Iron Deficiency Anemia In Babies

Iron-deficiency anemia in babies, a disorder where there is a low amount of red blood cells, is usually a result of not consuming enough iron in the diet. At birth, babies have a supply of iron stored in their bodies, but due to their fast growth rate and development, they must have a daily supply of this vital mineral. Otherwise, they can develop iron-deficiency anemia and the consequences that it brings.

Defining Anemia

A person who is anemic has a low number of red blood cells circulating throughout her bloodstream. By definition, a woman is anemic if she has a hemoglobin that is less than 12 g/dL, while an anemic man has a hemoglobin less than 14 g/dL, according to "The Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics." Since hemoglobin is a protein on the red blood cell, the hemoglobin level gives an estimate of the number of red blood cells.

Iron-Deficiency Anemia and Babies

Someone with iron-deficiency anemia has a low number of red blood cells because she are not getting enough iron in her diet or has been slowly bleeding over a period of time. According to the National Institutes of Health, full-term babies have enough iron stored inside their bodies to last for 4 to 6 months. Premature babies and babies who do not weigh very much, do not have iron stores that last that long. Babies grow fast and as such, they must get iron from an iron-fortified formula or breast milk to avoid developing an iron-deficiency anemia.

The Effects of Iron-Deficiency Anemia

A study, published October 2003 issue of "Pediatrics," involving 1,657 infants was conducted to determine the effects of iron-deficiency anemia on babies. After just six months, the research group found that the iron-deficiency anemic babies had a slower mental functioning. In addition, they started crawling later than the babies who were not anemic, did not interact as much with their parents and were not easily calmed down when they became upset. These results corroborated the understanding that a deficiency of iron has a detrimental effect on the developing brain of a baby.

The Prevention of Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Babies

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to prevent babies from developing this disorder, women should breastfeed for at least one year and start to feed their babies iron-fortified cereal and/or meat when they are 4 to 6 months old. At 6 months old, babies should eat food that has vitamin C to increase the absorption of iron. Mothers who do not breastfeed should give their babies an iron-fortified formula, while premature babies and low-weight babies may need to take iron drops.