Study: Alcohol in breast milk may lead to lower cognition in kids

Barbara Gibbs Image
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Study: Alcohol in breast milk may lead to lower cognition in kids
A new study found that children exposure to alcohol through breast milk may cause a comparable drop in their cognitive abilities.

There is more proof that mothers who breastfeed should not drink alcohol because it could cause cognitive problems for their baby.

A new study by researchers at Macquarie University in Australia found that babies who are exposed to alcohol through breast milk may have reduced cognitive abilities by the age of 7; however, those lowered abilities were "normalized" by the age of 11.

The study tested more than 5,000 Australian children every two years until the age of 11.

The children were quizzed on their vocabulary, nonverbal reasoning, and cognitive processes.

Experts found that the more a mother drank, the lower their child scored on nonverbal reasoning.

However, researches said they did not see the same results in babies who were not breastfed.

The CDC recommends mothers do not drink alcohol if they are breastfeeding.