Iron is a vital element for overall health of human beings as it helps the body make RBCs. Anaemia is a condition in which there is not enough RBCs in the body. One of the causes for the same is iron deficiency. Children who develop iron-deficiency anaemia may have delayed or impaired growth, which makes it a serious condition. In this article, we will learn more about this condition.
Red-blood-cells found in the human blood help transport oxygen to all cells of the body and remove carbon-di-oxide out of the body. This is enabled by haemoglobin, an iron-containing protein found in RBCs. Iron, that comes from the diet consumed is used by the body to make new RBCs. The iron found in old RBCs (that eventually die out), is also harnessed by the body. When a child is in the womb, it gets its iron supply from the mother’s body and this is stored in the body. But once out of the body, a child needs adequate supply of iron in order to make RBCs. This requirement only increases with age till the child reaches adulthood (18 years plus).
Anaemia is a condition in which the blood does not contain enough RBCs. This can affect both adults and children alike. For the purpose of this article, we will stay focused on children only. Anaemia in children could be due to 3 common reasons:
If none of the above is true and the child still has anaemia, then possible causes would be haemolytic diseases, hypersplenism, bone-marrow disorders, hypothyroidism, congenital aplasia, folate deficiency, thalassemia and vitamin B12 deficiency. For the purpose of this article, we will stay focused on iron-deficiency alone.
The signs and symptoms vary from child to child and also depends on the condition being mild, moderate or severe. They include:
For infants less than 1 year, the doctor will ensure he/she is being breast-fed and also fed formula food that is fortified with iron.
Iron-rich diet: Depending on the age of the child and dietary culture (vegetarian vs non-vegetarian), he/she may be advised to consume foods that are rich in iron, which includes:
Iron supplements: The child will have to take supplements in the form of pills, drops or IV injections for 7-8 months, or till iron levels have stabilized. There are minor side-effects to these supplements but the doctor will advise on how to overcome them.
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