Early Cessation of Breastfeeding: A Neglected Nutritional Challenge among Infants

Abstract Background: Breastfeeding (nursing) strike and early-weaning occur when infants often older than 3 months refuse to nurse for no apparent reason. This condition can be distressing to both the infant and mother. It is most times difficult for mothers to detect the cause of this phenomenon. This often puzzling state of infants feeding strike could lead to poor infant feeding practices thereby predisposing the infant to malnutrition and infections. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study enrolled 421 mothers who had nursed at least one child for 12 months or more. Appropriate statistical tools were used to determine prevalence of breastfeeding strike and maternal socio-demographics that are associated with refusal of breastfeeding in infants before 6 months of age. Results: Prevalence of breastfeeding strike in our study was 2.8%. Though statistical significance was not attained probably due to small sample size (n= 88), older mothers, those with more children, higher occupational grades and higher educational attainment were more likely to experience infant refusal of breastfeeding before 6 months of age. Conclusion: Despite the low prevalence reported in our study, breastfeeding strike is of great public health and family importance. There is need for more study to determine factors responsible for nursing strike in various cultural contexts in order to better educate mothers on how to prevent this present but covert phenomenon

Danger Signs of Childhood Pneumonia: Caregiver Awareness and Care Seeking Behavior in a Developing Country

Background. Efforts to reduce child mortality especially in Africa must as a necessity aim to decrease mortality due to pneumonia. To achieve this, preventive strategies such as expanding vaccination coverage are key. However once a child develops pneumonia prompt treatment which is essential to survival is dependent on mothers and caregiver recognition of the symptoms and danger signs of pneumonia. Methods. This community based cross-sectional study enrolled four hundred and sixty-six caregivers in Enugu state. It aimed to determine knowledge of caregivers about danger signs of pneumonia and the sociodemographic factors that influence knowledge and care seeking behaviour of caregivers. Results. There is poor knowledge of the aetiology and danger signs of pneumonia among caregivers. Higher maternal educational attainment and residence in semiurban area were significantly associated with knowledge of aetiology, danger signs, and vaccination of their children against pneumonia. Fast breathing and difficulty in breathing were the commonest known and experienced WHO recognized danger signs while fever was the commonest perceived danger sign among caregivers. Conclusion. Knowledge of danger signs and health seeking behaviour among caregivers is inadequate. There is need for intensified public and hospital based interventions targeted at mothers to improve their knowledge about pneumonia