Dorothea McCarthy

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

The 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 scale includes the subtests of Word Knowledge, Pictorial Memory, Verbal Fluency , Verbal Memory, , and Opposite Analogies. The Perceptual Performance scale consist 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 previous enumerated subtests which compose the Verbal, Perceptual-Performance, and Quantitative scales.

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. This permits scrutinizing of the overall test and individual subtests.A research combining various subtests to form a complex score is deemed more advantageous as the final score is additions of subscores making the overall process more valid and reliable.

Various research studies have endosed The McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities and used it

appraise the sequel of ofpollution on infants intellectual developments , effects of supplements given to lactating mothers on the development infants, the effects,establishing 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 an perfect nutriment for ababy. It’s an almost perfect 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 fights off disease causing micro organisms such as bacteria,viruses and others . Breastfeeding reduces 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 protects 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.Accordind to Aydın, M(2018) breast milk contains antibodies that reinforce the infants defence system and stem and primodial cells that help the infants organs to grow ,develop and heal. Aydın, M describes milk as healing solution to a breastfeeding baby.In addition, 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 contains hundrends of proteins and aminoacids 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 aminoacids in breast milk acts as the building blocks. Proteins strengthens, builds ,rejuvinatesand repairs babys , muscles,organs, blood and bones. Protein is also component of , enzymes, antibodies,bioactive compounds and hormones.Proteins in milk contains nucleotides that increases at night, which scientists believe will lead to better sleep for babies at night.Enzymes in milk are vital in babys digestive system,absorption and assimilation of minerals such as iron.

Breast milk contains complex sugars known as oligosaccharides . Oligosaccharides

forms when monosaccharides joins 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 intelligent chemicals that pass information between organs and tissues to ensure they are functioning correctly. Some of these can help in babys 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 have a positive effect in development of childs brain. Besides, physical intimacy, skin, and eye contact can make your baby feel more intimate ,confident and makes the infant get acquinted to the surounding. Exclusively Breastfed infants are more likely to gain an appropriate weight and maintain consistet growth patterng. 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 relationship to the timing of lactation-has been extensively studied within the dynamic systems theory, constraints of these early studies provide important 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, behavioral 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-Binnett Intelligence Scale. For a sample of 33-111 children in various ages in these studies, correlations on the Stanford Binet scale and ; correlations 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 first 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 a sensitive breast milk and cognitive development that promotes and protects the baby will become infected with the disease. Only reduces breast-feeding infant mortality from common childhood illness such as diarrhea 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 are Bailey’s Mental Development are 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 normal weight infants and is significantly higher than the adjusted mean. And there are clear advantages to breastfeeding for longer periods of time.

It has also been suggested that initiation of breastfeeding immediately after birth plays an Key role in reducing the risk of cognitive impairment in children at a tender age. Studies have shown that, one have clinically related 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 and found that children with most children in 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 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 largely 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 weak 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 breastfed children are likey to attain a higher

score higher in every area of cognitive function, with the exception of memory. After adjusting covariates for family environment, maternal verbal ability. An overview of parental occupation and education and, as well as the length of stay in the hospital, researchers hav 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 interv score of -0.3, 7.5) for total intelligence and 2.3 score 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, and 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 diarrhea, otitis media and later obesity is largely undisputed. This was also 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: 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, sociologist at Ohio State University. And it is practically impossible to calculate these out.Breastfeeding and cognitive, social development incstudies 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 has no influence on intelligence.. They suggest that breast milk alone is unlikely to affect brain development and intelligence. 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 strongly 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 common social development and antisocial behavior risk as well as CIA. However, there are several aspects that should be considered when considering this area of research. To begin with, breastfeeding is termed as an independent variable generally established differently in several studies, making comparison between studies difficult. In particular, the various studies classified

breastfeeding experience as qualitative (categorical) dichotomous measure – breastfeeding as opposed to non-breastfeeding, but studies applied the quantitative or continuous measure, such as

the current percentage of food duration and the exclusive breastfeeding.

Time, which proved to be an important factor in influencing various outcome indicators, was used to initiate breastfeeding,. In view of this issue, a study should be conducted to compare these several indicators of the breastfeeding experience are essential to better understand the precise relationship between duration of breast feeding , and the important 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 indicate

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 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 4 months and breastfed infants younger than 4 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 6 months of age with FB who would be classified as infants with FB

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test results of the experiments show that longer breastfeeding is associated with higher scores on the at age 3 years and higher scores on the Kauffman short IQ test at the age 7 years. However, the results showed that continuous breastfeeding for atleast 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 indicate that mothers who started breastfeeding are less interested in the receptive development and expressive of their children and in fine 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 who were breastfed for 3 months had less fear of speech and motor development, and general anxiety decreased as breastfeeding lasted longer than > o= 9 months.

Pictorial Memory Score

Previous studies indicate that some image-based memory tests can accurately be used to test dimentia. In addition dementia can be detected through the SDCD test in a shorter period of time 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. Exlusively breastfed children are likely to have prolonged pictorial memory compared to non-breastfed children. More so, memory tests based on image are not limited to the child’s level of. 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. 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 6 months (14).A small survey was conducted among parents of 60 children

Among the mechanisms most frequently mentioned for Impact of breastfeeding on neuropsychological development is the mother gear of the main 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 behavioral disorders in children. LC-PUFA is therefore a plausible mechanism of action. That enables breastfeeding to play a key role against ADHD symptoms and cognitive development as well as protecting the infant. The effect of breastfeeding was associated with stronger and high LC-PUFA values and levels. However, if the same children were tested at 4 years of age.y, the relationship between intelligence and breastfeeding

was not related of LC-PUFA. Other assumptions were maternal influenza interaction Breastfeeding with an intestinal

microbiotic (35). Further research is necessary to find out how breastfeeding stimulates the 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 common interactions of the child with people around. Mothers and babies learn to communicate with each other, during breast feeding 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 provoke a reaction from the mother” (Kaye, 1977, p. 93), and certainly 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 in order 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. In addition, children who are exclusively breastfed have steadily increasing 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 is essential for language learning as it enables the babies to u nderstand similar twist that occurs in conversation (Kaye, 1977). Interestingly, Lavelli and Paulie (1998) findings show the differences in scapular pause behavior in The children of BF and FF. In general, FF babies spend less time breastfeeding and the breaks are shorter. or almost never. So bottle feeding can reduce the possibility Mother-child communication (Lavelli and Pouli, 1998), particularly due to the fact that breast Feeding can be one limited periods during which a busy mother can sit and be intimate with another. with her child (Buckley, 1992 and Epstein, 1993). In addition, 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 tangible stimulation and more general consideration of lactating mothers with their babies, in relation \ to bottle mothers, as well as shared attention and touchare significant communication tools in childhood that promote language attainment of emotional and social development (Epstein, 1993; Hertenstein, 2002).

Speech development measured at 3 years of age and joints at 5 and 7 years of age, TO carried out a research 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 4 months or more generally have test results that vary according to the length of time they are breastfed. The standard deviation intest 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 7 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 have been criticized due to lack of certification on social as well as environmental issues, Findings show that this relationship cannot be fully explained by these factors. 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 is 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 includes cognitive tests. The latest studies have examined brain activation in the testing of difference-point tasks in visual memory. While the above test 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 mojority of the sub-tests carried out. The DCSD test therefore seems to be associated with both visual memory and attentionas 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 formulatedby Bernstein (1967). He stated that coordination skills was the mechanism involving control of muscle and joint movements. Which is essential in coordination ability in physical movement of the muscle. Schnabel (1973) cartegorized 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). A number of findings have been carried out to investigate the relationship between breastfeeding in relation to child development and coordination abilities and (Schnabel & Blume, 2002, Zimmermann,; Azumane & Kirino &, 2004; Sadowski & Lyakh,2006). For effective 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 movements and coordination abilities in relation to breastfeeding.

Media analysis should show that the duration of breastfeeding is predicted by the initiation mediator (Kenny &Baron , 1986; Shrout & Bolger, 2002, Kenny et al., 1998;). The findings failed to reveal a major relationship between initiation of breastfeeding and duration of breastfeeding. The duration 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 longer duration 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. Experiment have 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

reached muscle coordination peak (at 6 months) compared to breastfed infants (at 9 months). The EEG measured which measured frequency range, with a subsequent decrease with age, as observed in both groups. The findings indicates that breastfeeding influence the the lenth of myelination processes in a child’s. Breastfeeding affect 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 dissimilar patterns of early neurodevelopment may lead to unprecedented ttrajectories 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 of time studied white matter maturation between 10 months and 4 years and found a positive correlation between the duration of exclusive breastfeeding and the development of breast milk pathways. The increase in the amount of motor abilities associated with breastfeeding in areas that are generally more mature, including the frontal and temporal areas. In addition, the study indicated that breastfeeding was associated with higher motor scores in a manner generally associated with increased levels of cognition and socio-emotional functioning.

General Motor Skills

Infants who received breast milk only for initial 6 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 4 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 a long 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 reletively higher scores on the infants who underwent prolonged breastfeeding period and significant differences between groups only at 24 months. The McCarthy scale dictate that, infants breastfed for a long time tended attain 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 with 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 important benefits of breast milk for infants. This benefit was more essential 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 an that increases in the duration and frequency of exclusive breastfeeding in the first year of life were certainly associated with Bailey’s measures of the Child Development. Studies have also shown that better skills in problem-solving in children were linked with longer periods of breastfeeding. Similarly, significant executive benefits

and cognitive control at the of age 4 years for were exclusively breastfed children for more than 6 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 significantly 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 first months of life, and 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 needs 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 diarrhea 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 effects on 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 3 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 2 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 3 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 3 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 that 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 special role in good brain development. This is because it is an important 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 fatty 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 was 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 part, the child is supposed to listen and retell major 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 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.

Dorothey’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 6 years of age and below are still young and can demonstrate child-like behaviors. 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 administering these exams as described by McCarthy. Between 1960 and 1994 this type of assessment was normally used to gauge whether the child is physically developing well. Today, the test is administered by doctors and pediatricians to try and understand whether a child is developing in a manner that they should. This oral exam is used to gauge the understanding of the child and rule out the possibility of retardness. 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 parts 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 analysis of the McCarthy’s verbal scores was depicted as follows. In the first part which was Part A, the child had a higher score 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 was 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 score 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 determine whether 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 shot-term memory retainance. 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 4 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 age 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 8 at all costs, then child would not proceed to part C. this process was to be repeated 2 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 oral 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 tough parental guidance and wavering 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 relation 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 wrong answers. These children recorded 8months to 1 year breastfeeding periods.

However, children who recorded less than 6 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 easily responsive. They were timid and difficult 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 of breast feeding 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. 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 abilities. 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 intelligence, genes or productivity; however, it was simplified to use only the strengths and weaknesses of the child. Breastfeeding is a common 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 6 scale units to measure the children’s test. These units include verbal, perceptual, quantitate, motor, cognitive index, and memory retaining. 18 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 10 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 pediatrician 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 5 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.

MALE

FEMALE

Stand ford Benet

101

12.0

102

13.3

—

McCarthy CGI

14.9

105

16.1

—

Verbal

10.7

11.0

—

Perceptual

9.1

10.2

—

Quantitative

9.0

8.3

—

Memory

9.0

9.9

—

Motor

9.0

9.8

—

P< 05 ** p< 01

McCarthy made 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 3 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 1 year.

A behavioral 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 highly affected if the infant was weaned at 4 months or 6 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 research was to identify whether there is a difference in the six major 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. 11 studies presented below 5 covariates were taken in an adjusted and unadjusted environment. The unadjusted environments signified the presence of maternal care. Those within the unadjusted environment and were breastfed for over 1 year gave a result of 5.32; which is a higher quantitative score. The same was repeated in an unadjusted environment with bottle-fed children. These children gave a result of 3.16; which is a lower quantitative score. Additionally, the child’s behavior 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 low score ability as compared to normal 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 a significant 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 requires 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

Dorothea McCarthy

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