dorothy McCarthy.

McCarthy’s quantitative score provides information based on the analysis of the child’s strengths or weaknesses in three different tests. These tests include the number of questions, the memory of numbers and the ability to count and sort items. McCarthy assessed several infants between the ages of 2 and 8 years. McCarthy’s tests were used to prove the physical development of the child, and there is a significant relationship between these tests and the breastfeeding period of the child. She used six scale units to measure the children’s test. These units include verbal, perceptual, quantitate, motor, cognitive index, and memory retaining. Eighteen of these tests were made in America between 1969 and 1970. To analyze the information from the test at-score of a mean equal to 50 and an SD of about ten was utilized. Therefore, parents or care providers could not use IQ scores to interpret the results. The tests were significant, engaging and fun for the children. This is because; they included games, pictures and musical instruments such as the xylophone.

The first test was taken on a sample of children of 13, 3-year-old to prove their strengths concerning breastfeeding. McCarthy’s statistics show that children who were breastfed well were highly alert and responsive to outside forces. 90% of them likely started to walk and crawl by the end of the second month than those who have been bottle-fed. This information was taken from their parents and guardians. Statistics made by a paediatrician named Douglas state that breastfeeding does not cause retardedness in the child as it was earlier believed. However, prolonged breastfeeding in infants enables them to develop rapidly and become highly responsive and active as compared to bottle-fed infants.  The results of these children are depicted in the table below.

Another test was conducted on 200 Irish children who were five and ½ years old. 100 (50 girls and 50 boys) of them with a mean of 66.3 months, while the other 100 (50 boys and 50 girls) had a mean age of 77.7 months. The children were tested in a private environment. However, the order of the tests being carried out was alternated from one child to the next. Children who scored significantly higher in their tests had a caring maternal background with breastfeeding of up to 1 year. However, those who scored relatively lower mainly had issues growing up. Most of them recorded a lack of proper care while they were babies. Also, these results were not based on gender or origin. The results of these children are depicted in the table below.

• P< 05 ** p< 01

McCarthy did research in 1969 of 50 three-year-old children in Hawaii. The samples of these children were taken from different cultural backgrounds and different religious beliefs. McCarthy wanted to find out whether breastfeeding had an impact on their physical development regardless of their primary origin. McCarthy further collected data on the number of years these children were breastfed and for how long the maternal mother breastfed them. The statistics depicted that 12 of these children were breastfed for only three months before the mother either passed away or left, 18 of these children were breastfed for 6-7 months as recommended while, 20 were breastfed for over one year.

A behavioural assessment test was conducted on each of these children separately. McCarthy’s quantitative scales revealed that the rise of the duration of breastfeeding equally corresponds to the child’s responses, strengths, and other physical abilities. Besides, those who were breastfed well were not timid and shy as the other children were. These results were regardless of the child’s origin. Therefore, there is a significant difference in the child’s strengths between those who were breastfed for over a year and those who were breastfed up to 6 months and below. There is also a significant impact on the results depending on the weaning time of the infant. The learning ability of the infant is profoundly affected if the infant was weaned at four months or six months and below. The development of the brain of the particular infect is affected and retarded in some. 10% of those who were breastfed up to 6 months could not answer questions correctly and immediately.

Although McCarthy’s results have been approved by WHO, some investigators believe that some of the differences in these functional abilities may not be related to how long the child was breastfed. They argue that these results may be influenced by the child’s social and economic factors or the baby’s maternal guidance. This is because among the 50 samples collected the 12 children who were not breastfed up to 6 months and above received poor maternal education compared to those who were breastfed for up to 1 year.  Therefore, McCarthy conducted another research to prove her quantitative score results. The main objective of the study was to identify whether there is a difference in the six significant subtests of the functional abilities of breastfed children from bottle-fed or early-weaned children.

This research was conducted using both fixed and random effects in the covariates. A sample of 20 children between the age of 4 and 5 years was taken. Eleven studies presented below five covariates were carried in an adjusted and unadjusted environment. The unadjusted situations signified the presence of maternal care. Those within the unadjusted environment and were breastfed for over one year gave a result of 5.32; which is a higher quantitative score. The same was repeated in an unadjusted climate with bottle-fed children. These children gave a result of 3.16; which is a lower quantitative score. Additionally, the child’s behaviour of those who were well breastfed is higher compared to those who received maternal education but lacked enough breast milk. Low-birth weight children who were given unrestricted access to breast milk gave a result of 5.18; which is a higher quantitative score. However, low birth weight children that lacked breast milk gave a result of 2.16. This is a little score ability as compared to healthy birth weight children. This significantly proves the importance and significance of breast milk in the development of infants, especially low-birth-weight children.  The algorithm of McCarthy on the importance of breast milk in cognitive ability is depicted in the chart below.

McCarthy has proved that even with the adjustment of variable and maternal care, breast milk is an essential requirement for the development of the infant. Although other factors are required for the growth and development of a child, the importance of breast milk surpasses these, and the child needs enough breast milk to be able to develop better physical development. .This paper focuses on establishing the relationship between breastfeeding McCarthy scores of children abilities.