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Iron deficiency in children starts slowly and can develop a number of acute symptoms. And with time can worsen as more symptoms emerge leaving the child pale and weak, eating less, and tiring easily. Some children witness low weight-gain and could suffer from frequent respiratory and intestinal infections.
But the most worrying association is that between iron deficiency and impaired development in behavior, cognition, and psychomotor skills.1
“A consistent finding in different countries is that severe, chronic iron deficiency in infancy identifies children with poorer cognitive functions and lower scores in school achievement tests, suggesting that irreversible abnormalities result from a deficiency at a critical period of growth and differentiation of the brain.”2
Preventing iron deficiency is key in toddlerhood. You should include iron-rich foods in your child’s meals such as: red meat, seafood, beans, dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, dried fruit such as raisins and apricots, iron-fortified cereals, breads, pastas and Peas. What might help more, is to choose foods containing Vitamin C to enhance iron absorption such as: Broccoli, grapefruit, kiwi, oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, leafy greens and melon.3
Dr. Nabil Hajj Hassan
Pediatrician
