Take a closer look, maybe you know such a picture here? Your child is somehow too pale, weak, eats without appetite, often has SARS, suffers headache. He rises for a few days without a reason, and the temperature is slightly above 37 °. Sometimes there is a thinness of hair, dry skin of the face. Mom turns to many doctors, but they do not find the root of evil. The blood test is normal, hemoglobin is normal, it is impossible to say that the child is sick, but something is clearly not right. By the way, the same symptoms can be observed in adults.
Sometimes people who actively participate in sports turn to the doctor with similar problems, giving him a lot of time and energy. These people also do not find anything, and weakness and dizziness are repeated. All these signs may indicate a latent iron deficiency anemia. It is important to note that the lack of iron can be even with a relatively normal hemoglobin. But if such a person is to examine the blood for iron content, then his indices will not exceed 10 μmol per liter. It is also caused by the accelerated ESR (the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation) in general analysis of blood.
Latent or latent iron deficiency occurs twice as often as iron deficiency anemia itself. That's why some people, especially children, look pale, tired, broken, do not get out of colds. And this is not surprising, because iron is a part of hemoglobin, myoglobin, a number of the most important enzymes. Its lack of serum leads to loss of appetite, digestion, immunity, hypoxia, development of the syndrome of unfinished phagocytosis. Relatives are worried, asking the doctor to designate "safe" biogenic stimulants such as ginseng or eleutherococcus. However, the root of all problems is the lack of iron.
It is known that iron deficiency anemia is noted in 50% of children in the first year of life. After three years, 30% is registered, but during these years the latent (latent) iron deficiency is increasing. If, in addition, your child has skin problems (eczema, atopic dermatitis, neurodermatitis), then a hidden lack of iron in the serum is very likely. A lot of iron is also lost in athletes during intense training. And also in adolescents during a period of rapid growth, when there is an intensive restructuring of the body.
I think mothers need to know that the minimum hemoglobin in children is 110 g / l. The optimal level for children under six is 120 g / l, after six - 130 g / l. If at this age the indicator ranges from 110 to 120 g / l, then the state of latent iron deficiency anemia is very likely.
Why is iron deficiency even in infants? The problems lie both in the nutrition of the mother, and in the nutrition of the child. It is very important for a nursing woman not only to eat properly and fully, but also to take preparations of folic acid and iron. At artificial feeding the organism of the kid learns only 10% of iron from its ration, and from breast milk - up to 50%. Often after a year, impatient mothers start feeding their children from a common table. This is wrong, since a small amount of food can not contain the necessary amount of iron and other trace elements. We advise parents even after one and a half years to use special porridges for baby food, canned food and juices, which are enriched with vitamins and minerals. In general, here the question is about the culture of nutrition - mothers often prefer to buy a baby a roll, a cake, sweets, and not vegetables and fruits.
A lot of iron is found in meat, buckwheat porridge, apples, persimmons, carrots, red vegetables. But, unfortunately, iron is not easily digested from plant products. That's why when iron deficiency without medication is often not enough. However, it is important to know that cases of poisoning of children with iron preparations are not uncommon. Hemosiderosis - an excess of iron in the body - is treated extremely difficult. Well, if the baby is given an iron preparation as a tasty syrup, without measure, this can lead to the most sad outcome.
Often anemia, a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood are the first symptoms of various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In any case, if the child has weakness, irritability, frequent headaches, it should be examined for iron content in the serum. Even if the total hemoglobin is within normal limits. This analysis can be done in any medical institution. In case of serious chronic diseases (for example, after pneumonia), when the child's body was tense, secondary redistribution of iron deficiency anemia may develop.
In general, up to 30% of the world's population have iron deficiency to some extent, usually in a latent form. Sometimes this should look for the cause of chronic fatigue of an adult, malaise or poor student performance. And if to the lack of iron to add a shortage of iodine, it will become quite clear why your child so quickly gets tired, falls asleep on the run. Urgently enrich his diet with sea kale, beets, fish, nuts! But even with a balanced diet, no more than 2.5 mg of iron per day is absorbed. This means that we are constantly balancing on the verge of iron deficiency. Of course, with a lack of iron in the human body, many pathologies are possible. However, we repeat once more, iron-containing preparations can be taken only after examination and under the supervision of a doctor! The surplus of iron is even more dangerous than its lack! Therefore, caring parents should bring the child to the doctor, and he will do all the necessary examinations and appointments.