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, so 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.
Why do babies become 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 recurrent infections can affect the absorption, utilization and increase consumption of iron and promote the occurrence of anemia.
What is infant anemia?
Infant anemia is a common symptom during infancy and early childhood, and long-term anemia can affect heart function and mental development. Most anemia in infants and children is caused by malnutrition. Anemic children may have pale or yellowish complexion, easy fatigue and low resistance. Nutritional anemia can be divided into nutritional microcytic (iron deficiency) anemia and nutritional megaloblastic (vitamin B12, folic acid deficiency) anemia.
The main causes of iron deficiency are.
1. Increased demand for iron in the human body and relatively insufficient intake
Infants and young children grow rapidly, and normal infants and young children increase their weight by one time in 5 months after birth and by two times at the age of 1 year. After 4-6 months of age, the iron stored in the body has been consumed gradually, such as breastfeeding with little iron content, can lead to iron deficiency anemia. Women of childbearing age need more iron due to pregnancy and breastfeeding, and the poor intake and absorption of iron due to digestive disorders during pregnancy can also easily lead to anemia.
2.Iron absorption disorder chronic anemia
Hematoxylin iron in animal food can be directly absorbed by the body in the form of porphyrin iron, and the absorption rate is high. The absorption of non-hematoxylin iron depends on factors such as the solubility of the gastrointestinal tract, and a variety of factors can hinder the absorption of iron.
3.Nutritional megaloblastic anemia
Nutritional macrocytic anemia is caused by various factors affecting the intake and absorption of vitamin B12 and folic acid. Vitamin B12 and folic acid both play the role of coenzyme in nucleic acid metabolism, and if lacking, they lead to metabolic disorders, thus affecting the maturation of primitive red blood cells. It often occurs in infants who are fed with no or little complementary foods, who are exclusively breastfed or starch-fed, or in children with recurrent infections and digestive disorders.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause megaloblastic anemia and neurological damage; folic acid deficiency can cause megaloblastic anemia, tongue inflammation, and stomatitis diarrhea.
What are the dangers of iron deficiency anemia?
Iron deficiency in the body does not show anemia soon, but can endanger the health of the baby before the anemia appears. Besides affecting hemoglobin production, iron deficiency also affects myoglobin synthesis and reduces 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 easy to contract diseases.
How to prevent iron deficiency anemia?
1, adhere to breastfeeding
Breast milk and cow’s milk both contain low iron, but 50% of 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 artificially fed.
2.Scientific addition of supplementary 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.Regular check of hemoglobin
It should be checked once at 6 months or 9 months of age, and every 6 months thereafter, in order to detect and correct anemia in time.
How should I take iron?
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.