What Is Iron Deficiency Anemia And How To Treat It

Iron deficiency anemia is one of the chief medical concerns plaguing children’s health. Especially in developing countries where the standards of living are not that high, kids fail to receive optimum medical attention, care, diagnosis and the necessary treatment. As a result, the symptoms remain unaddressed and the child ends up harboring the consequences into their adulthood. Not only that, the iron deficiency in children hinders proper growth and development of a child, and infects them with a range of iron deficiency related ailments that often become life-threatening.

So What Is Iron Deficiency Anemia?

Iron deficiency anemia is a medical condition that stems from the lack of dietary iron and other essential minerals. When diagnosed, it usually comes with a lower than expected number of red blood cells. This results in the reduced hemoglobin count (the core component responsible for oxygen circulation), eventually leading to anemia.

How Does It Affect Children?

Usually, children with iron deficiency anemia exhibit the following symptoms:

1. Pale Look
2. Moodiness
3. Exhaustion
4. Rapid Heartbeat
5. Hindered Growth
6. Breathlessness
7. Pica (appetite for non-food items)

These symptoms eventually lead to fatal consequences if left untreated. Probable risk factors include enlarged spleen, swollen tongue, lower immunity, etc.

What Causes Iron Deficiency Anemia in Children?

While there are several factors that contribute to the development of iron deficiency anemia in children, records show some major causes behind this ailment:

Lack Of Dietary Iron

Of every 10mg to 20mg if ingested iron, our body absorbs only 1 mg. Children with an iron-deficient diet cannot make up for the required quantity. There are instances, where poor nutrition leads to low natal birth weight associated with iron deficiency.

Lack Of Iron In The Development Phase

It is no mystery that children and teenagers go through phases of growth spurts. This increases iron requirement, as the mineral helps in supporting and catalyzing different growth-related processes that culminate into a good development rate. This results in poor health and hindered growth from a very early age.

GIT Abnormalities

GIT (Gastro-Intestinal Tract) abnormalities are common in newborns. Since their body is not fully capable of participating in digestion of complex iron-rich foods, they often have stomach upsets, which inhibits the upper small intestine to properly absorb the essential minerals. And since iron is a major part of it, the child automatically falls prey to iron deficiency anemia.

4. Blood Loss

Children love exploring the new world they’re born into. In pursuit of which, they incur cuts, inflammations and other forms of injury. Blood loss from these wounds results in expulsion of necessary iron from their bloodstream, thus, resulting in iron deficiency anemia.

So What Are The Major Iron Deficiency Anemia Treatments For Children?

Several clinically proven iron deficiency treatments can be undergone to avoid iron deficiency anemia in children:

For Breastfed infants

For the first 4 months post-delivery, infants are only breastfed. This rules out the scope for dietary iron making their way into their system. Research has shown that providing a daily dose of iron supplements for kids, officially prescribed and set by a physician, helps children to evade the anemic conditions during that sensitive stage.

For Toddlers

Toddlers between 1 to 3 years should be given food rich in Vitamin C (the prime ingredient that helps in iron absorption).

While breast-milk is the only source of energy for newborns, parents think the same when it comes to processed cow milk. It should be noted that over-intake of cow milk has adverse effects on iron processing and absorption. Parents can rather turn to Children’s Iron Supplements as a foolproof remedy against iron deficiency. Iron supplementation is recommended by most medical practitioners besides natural diet, and the doses depend on the age slab of the child and the amount of iron their bodies can process.