Q: I AM breast-feeding my four-month-old infant son. He has a very strong sucking reflex and sometimes I find myself aroused even though I am not thinking about sex when I am feeding him. Is this normal? I am quite concerned about these feelings.
Dr Rose writes: Yes. It is quite normal to feel sexually aroused when nursing an infant. Many women have vaginal and uterine contractions when they are nursing their babies. These involuntary contractions occur when the baby's sucking triggers the releaseof a substance known as oxytocin from the mother's brain. Oxytocin is the same substance that also triggers orgasm and labour.
Try not to worry about having these feelings. Enjoy breast-feeding your baby knowing that you are providing him with the best form of early nutrition. Q: There is a little boy in my son's playgroup who seems very withdrawn. In fact, although they used toplay together, they barely interacted. One of the neighbours said that the mother told her that the boy was autistic. Can you describe this condition in detail so that I can have a better idea of what the problem is? Dr Rose writes: Autism is a fairly rare condition occurring in about two to four of every 10,000 children, more commonly in boys. Most cases are diagnosed by the time the child is one year old. Autistic children seem normal in the first few months of life, but over time become increasingly withdrawn and unresponsive to normal stimuli.
About 25 per cent of autistic children have some form of neurological disorder and many also develop epilepsy by the time they are teenagers.
Autistic children generally fail to form emotional attachments and relationships and often have severe temper tantrums when changes in routine are introduced. Ritualistic and repetitive behaviour is also quite common.
Speech is usually delayed in autistic children and when it comes it is often robot-like and unimaginative. Nevertheless, many autistic children have a special isolated skill such as an excellent memory or ability to draw.