The AAO Journal, 2025/06, 35(2):12. doi: 10.53702/i2375-5717-35.2.5, type of study: ,ret,

Full text    (https://aaoj.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/aaoj/35/2/article-p5.xml)

Keywords:

breastfeeding [38]
infants [211]
OMT [3924]
osteopathic manipulative treatment [3945]
pediatrics [573]
retrospective study [339]

Abstract:

Introduction: The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, however only 24.9% of infants in the United States meet this recommendation. Breastfeeding relies on proper neuromuscular structure and function. Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) improves function by treating somatic dysfunctions. However, the optimal timing for initial visit, frequency, and correlation with mode of delivery and initial LATCH scores are unknown. Therefore, the primary aim was to understand the relationship of treatments between breastfeeding difficulties, age at intervention, mode of delivery, and initial LATCH scores for infants in a community practice. Research design: Retrospective chart review. Methods: Full-term infants (n=116) who had OMT charged during their visit at the Mayo Clinic Family Medicine Residency – Eau Claire between January 2018 and July 2024 were reviewed. 93 were referred for breastfeeding difficulties and included. Demographics, age at initial visit, initial LATCH scores, and mode of delivery were collected. Linear regression was conducted through Microsoft Excel and Kruskal-Wallis through BlueSky. Results: At initial referral, individuals were on average 3.4 months old (0-13 months) and averaged 15 days (1-113 days) between OMT visits. Linear regression comparing age at presentation and initial LATCH scores demonstrated that for every one month increase in age, the LATCH score decreased by 0.17 (R2=0.08). There was no significant difference in age at presentation based on mode of delivery (χ2=6.3, p- value=0.179). Conclusion: Younger individuals tended to have higher LATCH scores, and the mode of delivery did not correlate with age at time of referral. Prospective trials are needed to develop a predictive scoring system to identify which infants would most benefit from OMT and when.