Iodine is a mineral your body uses for biological processes, including the synthesis of thyroid hormones. About 70 to 80 percent of your body's iodine is concentrated in your thyroid gland, the University of Maryland Medical Center notes. Your body develops a condition called hypothyroidism when you do not receive adequate amounts of iodine. Hypothyroidism affects the physical and mental development of infants and children. So it is paramount that children receive their recommended daily dose of iodine.
Iodine Use and Benefits
Iodine protects your body from goiter as well as protecting the thyroid gland from radiation. Iodine solution is used to disinfect wounds and prevent swelling and tenderness in the mouth caused by chemotherapy, MedlinePlus, a service of the National Health Institutes, explains. Iodine is also used to purify water.
Iodine for Newborns and Infants
Newborns and infants up to the age of 6 months need 110 mcg of iodine day, the Linus Pauling Institute reports. Infants who are 7 to 12 months old need about 130 mcg of iodine each day. Iodine deficiency has caused infant mortality. Ensuring that infants get adequate iodine daily helps them survive and also protects them from impaired brain and intellectual development.
Iodine for Children and Adolescents
Children between 1 and 8 years of age require 90 mcg of iodine daily, MedlinePlus writes. Between the ages of 9 and 13, children need 120 mcg of iodine each day. When they reach the age of 14, adolescents need 150 mcg of iodine daily. Giving children and adolescents their daily iodine needs lowers their risk of developing learning disabilities. Iodine deficiency among these age groups has been known to lower IQ scores by as much as 13.5 points, the Linus Pauling Institute explains.
Diet and Tolerable Upper Intake Levels
What you feed your children can affect how effectively they can utilize iodine. Certain kinds of food such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower contain goitrogens, the Linus Pauling Institute says. Goitrogens interfere with your body's ability to use iodine. Other foods such as cassava have thiocyanate, a substance that impedes your thyroid gland's ability to absorb iodine. Children should also avoid taking more iodine than their bodies can tolerate. Children ages 3 and below should not take more than 200 mcg of iodine daily, MedlinePlus says. Children who are between the ages of 4 and 8 can tolerate up to 300 mcg of iodine before having adverse reactions. This upper intake level increases to 600 mcg/day for children who are between 9 and 13 years of age. Those over the age of 14 can tolerate up to 900 mcg of iodine each day.
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