Zinc deficiency in children is medically called zinc deficiency. Zinc deficiency affects the growth of children and can manifest itself in slow growth, easy illness, as well as recurrent infections and loss of appetite, but the above symptoms lack specificity and are therefore difficult to identify clinically and a laboratory diagnosis is necessary to determine whether zinc deficiency has occurred. Zinc can also be supplemented with medications such as zinc sulfate syrup, zinc licorice granules, zinc lysine glucosamine granules, but only under medical supervision. When zinc deficiency occurs patients may experience thinning hair, loss of appetite, and in some cases, heterophagia.