Nursing personality and features in children with autism spectrum disorder aged 0–2: an exploratory case-control study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Aim Although studies have investigated relationships between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and breastfeeding duration, information concerning these children’s nursing styles is limited. This study investigated nursing personality and features and ASD. Method One hundred forty-one children aged 24–72 months diagnosed with ASD and 128 healthy children were included. Information concerning the family’s sociodemographic characteristics and the child’s developmental stages was obtained through forms prepared by the authors and from hospital records. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was used to determine symptom severity in ASD. Development levels of children with ASD were determined using the Denver Developmental Screening Test 2nd Edition (DDST II). Results Mothers of children with ASD reported higher rates of unintended pregnancies (p = 0.029) [2.380*(1.093–5.182)]. Children with ASD exhibited less nursing strike (NS) behavior (p = 0.042) [0.388(0.156–0.967)] and less eye contact during breastfeeding (ECDB) (p = 0.009) [2.300(1.236–4.282)]. NS reduced the risk of ASD 2.6-fold, while absence of ECDB increased the risk 2.3-fold, and unintended pregnancy increased the risk 2.4-fold. Higher CARS scores were determined in children with ASD with vaginal delivery histories (p = 0.041) and histories of incubation (p = 0.025). Lack of ECDB was associated with decreased social and gross motor scores at DDST-II (p = 0.005). Conclusion Babies with ASD began breastfeeding at least as early as typically developing peers and for similar lengths of time. However, babies with ASD exhibited less NS behavior and less eye contact during breastfeeding. Babies with ASD perceive no emotional cues even in the first months, and may therefore not exhibit NS behavior.