Infantile diarrhoea due to water complementation of breast and bottle feeding

Abstract

This study investigated the prevalence of unusual infant feeding practices among 204 mothers of infants aged 1-12 months, who were admitted with acute diarrhoea to the only two national hospitals in Kuwait. Ninety per cent of the mothers boiled water to prepare a powdered milk formula, but only 15% boiled water for drinking. Thirty nine infants (19%) were admitted more than once. Better family state in terms of socioeconomic class, maternal education, and breast feeding gave some protection against re-admission, though this was not significant. It seems that the condition of drinking water is an important cause of diarrhoea and hence of re-admission. The number of re-admissions was twice as high among infants drinking unboiled (unfiltered or mineral) water than among those drinking boiled or unboiled but filtered water. Breast feeding is protective if no extra water is given.