Iron deficiency anemia is a common condition in children. Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough red blood cells, the cells that carry oxygen in the blood stream to all the body's tissues. Iron is an important component of red blood cells, so iron deficiency in a child's diet can cause anemia.
Importance of iron
Red blood cells are able to carry oxygen because of the presence of a protein called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin binds oxygen from the lungs and delivers it to the tissues, where it releases it and then picks up carbon dioxide and delivers it to the lungs so it can be breathed out of the body. According to the Children's Hospital of Boston, iron is necessary to form hemoglobin, so lack of iron can impair the red blood cells' ability to carry oxygen. At the same time, lack of iron makes it difficult for the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells, which then results in anemia.
Causes
The main cause of iron deficiency anemia in children is poor iron content in the diet. According to Medline Plus, this can happen in babies less than one year old who are fed cow's milk exclusively, as cow's milk is low in iron and it impairs the body's ability to absorb iron from other food sources. Older children who only drink milk are also at risk for iron deficiency anemia. Also, children undergoing periods of rapid growth can have iron deficiency, as their dietary requirement for iron increase.
Symptoms
Children with iron deficiency anemia suffer from paleness of the skin and the eyes, brittle nails, loss of appetite, fatigue and headaches. They are also weak, are irritable and may become short of breath more easily than other children. Children with iron deficiency anemia may also exhibit pica, an unusual craving for dirt, ice, paint and sand.
Treatment
The treatment of iron deficiency begins with feeding the child a well balanced diet, including iron-rich foods like raisins, meats, fish, poultry, egg yolks, legumes (peas and beans), and whole-grain bread. Iron supplementation, either by mouth or injected, is necessary to restore the child's iron stores. Blood transfusions may be necessary for children with severe anemia.
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