Iron deficiency is a common problem. Untreated, it can lead to iron deficiency anemia, which is serious for children; it can cause attention problems (which may affect a child’s performance in school) and slowed growth.
Signs and Symptoms
Because iron carries oxygen around to different parts of your child’s body, an iron deficiency can result in:
- Tiredness
- Pale skin
- Trouble concentrating in school
Risk Factors
Any of these put a child at risk for developing iron deficiency:
- Prematurity: A child born too early doesn’t have time to build up iron stores from his mother.
- Drinking too much cow’s milk: Children who drink more than 24 ounces/day of cow’s milk tend to eat less high-iron foods. The high amount of protein in cow’s milk is hard on a baby’s intestine and can lead to bleeding, even if you can’t see it; this means the baby is losing iron through his intestine.
- Not eating enough iron-containing foods
- Drinking infant formula not fortified with iron: Most formulas in the US and Canada are fortified with iron.
- Vegan/vegetarian diet: It is absolutely possible for your vegan or vegetarian child to obtain enough iron. You may need to make sure he’s getting the right kind of foods.
Prevention and Treatment
To prevent iron deficiency, your child should:
- Not start drinking cow’s milk until he is one year old
- Drink only breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula until he is 6 months old (no other milk or food)
- Start eating high-iron foods when solids are introduced (around 6 months of age)
To treat iron deficiency, your child’s pediatrician will probably prescribe an iron supplement to bring your child’s iron levels back up to normal. You should also follow the tips under “Prevention” and focus on high-iron foods.
About Iron and Food
Our bodies absorb iron best if it comes from meat, such as beef, chicken, turkey, pork, fish, and shellfish.
Iron from a source other than meat (e.g., spinach or other “non-heme” sources) is absorbed better if it’s eaten with a food high in vitamin C. Examples of high vitamin C foods are strawberries, oranges, cantaloupe, red pepper, and tomatoes. (This is why many restaurants serve their spinach salads with strawberries or orange slices in them.) If your child doesn’t eat much meat or any meat at all, it’s ok if he has some “non-heme” high-iron foods several times a day – with a good source of vitamin C.