1.Iron deficiency anemia, medication or dietary supplement? I am afraid it is a well-known medical knowledge that iron deficiency can cause anemia. But food? or medicine? The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law often spark a vicious battle. The mother-in-law says: medicine is three parts poison, why not give the grandson more egg yolk, red dates, pig liver. The daughter-in-law says: the little treasure looks at nothing like to eat, with medicine to make up for the iron. 2, iron deficiency anemia can rely exclusively on dietary supplements? It is true that food can supplement iron, but can it be effective? One depends on the iron content of the food, the second depends on the absorption rate of the body, and the third has to have an appetite! Iron-rich foods: animal blood, liver, beef kidney, soybeans, black fungus, sesame paste, beef, lamb, clams, oysters. Next is lean meat, brown sugar, egg yolk, pig kidney, lamb kidney, dried fruit, seaweed, wheat bran, etc. Again, fish, cereals, spinach, lentils and peas, etc. Dairy products contain only trace amounts of iron. Iron-deficient children choose iron-rich food is good, but also consider the absorption problem. Iron in food is divided into two categories: animal iron and plant iron, animal blood, liver, meat, dairy are animal iron, absorption rate of 10-25%, although breast milk contains trace amounts of iron, can be absorbed up to 49%. The iron content of cow’s milk is similar to that of breast milk, but the absorption rate is only 4%. Current formula milk is fortified with iron, containing 5.6-8.5mg per 100g, while plant-based iron such as black fungus and kelp contain 185mg and 150mg per 100g respectively, but the absorption rate is only 1.7-7.9%. Children with iron deficiency anemia need additional supplementation of 4~6mg/elemental iron per kg of body weight per day, which is 40~60mg of iron for a 10kg child, and if dietary supplementation is needed to achieve the required amount of iron, a large intake of iron-rich food is required, which sometimes has the consequence of speed, causing digestive disorders and other nutrient deficiencies. Therefore, when the child has iron deficiency anemia, 3, food supplementation? It is difficult to make up for it. The income of iron is also affected by other foods, if the diet has more phytic acid or phosphoric acid, it will form insoluble iron salts with iron and affect the absorption of iron. Diets rich in vitamin C and cysteine can facilitate the absorption of iron. Therefore, when giving children iron-rich foods, eating fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C is beneficial to the absorption of iron. In addition to considering the iron content and absorption rate of the food, the child’s appetite is important. However, when iron deficiency anemia does not even appear, but only potential iron deficiency (medically known as iron reduction period and erythropoietic iron deficiency period), children’s appetite is poor, they are depressed and irritable, and school-age children are inattentive, so sometimes dietary supplements alone cannot be effective, and medication is needed. 4.How to take medication? There are many types of iron supplements, but they are summarized into two major categories: bivalent iron and trivalent iron, with bivalent iron being more absorbable. Ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate and ferrous gluconate are commonly used. In addition, when choosing iron supplements, pay attention to the taste, so that the child can accept it. The doctor will calculate the dosage of iron supplementation according to the child’s weight. If a child with iron deficiency anemia takes iron supplements as prescribed by the doctor, his appetite and spirit will be improved in 12-24 hours. The hemoglobin will reach normal value in a month or so. Some mothers think that once the hemoglobin is normal, they can stop taking iron supplements. This is wrong, because the child’s iron reserve bin is empty at this time, so she needs to continue to take iron supplements for 2 months to keep the iron reserve ready for use.