Do You Know if Your Child Suffers from Iron Deficiency Anemia?

What is Iron Deficiency Anemia?

Anemia is a condition in which a person lacks the normal number of red blood cells. Anemia can be caused when there is insufficient number hemoglobin, located inside red blood cells, to transport enough oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues. The most common nutritional deficiency is iron deficiency. Iron deficiency can cause a delay in motor skills for babies, babies born prematurely, and loss of memory in teens.

What is the most common cause of Iron Deficiency Anemia?

The most common cause of Anemia is not consuming enough iron. Iron is one of the main components of hemoglobin. Children and women age 65 and under are most likely to experience iron deficiency. This disease can also be inherited from the mother. Pregnant women are also at a high risk of getting this disease. Children require about 6-10 mg of iron each day. However, children usually to not take in the required amount of iron because as they grow older their body requires more iron.

How can you tell if your child is experiencing Iron Deficiency Anemia?

Your child may have Iron Deficiency Anemia if he/she:

* has pale skin, gum, and/or nails
* always feels tired and weak
* experiences fast heart beat
* has finger nails that break easily
* loses his/her appetite
* breathes rapidly
* has sore tongue
* has cravings for nonfood items such as ice and dirt (this condition is called pica)
* always feels cold
* has headaches
* has a high risk of infections
Some of these symptoms may not be noticeable in young children. Your child does not have to experience all of these symptoms to have Iron Deficiency Anemia.

What to do if your child has these symptoms?

First, take your child to the doctor, and the doctor will perform some blood tests. If your child has Iron Deficiency Anemia, he/she should take iron supplements. If your child has difficulty consuming a balanced diet, it is also good to consume iron supplements. It is also good to consume foods that are rich in iron such as liver, red meat, spinach, broccoli, egg yolks, beans, peas, nuts, dried fruit, and dark green vegetables. In addition to eating foods that are rich in iron, eating foods that have vitami
C will help your body absorb the iron better. This includes citrus fruits, broccoli, and red peppers.

How to prevent Iron Deficiency Anemia?

Babies should be given blood test when they are born to test their iron level because insufficient iron levels are hard to notice in young children. Babies should be fed breast milk or iron fortified formula instead of cow milk because cow milk does not have enough iron. This is the reason cow milk is not recommended for the baby's first year. It is also important to ensure that your children are fed a balanced diet. Pregnant women should ensure that they take in enough iron for her and her baby.

To order iron supplements or learn more about children health, visit: www.buychildrensvitamins.com or www.buykidsvitamins.com. Both websites have information regarding children health in The Learning Center, and also children multivitamins and supplements.