Handan Turgut Semerci, Department of Otolaryngology, Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey
H. Bengü Çobanoğlu, Department of Otolaryngology, Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey
Mehmet İmamoğlu, Department of Otolaryngology, Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey
Abdülcemal Ümit Işik, Department of Otolaryngology, Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey
Osman Bahadir, Department of Otolaryngology, Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey
Selçuk Arslan, Department of Otolaryngology, Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey
Fevziye Başkan Vuralka, Department of Pediatrics. Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey
Objective: It is aimed to reveal whether breast milk has an effect against recurrent upper respiratory tract infections and allergies. Methods: The study group consisted of 300 children aged 0-15 years who applied to the Ear, Nose, and Throat Outpatient Clinic with complaints of frequent throat infections, snoring, sleeping with an open mouth, and decreased hearing. The control group consisted of 300 randomly selected healthy children between the ages of 0-15 whose routine controls were terminated. Both groups were compared in terms of age, gender, birth weight, duration of breast milk and formula use, eosinophil count in complete blood count, and time of transition to solid food. Results: It was observed that more operation (adenotonsillectomy) were performed in children with lower than normal birth weight (< 2500 g), children who had breastfed for < 6 months, and children who received formula for more than 6 months (p < 0.001). Eosinophil count was found to be higher in the complete blood count of the children in the study group compared to the children in the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Children are protected from recurrent adenotonsillar infections and allergies with breast milk.
Keywords: Breastmilk. Tonsillitis. Allergy.