What if he had anemia?

Anemia in children: symptoms

He often lacks energy, has little appetite, links bronchitis to nasopharyngitis, shortness of breath, beating heart, even dizziness. He has a small face, conjunctivae, thin, brittle nails. Finally, its growth curve is not famous.

All these signs can reflect a iron deficiency, an essential component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen in the blood from the lungs to each of our cells. These symptoms are not necessarily all present and their intensity and association depend on the extent and duration of the impairment, and, more serious, the deficiency or anemia. This is defined, in fact, by a decrease in the mass of red blood cells or the concentration of hemoglobin.

The different types of anemia in young children

There are several types of anemia: by far the most common in children under 2 years of age are those caused by insufficient intake of iron in the diet.

Other deficiencies are due to loss or destruction of red blood cells. For example, a baby with chronic diarrhea or gastroesophageal reflux oesophagitis may lose iron, due to intestinal malabsorption or digestive bleeding.

Others, finally, are the result of an anomaly in the bone marrow or their hemoglobin (such as thalassemia, common in the Mediterranean basin).

High iron requirements in babies

The frequency of this deficiency in babies is mainly due to very important iron requirements for their growth. Their brain volume doubles between birth and 6 months, triples between birth and 2 years and reaches that of adults around the age of 5. In three years, they quadruple their birth weight and, of course, their blood mass!

In addition, after the first four to six months of life, they have used up the iron stocks left by their mother. This also explains why babies born clearly before term lack even more than others. Result: based on their weight, the iron needs of all babies are approximately eight times larger than those of adults.

Iron deficiency in the baby, a threat to growth

The consequences for the development of the child vary according to the size of the deficit. Iron is essential for the proper irrigation of all tissues and organs (especially the brain) and also for the vitality of charged white blood cells (defense against infections).

So initially, the child may have diffuse symptoms such as fragility to cold, the tendency to have many ENT and bronchial infections, fatigue. Ultimately, its growth, physical, psychomotor, even its intellectual performance may suffer.

Prevent baby anemia, before and during birth

First, during pregnancy, the mother should have sufficient iron intake through food or medicated iron salts, so that the baby can build up stocks.

Then, at the time of birth, it is recommended not to tie the umbilical cord too early to allow time for the red blood cells of the placenta to pass through the cord and benefit the baby.

Its basic “iron” guarantee: infant milk

Breast milk contains little iron, but a specific protein: lactoferrin. She permits iron absorption (50 to 70%). As long as it is on the breast, the baby will not miss it.

Hence the interest, if he is not breastfed, to give him infant formula to drink, 1st age, then dairy desserts and growth milks, all supplemented with iron. After 6 months, a minimum intake of 500 ml of these milks per day covers 70% of its iron needs. That is the iron equivalent of 9 liters of regular cow’s milk.

Meat and fish: the easiest iron to assimilate

Quickly, the child needs other foods than milk to meet his needs for energy, trace elements, minerals and therefore iron. To provide him with the milligram he needs overall each day, his diet must provide him with at least 10 mg. It is also necessary that it be absorbed in an interesting quantity by the organism, that is to say ” bioavailable ».

The best, from this point of view, is iron, says ” heme », Brought by meat and fish. The intestine absorbs 25 to 30% of the amount ingested. Another advantage: this good absorption percentage is not modified by the composition of the meals.

Iron also in fruits, vegetables and cereals

The other food sources are cereals, dried vegetables and green vegetables, dairy products and eggs. Unfortunately the small intestine only retains a small amount of this iron ” non-heme ”(Around 5%), more fragile. Indeed, if its absorption is improved by vitamin C from raw fruits and vegetables, proteins from meat and fish, it is reduced, or even inhibited by fibers (such as bran), calcium, zinc, and albumin. egg white.

The anti-anemia drug: ferrous salts

When the doctor diagnoses anemia in the child, he prescribes iron in the form of powdered ferrous salts. It is necessary to respect the duration of treatment (at least three months), the dosage and the rules of use.

This iron supplement should be taken on an empty stomach if possible, in combination with vitamin C and not with treatments for gastroesophageal reflux which prevent its absorption.