Anemia in babies is mostly iron deficiency anemia, which has the highest incidence in infancy and early childhood and is more harmful to the health and intellectual development of babies, and parents should be concerned.
What are the symptoms of anemia
Pale face, pale lips and nails, increased breathing and heart rate, decreased appetite, nausea, abdominal distension, constipation, lack of concentration, emotional agitation, etc. Older children may also have headache, dizziness, black spots in front of the eyes, etc. Children who have been sick for a long time often have easy fatigue, dry hair and stunted growth.
The main manifestations of iron deficiency anemia include gradual pallor of the skin and mucous membranes (lips and nails are the most obvious), reduced appetite, vomiting or diarrhea, and in some cases, omnivorous fetishes such as eating dirt and wall skin, depression or restlessness, lack of concentration, and reduced intelligence.
Why babies are anemic
1.Fast growth and development
Children grow the fastest during infancy and early childhood, and their weight is twice as much as when they were born at 3-5 months, and three times as much as when they were born at 1 year old. Premature babies gain weight even faster, and their blood volume increases rapidly as their weight increases, so if iron-rich food is not added, the baby will easily become anemic.
2.Insufficient iron intake
The main cause of iron deficiency is insufficient iron intake for babies. Normal full-term babies have enough iron reserves from the mother to supply the needs of hematopoiesis for 3-4 months after birth. The most iron storage from the mother is in the last 3 months of fetal life, so preterm babies have less iron storage, if not timely replenishment after birth, iron deficiency is inevitable.
3. Excessive iron loss
Normal infants excrete more iron per day than adults. In addition, chronic diarrhea and repeated infections can affect the absorption and utilization of iron and increase consumption, promoting the occurrence of anemia.
What are the dangers of iron deficiency anemia?
Iron deficiency in the body does not quickly manifest itself as anemia, but can be harmful to a baby’s health before it appears. In addition to affecting hemoglobin production, iron deficiency also affects myoglobin synthesis and decreases the activity of certain enzymes in the body, thus affecting the function of all organs in the body.
Iron deficiency anemia is manifested as pallor (pay special attention to the lips and nails part), weakness, inactivity, older babies will say dizziness, tinnitus, and decreased appetite, a few heterophagia, often vomiting, diarrhea, can appear stomatitis, tongue inflammation, gastritis, indigestion, etc..
Iron deficiency can affect the baby’s intellectual development and also lead to a decrease in the body’s resistance and susceptibility to infectious diseases.
How to prevent iron deficiency anemia
1, adhere to breastfeeding.
Breast milk and cow’s milk are low in iron, but 50% of the iron in breast milk can be absorbed, while the absorption rate of iron in cow’s milk is only 10%, so breastfed babies have less iron deficiency anemia than those who are fed artificially.
2, scientific addition of complementary food.
Iron supplementation through dietary supplementation. Choose iron-fortified supplemental food, such as iron-fortified rice flour; add other iron-rich supplemental food, such as egg yolk, fish puree, liver puree, lean meat, etc., in time after 7-8 months; add vitamin C-rich foods such as vegetables and fruits to promote iron absorption.
3.Check hemoglobin regularly.
It should be checked once at 6 months or 9 months of age, and once every 6 months thereafter, in order to detect and correct anemia in time.
How should iron be taken
Hemoglobin below 11 g/l is considered anemia and should be treated by a doctor promptly. Generally, ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate, iron gluconate, etc. are used and taken according to the doctor’s prescription.
If the premature baby is discharged from the hospital with anemia, supplement with elemental iron 4 mg per kg of body weight per day; if there is no anemia, prophylactic supplement with elemental iron 2 mg per kg of body weight per day until the corrected age of 1 year, including the iron content in formula milk and fortified iron supplements; breastfed full-term baby from 4 months, supplement with elemental iron 1 mg per kg of body weight per day to prevent anemia, including the iron content in formula milk and fortified iron supplements content.
The best time to take iron is between meals to reduce gastrointestinal irritation, while taking vitamin C can promote iron absorption. Apply iron until 1-2 months after the hemoglobin is normal to replenish the iron stores.