Symptoms of zinc deficiency in 4-month-old babies

Babies need a variety of nutrients and vitamins during their growth and development. If you do not pay attention to nutritional supplements, it will lead to fetal growth retardation and even the risk of disease. When raising your baby, parents must pay attention to health and the supplementation of trace elements. Zinc is a trace element found in the inner wall of human tissue and is related to the healthy growth and development of the baby. So, what are the symptoms of zinc deficiency in a 4-month-old baby?

1. What are the symptoms of zinc deficiency in four-month-old babies?

1. Poor appetite or anorexia, decreased sense of taste.

2. Slowed growth rate, short stature, emaciation, and edema of the lower limbs.

3. Reduced immune function, prone to respiratory infections and diarrhea.

4. Persistent, symmetrical dermatitis can be seen at the junction of the skin and mucous membranes (such as the mouth, anus, and genitals), as well as the eyes, nose, and extremities.

5. Older children may experience sexual maturation disorders.

6. A small number of children may suffer from pica, recurrent oral ulcers, fat malabsorption and vitamin A-resistant night blindness.

2. How to supplement zinc for 4-month-old babies

1. Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding is encouraged. The baby should be breastfed for at least 3 months, and then gradually switched to cow's milk or other milk substitutes. The absorption rate of zinc in breast milk is high, reaching 62%. In particular, colostrum is high in zinc, with an average concentration 4 to 7 times that of serum zinc.

2. Add zinc-rich foods: According to measurements, the zinc content in animal foods is higher than that in plant foods, and the amino acids produced after the decomposition of animal protein can promote the absorption of zinc. The absorption rate is generally around 50%. Bottle-fed babies should start adding easily absorbed zinc-rich complementary foods from 4 months old, such as minced lean meat, egg yolks, fish paste, animal liver, oysters, peanut rice flour, walnut kernel powder, etc.

3. Balanced diet: Children over 4 years old can get enough zinc from food. Therefore, children should be educated from an early age to develop good habits of not being picky eaters or having partial eating habits, and should pay attention to a reasonable and balanced diet structure, and a mixture of coarse and fine grains. In this way, children generally will not lack zinc. In daily life, you should also be careful not to let your children eat too much white sugar and sweets, so as not to affect the absorption of zinc.

4. Zinc supplementation with medicine: Babies must be examined in the hospital and confirmed to be obviously zinc deficient before they can be given zinc sulfate syrup or zinc gluconate and other preparations under the guidance of a doctor. The general medication period should not exceed 2 to 4 months, and the medication should be stopped promptly after follow-up examinations return to normal. However, it should be noted that the effective dose of zinc is very close to the toxic dose. Improper use can easily lead to overdose, inducing a series of diseases such as iron deficiency, copper deficiency, and anemia.