Iron is a necessary mineral for body function and good health. Every red blood cell in the body contains iron in its hemoglobin, the pigment that carries oxygen to the tissues from the lungs.
But a lack of iron in the blood can lead to iron deficiency anemia, the most common nutritional deficiency in the world. Keep reading to find out more about this disorder and how it can be treated.
What Is Iron-Deficiency Anemia?
When a person doesn't have enough iron, it can lead to a condition known as iron-deficiency anemia. Although iron deficiency has long been considered the major cause of anemia in childhood, it's become much less common in the United States over the past 30 years, primarily due to iron-fortified infant formulas and cereals.
The body needs iron to make hemoglobin. If not enough iron is available, hemoglobin production is limited, which in turns affects the production of red blood cells. A decrease in the normal amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells circulating in the bloodstream is known as anemia. Because red blood cells are needed to carry oxygen throughout the body, anemia results in less oxygen reaching the cells and tissues, affecting their function.
Iron-deficiency anemia doesn't develop immediately. Instead, a person progresses through stages of iron deficiency, beginning with iron depletion, in which the amount of iron in the body is reduced but the amount of iron in the red blood cells remains constant. If iron depletion isn't corrected, it progresses to iron deficiency, eventually leading to iron-deficiency anemia.
What Causes It?
Iron-deficiency anemia can be the consequence of several factors, including:
insufficient iron in the diet
poor absorption of iron by the body
ongoing blood loss, most commonly from menstruation or from gradual blood loss in the intestinal tract
periods of rapid growth
A diet low in iron is most often behind iron-deficiency anemia in infants, toddlers, and teens. Children who don't eat enough or who eat foods that are poor sources of iron are at risk for developing iron-deficiency anemia. Poverty is a contributing factor to iron-deficiency anemia because families living at or below the poverty level may not be getting enough iron-rich foods.
Iron deficiency can also lead to better absorption of lead, which increases the risk of lead poisoning in children, especially those living in older homes. The combination of iron-deficiency anemia and lead poisoning can make children very ill and can put them at risk for learning and behavioral problems.
During infancy and adolescence, the body demands more iron. Children are at higher risk for iron-deficiency anemia through these periods of rapid growth because they may not be getting enough iron in their diet to make up for the increased needs.
In infants, discontinuing iron-fortified formula and introducing cow's milk before 12 months can lead to iron-deficiency anemia. Cow's milk is low in the iron necessary for infant growth and development and it often replaces the consumption of iron-rich foods.
Milk decreases the absorption of iron and can also irritate the lining of the intestine, causing small amounts of bleeding. This slow, gradual loss of blood in the stool - combined with low iron intake - may eventually result in iron deficiency and anemia.
Prematurity and low birth weight are other factors that put an infant at risk for iron-deficiency anemia. Before birth, full-term, normal-weight babies have developed iron stores that can last them 4 to 6 months. Because preemies don't spend as much time in the uterus getting nutrients from the mother's diet, their iron stores are not as great and are often depleted in just 2 months.
Children between the ages of 1 and 3 years are at risk of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia, even though it isn't a period of exceptional growth. Most toddlers are no longer consuming iron-fortified formula and infant cereal, and they aren't eating enough iron-rich foods to make up the difference. Toddlers also tend to drink a lot of cow's milk, often more than 24 ounces a day.
During the first stages of puberty, when a lot of growth occurs, boys are at risk of iron-deficiency anemia. Adolescent girls are at higher risk because of menstrual blood loss and smaller iron stores as compared with boys. Many girls also tend to consume a diet low in iron.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
Many people with iron deficiency don't have any signs and symptoms because the body's iron stores are depleted slowly. As the anemia progresses, you may recognize some of the following symptoms in your child:
- fatigue and weakness
- pale skin and mucous membranes
- rapid heartbeat or a new heart murmur (detected in an exam by your child's doctor) irritability
- decreased appetite
- dizziness or a feeling of being lightheaded,
Rarely, a person with iron-deficiency anemia may experience pica, a craving to eat nonfood items such as paint chips, chalk, or dirt. Pica may be caused by a lack of iron in the diet.
How Is It Diagnosed?
Iron-deficiency anemia is often picked up during a routine exam. Because symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia, such as fatigue and decreased appetite, are common to many conditions, your child's doctor will need more information to make a diagnosis. A doctor who suspects iron-deficiency anemia will probably ask questions about your child's diet.
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Yahoo! Health: Children's Health News
Iron deficiency anemia - Anemia - iron deficiency
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