Iron Deficiency in Infants and How To Deal With it? - 3MEDS
Iron deficiency (ID) and iron-deficiency anemia (IDA)
continue to be of worldwide concern. Among children in the developing world,
iron is the most common single-nutrient deficiency.
In industrialized nations, despite a demonstrable decline in
prevalence, IDA remains a common cause of anemia in young children. Iron is a
nutrient that's essential to your child's growth and development, but some kids
don't have enough.
80 % of the iron
present in a newborn term infant is accreted during the third trimester of
pregnancy. Infants born prematurely miss this rapid accretion and are deficient
in total body iron. Several maternal conditions, such as anemia, maternal
hypertension with intrauterine growth restriction, or diabetes during
pregnancy can also result in low fetal iron stores in both term and preterm
infants
Preterm Infants
The deficit of total body iron in preterm infants increases
with decreasing gestational age. It is worsened by the rapid postnatal growth
that many infants experience and by frequent phlebotomies without adequate
blood replacement. On the other hand, sick preterm infants who receive multiple
transfusions are at risk of iron overload. The use of recombinant human
erythropoietin to prevent transfusion therapy in preterm infants will further
deplete iron stores if additional supplemental iron is not provided. The highly
variable iron status of preterm infants, along with their risks for ID as well
as to toxicity, precludes determining the exact requirement, but it can be
estimated to be between 2 and 4 mg/kg per day when given orally.
Term Infants (Birth Through 12 Completed Months of Age)
The Institute of Medicine (IOM)10 used the average iron
content of human milk to determine the adequate intake of 0.27 mg/day for term
infants from birth through 6 months' completed age. The average iron content of
human milk was determined to be 0.35 mg/L, and the average milk intake of an
exclusively breastfed infant was determined to be 0.78 L/day. Multiplying these
2 numbers determined the adequate intake of 0.27 mg/day for term infants from
birth through 6 months of age in the IOM report. The IOM further reasoned that
there should be a direct correlation between infant size and human milk
ingestion; therefore, no correction need be made for infant weight. It should
be pointed out, however, that although bigger infants may ingest more milk,
there is a large variation in iron concentration of human milk, and there is no
guarantee that the iron content of the maternal milk matches the needs of the
infant for iron.
For infants from 7 to 12 months' completed age, the
recommended dietary allowance for iron, according to the IOM, is 11 mg/day,
which was determined by using a factorial approach. The amount of iron lost,
primarily from sloughed epithelial cells from the skin and the intestinal and
urinary tracts were added to the amounts of iron required for increased blood
volume, increased tissue mass, and storage iron during this period of life. It
was noted that the iron needs of infants do not suddenly jump from 0.27 to 11
mg/day at 6 months of age; this disjuncture is the result of the use of very
different methods of determining these values. However, healthy, term newborn
infants require very little iron early in life compared with the significant
amounts of iron required after 6 months of age.
IRON REQUIREMENTS FOR TODDLERS (1–3 YEARS OF AGE)
Using a similar factorial approach as described for infants
7 to 12 months' completed age, the IOM determined that the recommended dietary
allowance for iron for children from 1 through 3 years of age is 7 mg/day.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Iron Deficiency In Children?
Signs and symptoms of
iron-deficiency anemia might include:
•Pale skin
•Fatigue
•Cold hands and feet
•Slowed growth and development
•Poor appetite
•Abnormally rapid breathing
•Behavioural problems
•Frequent infections
•Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, such as ice,
dirt, paint or starch
How Can Iron Deficiency in Children Be Prevented?
If you're
breast-feeding your baby, talk with your baby's doctor about iron
supplementation. An iron supplement may be iron drops given at a specific dose
of iron that's included in a vitamin supplement.
Here are some general recommendations:
Full-term infants-
Start giving your baby an iron supplement at age 4 months. Continue giving your
baby the supplement until he or she is eating two or more servings a day of
iron-rich foods, such as iron-fortified cereal or pureed meat. If you
breast-feed and give your baby iron-fortified formula and the majority of your
baby's feedings are from the formula, stop giving your baby the supplement.
Premature infants-
Start giving your baby an iron supplement at age 2 weeks. Continue giving your
baby the supplement until age 1. If you breast-feed and give your baby
fortified formula and the majority of your baby's feedings are from the formula,
stop giving your baby the supplement.
Other steps you can take to prevent iron deficiency include:
Serve iron-rich foods. When you begin serving your baby
solids (typically between ages 4 months and 6 months ) provide foods with added
iron, such as iron-fortified baby cereal, pureed meats, and pureed beans. For
older children, good sources of iron include red meat, chicken, fish, beans, and
spinach.
Don't overdo milk. Between ages 1 and 5, don't allow your
child to drink more than 24 ounces (710 milliliters) of milk a day.
Enhancing absorption. Vitamin C helps promote the absorption
of dietary iron. You can help your child absorb iron by offering foods rich in
vitamin C — such as citrus fruits, cantaloupe, strawberries, bell pepper,
tomatoes, and dark green vegetables.
How Can Parents Help?
Make sure your child takes the iron supplements exactly as
prescribed.
Include iron-rich foods in the family's diet.
•iron-fortified cereals
•lean meat, poultry, and fish
•tofu
•egg yolks
•beans
•raisins
•Serve fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C or a glass of
orange juice at mealtimes. This helps the iron get absorbed.
Talk to a dietitian or your doctor if your child is a
vegetarian. They can recommend foods to help your child get enough iron. To help prevent iron-deficiency anemia in young children: Don't give cow's milk to babies under 1 year old. Limit cow's milk in kids over 1-year-old to less than 2 cups
of milk a day. Giving them more can make them feel full and lower the amount of
iron-rich foods they eat.
Iron is a nutrient that's essential to your child's growth and development, but some kids don't have enough. So visit 3MEDS which is one of the best online pharmacy and medical stores in Delhi, India providing genuine medicines and healthcare products related to babies at an amazing discounted price. buy medicines online to prevent your child from iron deficiency.
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