Symptoms of iron deficiency in four-month-old babies

I believe many people know that babies are very weak when they are young, mainly because they are in a developmental stage and have a relatively large demand for nutrition. Babies aged four months are especially prone to some physical symptoms. When this symptom occurs, many parents don’t know what to do, because for a four-month-old baby, taking iron supplements is a big challenge for them. Moreover, supplementing iron through food is not conducive to absorption. So what should we do if a four-month-old baby has symptoms of iron deficiency?

Symptoms of iron deficiency in four-month-old 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 the baby is iron deficient, 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 took their babies for a physical examination, they were told that their babies were anemic. Many mothers were puzzled. Why would their babies be anemic if they were drinking nutritious breast milk? In fact, the baby's anemia is caused by insufficient iron intake. Generally speaking, the iron stored in the baby's body and the iron derived from breast milk or formula milk can meet the needs for 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.