What medicine should children take for iron deficiency?

Iron is an essential trace element for the growth and development of babies, and there are many kinds of iron supplements on the market. Faced with so many iron supplements, how to choose iron supplements when the baby is iron deficient is a concern for many parents. Generally, iron supplements on the market are divided into two categories: divalent iron and trivalent iron. Generally, divalent iron is easier to absorb. Commonly used divalent iron includes ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate, ferrous gluconate, ferrous succinate, etc. In fact, no matter what kind of iron supplement it is, parents must use it under the guidance of a doctor.

Symptoms of iron deficiency in babies

Generally speaking, the iron stored in the body of a full-term baby and the iron obtained from breast milk or formula milk can meet the needs of 6 months. After 6 months, iron-fortified or iron-rich complementary foods should be added in time. If a baby lacks iron, it will cause iron deficiency anemia. So what are the symptoms of iron deficiency in babies?

Symptoms of iron deficiency in infants include less rosy skin, pale face and lips, and lack of liveliness. Babies with iron deficiency have serious expressions and rarely smile. Some children even develop "pica", and like to eat strange things such as newspapers, raw rice, and raw flour.

Iron deficiency can affect the early intellectual development of infants, especially affecting children's attention and short-term memory. People with severe iron deficiency may become irritable and have lower IQ levels.

Therefore, if your baby shows the above abnormal mental manifestations, he or she should go to the hospital for a comprehensive examination, such as necessary laboratory tests, to determine whether iron deficiency anemia exists. If iron deficiency anemia is confirmed, it is best to use iron supplements under the guidance of a doctor to correct the anemia.

Causes of iron deficiency in babies

When some mothers take their babies for physical examinations, they are told that their babies are anemic. Many mothers are puzzled. Why do babies still suffer from anemia when they drink nutritious breast milk? In fact, baby anemia is caused by insufficient iron intake. Generally speaking, the iron stored in the baby's body and the iron obtained from breast milk or formula milk can meet the needs of 6 months. After 6 months, iron-fortified or iron-rich complementary foods should be added in time. Let’s take a look at the reasons why babies may have iron deficiency.

1. Insufficient iron storage

The baby's body obtains iron from the mother during the fetal period. After leaving the mother, the baby's body will store this iron in the body. This iron is sufficient for the synthesis of hemoglobin within 5 months after birth. However, if the mother is iron deficient or the fetus is born prematurely, the newborn's iron stores will be insufficient, and the twins' iron stores will also be insufficient.

2. Not Insufficient Iron Intake

Babies mainly absorb nutrients from breast milk and cow's milk. If the iron content in breast milk and cow's milk is low, the baby will suffer from iron deficiency. At this time, some iron-containing complementary foods need to be added.

3. Excessive iron consumption

Since babies are prone to diarrhea and malabsorption, these can cause iron loss and hinder iron absorption.

4. High iron demand

The rapid growth and development of infants is also a cause of iron deficiency, because during the development period, the demand for iron is very high, which can also cause iron deficiency.