Generally, iron deficiency in children is often caused by parents not adding iron-rich complementary foods in a timely manner after 6 months of age. Some children may develop mild anemia between 1 week and 2-3 months after birth, which may be a temporary physiological anemia caused by hemoglobin levels temporarily dropping below normal during the infant's growth and development. In such cases, special iron supplementation is usually not necessary.
After 4-6 months, children start to eat complementary foods. However, if the complementary foods are monotonous, and as the child gets older, an irrational nutritional structure due to picky eating or other factors, or diseases like intestinal parasitic infections, chronic diarrhea, or indigestion that affect iron absorption and utilization, can lead to an iron intake that does not meet the body's needs, gradually resulting in symptoms of iron deficiency.
When a child has iron-deficiency anemia, their body may show some signs: such as a pale or sallow complexion, dry skin, and the conjunctiva and lips appearing pale or reddish. Moreover, children with iron-deficiency anemia often have a poor appetite and may appear listless. Testing hemoglobin content and red blood cell count is currently a reliable basis for diagnosing anemia.
When iron-deficiency anemia is confirmed, if it is mild, it is generally recommended to improve the condition through a balanced diet. For infants over 6 months, iron-fortified rice cereal can be added. For older children, iron-rich foods such as meat, egg yolks, animal liver, and animal blood can be consumed more frequently.
Of course, iron supplementation is not a case of "the more, the better." If iron intake is excessive, it may lead to adverse symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, and constipation, affecting health and development.