Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia in infancy and early childhood. The underlying cause is iron deficiency in the body, and the onset of the disease is usually between the ages of 6 months and 3 years, with a slow onset in most cases. Children with iron deficiency anemia may show irritability, lack of energy, loss of appetite, pale skin and mucous membranes, and susceptibility to infections; older children may show inattention, reduced comprehension, poor learning ability, and slow reaction. Anemia, the longer the course of the disease, children may appear liver, spleen and lymph nodes mildly enlarged. Prevention: insist on exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months; timely and reasonable supplementation: pay attention to iron-rich supplementation (e.g. iron-fortified rice flour, animal liver, fish puree, minced meat, etc.); regular hematocrit check, hematocrit check after 6 months of age; preterm/low birth weight infants should start iron supplementation from 4 weeks of age at a dose of 1-2
mg/kg.d elemental iron until 1 week of age. Treatment: After the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia is confirmed, it can be treated by oral iron supplementation. Calculate the dose of iron supplementation according to elemental iron, i.e., elemental iron supplementation of 4-6
mg/kg, taken between meals, in 2 to 3 oral doses, along with oral vitamin C to promote iron absorption. Continue iron supplementation for 2 months after hematocrit normalization to restore the body’s iron storage level.