Iron is the essential nutrient for a child's growth and development, deficiency of which can affect their development and lead to anemia. It helps in the circulation of oxygen from the lungs to different parts of the body and also allows muscles to use and store oxygen. Your child might develop a condition called an iron deficiency if his/her diet lacks sufficient iron. Though the condition is prevalent among children, it can happen at multiple levels from mild to severe. A severe condition can lead to anemia in which blood doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen. Untreated deficiencies can harm your child's growth, and you can fulfill these deficiencies with the iron supplements for kids that are readily available nowadays.
How Much Iron Do Children Need?
When a baby is born, their bodies are stored with sufficient iron, but a steady amount of iron is needed to fuel a child's growth and development. Here is the chart depicting iron needs in Children of different ages:
Age Group | Recommended Amount of Iron a day(mg) |
7-12 Months | 11 mg |
1-3 Years | 7 mg |
4-8 Years | 10 mg |
9-13 Years | 8 mg |
14-18 Years(Girls) | 15 mg |
14-18 Years(Boys) | 11 mg |
Signs and Symptoms of Iron Deficiency in Children
Iron deficiencies can impair your child’s ability to function correctly. But, most signs and symptoms do not appear in Children at early stages or until it triggers a severe condition like Anemia. You should consult your doctor if your child has a more significant risk of developing iron deficiency.
Here are some signs and symptoms of Iron Deficiency:
Fatigue
Skin turning pale.
Cold feet and hand.
Loss of appetite.
Slow development and growth of children.
Sudden behavioral changes and problems.
Prone to infection.
An unusual craving for non-nutritious things like ice, dirt, starch, or paint.
How can Iron Deficiency be Treated?
Your baby will get a sufficient amount of iron when you provide them with iron-fortified foods or formula. You can take your doctor’s advice before supplementing your child with iron supplements for kids. These supplements can be iron drops or chewable given at a specific dose.
Here are some recommendations for iron supplements:
Full-terms Infants
When your infant is four months old, start giving him/her an iron supplement daily to fulfill the deficiencies, if any, until he/she starts eating two or more serving meals a day like pureed meat or iron-rich cereals. Stop your baby the supplement if you are breastfeeding him and giving him iron-fortified formula.
Premature Infants
Infants at the age of 2 weeks can digest and have iron supplements until age one continue ginning them iron supplements and do not supplement unnecessarily if you are already providing them with iron-rich formula.
Steps to prevent Iron deficiency:
Serve Iron-rich Food:
When you begin feeding your baby with solids — typically between ages four months and six months, make sure to provide foods with added iron, including iron-fortified baby cereal, pureed beans, and pureed meats. For older children, good sources of iron may include chicken, red meat, fish, beans, and spinach.
Don’t overdo milk:
Don’t allow your child to drink more than 700 milliliters of milk in a day if he/she is between ages 1 and 5.
Enhancing absorption:
Vitamin C helps improve the intake of dietary iron. You can help your child absorb iron by giving foods rich in vitamin C — such as dark green vegetables, citrus fruits, cantaloupe, bell pepper, strawberries, and tomatoes.
In Final Words
Deficiencies in children can be easily prevented. You are just required to supplement their diet with essential nutrients and a recommended amount of iron supplements for kids.
Reference: Iron deficiency in children: Prevention tips for parents
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