Exclusive Breastfeeding of Children under 6 Months with Special Needs: Challenges Faced By Nursing Mothers in Sub Sahara Africa

Abstract

It is commonly known that a substantial percentage of children born in Sub-Saharan Africa have specific needs or disabilities. It is widely acknowledged that this can have an impact on a mother's ability to exclusively breastfeed her kid. The World Health Organization (WHO) highly recommends breastfeeding throughout the first six months of a child's life without supplementing. Using previously published literature on exclusive breastfeeding, children born with special needs in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the difficulties mothers face when breastfeeding children with disabilities, the current study employed the systematic review method, and more specifically the rapid review method. The study's findings indicate that mothers of children with special needs experience several hardships, including emotional distress, obstacles in their pursuit of higher education and professional advancement, social isolation, and prejudice. Families of women who are caring for impaired children feel pressure from society to ensure the child's continued viability and good health. Despite all of these difficulties that mothers go through, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the countries in these sub-Saharan African countries have taken steps to eliminate the social stigma and spiritual beliefs that are associated with children who are born with disabilities or special needs. This paper concluded that there should be extensive teaching on exclusive breastfeeding and how vital it is to newly born babies, regardless of whether or not the infants have special needs. In addition, the Sunni Saharan community should be educated on the fact that children born with special needs are not caused by any spiritual doings and that these children can sometimes be cured if they are given the appropriate care. This information should be disseminated to the community through education.