In fact, many babies are prone to anemia . However, in the opinion of many parents, "anemia" is caused by malnutrition. They feel that given the current conditions, babies should rarely be malnourished, but this is not the case.
Experts pointed out that nutritional iron deficiency anemia in children is one of the four major nutritional diseases in children. Especially infants and young children, who grow and develop rapidly and have a large demand for iron, but have a relatively simple diet, are prone to a shortage of iron. If the baby's iron deficiency is not discovered in time, it will have irreversible effects on the baby's body.
1. The baby looks so healthy, why is there iron deficiency?
① Fetal period: This is the period of time when there is no iron deficiency.
Especially in the late fetal period, the baby's hematopoietic system is very busy. Because the environment in the womb promotes hematopoiesis, and the mother continuously supplies iron and other hematopoietic raw materials, the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the fetus is at a high level.
② Birth to 4 months: Although there is no iron deficiency, the iron content in the body has dropped significantly
Because after the baby is born, he starts to breathe with the lungs, and various systems in her body will go through a series of changes, and the blood system is no exception. During this reform process, the original red blood cells will be destroyed, and the hematopoietic organs will be different from before birth. The new red blood cells have a longer lifespan.
③ 4 months to 6 months: The iron stored in the body is almost exhausted
During this period, the baby's body still stores the iron obtained from the mother during the fetal period. Coupled with the hard work of the hematopoietic system in the body, the hemoglobin value gradually returns to normal levels. But after 6 months, the baby's iron content begins to be in short supply.
④ 6 months to 1 year old: The baby grows and develops rapidly, and the problem of iron deficiency is highlighted.
As the baby gets older, he needs more nutrients, but the stored iron has been almost used up. The iron content in breast milk or cow's milk is low, and he is faced with the dilemma of "iron deficiency" for a while.
Therefore, during the baby's 6-month physical examination, a routine blood test will be done. The doctor will also ask mothers to start paying attention to iron supplements for the baby.
⑤ 1 to 3 years old: Because the child's supplementary food is unreasonable, the problem of iron deficiency has also aggravated.
If the baby relies on breast milk for iron supplement before 6 months, then after 6 months, a very important way to obtain iron is iron-rich complementary food. For example: high-speed rice noodles, meat especially red meat (beef, pork, etc.), animal liver and animal blood products, green leafy vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage, kale, cress, Chinese cabbage, shepherd's purse, etc.).
In addition, taking freshly squeezed juice or fruit that is rich in vitamin C can also help with iron absorption.
Complementary food can indeed supplement part of the iron needed for baby growth, but it cannot completely satisfy it. Moreover, there are still a large number of babies whose iron deficiency problem is further aggravated because they add unreasonable complementary foods and do not supplement iron in time.
2. Iron supplementation is very important. Only by timely and correct iron supplementation can we scientifically get rid of "poverty".
① Scientific combination of three meals: Reasonably combine iron-containing foods in children's daily three meals and snacks. Foods containing more iron in our daily food include; red meat (lean meat from pigs, cattle, and sheep), eggs, chicken blood, duck blood, duck liver , pig liver, pig blood, sheep liver, fish, shrimp, soy products, pearl white mushrooms , Mushrooms , black fungus, black sesame seeds, seaweed, kelp, lentils, celery, oysters, black mulberries and nuts, etc., as well as fresh vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C to help the absorption and utilization of iron in food.
② The variety of vegetables is constantly changing: The variety of vegetables for each child's meal should also be constantly changing, such as red, purple, black, yellow, green, and white vegetables of various colors.Because vegetables of different colors contain different nutrients, and these nutrients are needed for the growth and development of infants and young children. At the same time, the colorful vegetables and rice are also the most eye-catching meals for children and the meals that increase their appetite.
③Scientific selection of iron supplements :
Iron supplements have a heavy rust smell and poor taste. Generally, flavorings are added to adjust the taste. If the baby has difficulty accepting it, you can choose iron supplements with a sweet taste.
Or choose a new type of iron supplement that does not have the traditional rusty smell - Huatai Xiesheng Iron Dextran Tablets. Iron Dextran has the characteristics of less gastrointestinal irritation, high absorption rate, and good taste. Compared with traditional iron supplements, this drug has no rusty smell, is easily accepted by children, has a higher iron content, smaller molecular weight, and better utilization and absorption effects.
Research shows that therapeutic intervention with iron dextran has strong advantages. It can not only ensure the therapeutic effect of children, but also increase the iron content in the children's bodies, allowing Hb to be synthesized normally, thereby achieving the purpose of improving the children's condition and promoting their normal development.
- Among qualified iron supplements, the additives are within a reasonable range, and the daily dosage is very small. Parents do not need to worry too much about the ingredients. Just pay attention to three points:
① Avoid choosing products containing alcohol and ingredients;
②1 Babies under the age of 3 should avoid products containing honey;
③ Babies with allergies should avoid products containing allergens, such as soybean oil, walnut oil, cherries and other fruit ingredients.
3. Additional points that need to be paid attention to during the process of iron supplementation
① Premature babies need to pay attention to iron supplementation
Premature babies are born early and have less iron storage in the body. Physiological anemia will occur quickly after birth, and the degree of anemia may be severe. Special monitoring is required and attention should be paid to iron supplementation.
② Some foods are not conducive to iron supplementation.
Oxalic acid, phosphoric acid, , etc. are prone to precipitation and are not easily absorbed when exposed to contact. Therefore, many vegetables rich in oxalic acid, such as spinach, amaranth, , etc., must be blanched and cooked as complementary foods. In addition, tea and coffee can also hinder the absorption of iron. Parents should try not to give these two things to their babies.
Reference:
[1] Journal of Maternal and Infant Vision
[2] Zhang Ting. Research on the clinical efficacy of iron dextran in the treatment of nutritional iron deficiency anemia in children [J]. Chinese Modern Drug Application, 2022, 16(05): 162-164.
