The prevalence of diarrhea in children with the absence of breastfeeding or in which it is under six months of age

Resumo

Breast-feeding is an act that has a bio psychosocial repercussion on the child development, interfering, especially, on the prevention of infectious diseases like diarrhea. The aim of this study is to analyze the prevalence of the diagnosis of diarrhea in children who were not breastfed or were breasfed for less than six months and who sought a primary care service in Fortaleza. During the months of June and July 2005, it was made the collection of data with the mothers of 121 children, through a form. The results show that 39,6% of the kids had been breastfed for less than 6 months and 5,7% had not been breastfed at all. Among the kids who had not been not breastfed, 23,6% have had a diagnosis of diarrhea. It is unanimous of many studies that the maternal milk has immune characteristics that prevent diarrhea. Therefore, it was concluded that breastfeeding until 6 months of age is an important action to promote children’s health.