For children, iron deficiency leads to many dangerous complications. May affect the physical and mental development of children in the future. Therefore, the timely detection of iron deficiency in children is very important that parents should pay attention. However, how to recognize iron deficiency in children? Read the following article to know the answer.

Iron deficient children can cause dangerous complications

Signs that children are iron deficient

Many current cases have shown no specific signs of iron deficiency. It is only until a child has iron deficiency anemia that these signs can be clearly observed. Specifically, the signs that you can notice in children with iron deficiency are as follows:

 - Inactive children: Children with iron deficiency often show signs of fatigue and slow activity. Frequent sleepiness and poor concentration.

 - Pale skin: When there is a lack of iron, a child's skin often becomes pale and very pale. Mothers can most clearly see the ear and palms of the hands and feet.

 - Weak Resistance: One of the dangerous signs that a child has iron deficiency is that he or she is very susceptible to infections.

 - Poor health: If a child has severe anemia due to iron deficiency, he or she will often feel dizzy and have difficulty breathing, especially with vigorous exercise. In addition, children are also constantly suffering from digestive disorders and uncontrolled weight loss.

 - Poor concentration: When a child has iron deficiency, not only is he less attentive in learning and memory loss, but his attitude is also constantly irritated. This manifestation in the long term will make the child's learning status decrease.

 - Pica Syndrome: Pica syndrome is a symptom that children often eat weird things like dirt, dust, paint, ... and this has extremely bad effects on children's health.

 - Children with severe iron deficiency: When a child has a severe iron deficiency, he or she will constantly experience signs such as swelling of both hands and feet. The constant increase in heart rate leads to extremely difficult breathing in children.

Parents should consult the signs of iron deficiency

What factors cause iron deficiency?

Babies born prematurely and weighing less than the standard

Babies born usually have enough iron reserves for up to 6 months. However, in cases where the baby is born prematurely or the weight does not meet the prescribed standards, the child's iron source is only enough for about 2 months. This makes children more susceptible to iron deficiency.

Children only drink cow's milk

Cow's milk is nutritious, but it's low in iron. In addition, it also interferes with the child's ability to absorb iron from other food sources. Not only that, it can also irritate a child's stomach. Therefore, in the first year, mothers should give priority to breastfeeding and avoid giving cow's milk to babies.

Low iron diet

If the child has an unscientific diet, the risk of iron deficiency in the child is also extremely high. Because iron is in our bodies, it is like vitamins and other nutrients absorbed through the foods we eat on a regular basis. On average, only about 1mg of iron is absorbed into the body in 10-20mg of iron consumed orally. Therefore, if children do not eat in a balanced manner, they will become severely deficient in iron.

What is Iron deficiency treatment in children?

Iron supplement for children

To supplement iron for the baby, the first year mothers should breastfeed their babies naturally. Because for children under 1 year old, breast milk is the most easily absorbed and best iron for children. However, for some reason that your baby cannot breastfeed, you can choose a formula for iron supplementation as prescribed by your doctor.

Vitamin C supplements for children

Vitamin C is an extremely good iron absorption supplement. To supplement vitamin C for children, mothers can find foods such as: oranges, tangerines, strawberries, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, ...

Balancing diet

When the baby has weaned from breast milk and moved to consuming solid foods. Then mothers can supplement iron for children through daily meals such as cereals. As children get older, iron can be found more in a variety of foods such as fish, red meat, beans, chicken, ...

When a child has iron deficiency, it is necessary to implement a balanced diet for the child

From the information of the above article, perhaps you have already partly grasped the symptoms of iron deficiency in children as well as the treatment methods, right? However, if the treatment is not in remission. Ideally, parents should take their children to the hospital for a more detailed and effective examination by the doctors.