Aim Infancy is a vulnerable period in which infants are at increased risk of becoming sensitised to food allergens. Atopic dermatitis AD occurs with high incidence during the period of infancy. Human milk HM provides passive and likely longlasting active immunity. To evaluate the effect of breast feeding on allergic disorders development in infancy and childhood.

Material and Methods Occurrence of allergic disorders, such as AD and asthma, was registered noted in a group of 468 children born during the period 1 January 199631 December 2000 with followup period from the birth to 31 December 2007. According to the feeding in the first six months of the life examined infants were divided into two groups. The first group were exclusively breast fed BF infants n300, 62.4 . The second group of infants were complementary fed CF with cow milk formula n168 37.6.

Results In the period of infancy AD occurred in 3.4 11300 of the BF and 18.2 31168 of the CF children p0.05. Among the children with AD in the followup period asthma occurred in 36.3 411 of the BF and 38.7 1231 of the CF children p0.05. In the same time, among children without AD asthma occurred in 2.5 of the BF and 2.9 of the CF children p0.05.

Conclusions Our results suggest the protective effect of breast feeding on the development of allergic disorders, as well as the role of AD as the first step in the allergic march.