What happens to the child if he lacks iron?

Iron is an important mineral for people's health. Lack of iron in children It is related to varied health problems and even some irreversible in extreme cases.

It has been shown that an iron deficit during the intrauterine stage or in infants can cause significant alterations. That is why pregnant women are insisted on the importance of this mineral and they are usually sent a food supplement that ensures adequate iron levels.

In the preschool and school stage, a complete and varied diet usually meets iron needs, but there may be different circumstances (periods of lack of appetite, frequent bleeding, repeated infections ...) that endanger the reserves of this mineral. Iron is an essential nutrient, necessary to make hemoglobin, the component of red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen to all body cells.

Lack of iron in children It could cause neurological dysfunctions (reversible with good control and correction) and most commonly is anemia, a decrease in the normal amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells in the bloodstream.

Among the symptoms that may make you suspect that your child has a lack of iron, are the following: tiredness and weakness, pale skin and mucous membranes, irritability, lack of appetite, dizziness and dizziness. The pediatrician's exam may detect fast heartbeat and heart murmur.

Where is the iron?

The first source of iron that babies can have is through the mother's diet, during pregnancy, thanks to a nutritional supplement and the iron-rich foods listed below. Iron is necessary for the production of hemoglobin in the red cells of the maternal and fetal blood, a protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body's cells.

Through the blood of the placenta that reaches them at birth, before cutting the umbilical cord (waiting a few minutes for it), the baby gets good iron stores.

When they start the complementary feeding, there are foods rich in iron, such as chard, spinach (and, in general, green leafy vegetables), cereals, almonds, lentils, red meat, fish and shellfish. Combining these foods with others rich in vitamin C (kiwi, orange or lemon), it helps to make iron better absorbed by the body.

If it is found that the child lacks iron, to avoid the alterations mentioned, the pediatrician could provide an iron supplement so that the mineral levels are adequate.

Video: Iron Deficiency Anemia, All you need to know! (March 2024).