Iron is a necessary nutrient for the growth and development of your child, but some children do not have enough of it, which causes them to develop anemia that affects the health of the body and causes extreme fatigue and general weakness in the body. mayoclinic The signs and symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include::
Pale skin.
-exhaustion.
Cold hands and feet.
Slowing growth and development.
Poor appetite.
Abnormally rapid breathing.
Behavioral problems.
Frequent infection.
Cravings for non-food items, such as ice, dirt, paint, or starch.
How can iron deficiency in children be prevented?
If you feed your baby iron-fortified formula, he will likely get the recommended amount of iron. vitamin supplement.
Mature infants. Start giving your baby an iron supplement at 4 months. Keep giving your baby two or more servings a day of iron-rich foods, such as iron-fortified cereal or pureed meats.
If you are breast-feeding and you give your baby iron-fortified formula and the majority of your baby’s feedings are from formula, stop giving your baby the supplement..
Premature babies, start giving your baby an iron supplement at the age of two weeks, and continue giving your baby the supplements until he’s old.
Introduce iron-rich foods when you start introducing solid foods to your baby, usually between 4 months and 6 months.
Include foods with added iron, such as iron-fortified baby cereal, pureed meats and mashed beans.
For older children, good sources of iron include red meat, chicken, fish, beans, and spinach.
Don’t overdo the milk. Between ages 1 and 5, don’t allow your child to drink more than 24 ounces (710 milliliters) of milk per day..
Enhance absorption: Vitamin C helps enhance 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, sweet peppers, tomatoes and dark green vegetables..