These are the most common symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia: Pale skin. Irritability or fussiness. Lack of energy or tiring easily (fatigue)
Infants and children at highest risk of iron deficiency include: Babies who are born prematurely or have a low birth weight. Babies who drink cow's milk or goat's milk before age 1. Breast-fed babies who aren't given complementary foods containing iron after age 6 months.
Current Knowledge/Study Rationale: Iron deficiency is associated with restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movements, and newly recognized restless sleep disorder in children.
At about 6 months of age, an infant's iron needs can be met through the introduction of iron-rich foods, iron-fortified cereals, or iron supplement drops. Learn more about iron-rich foods that support an infant's healthy development.
For infants who are exclusively formula-feeding, the AAP recommends an iron-fortified formula. Although only 4 percent of the iron contained in formula is typically absorbed by the baby's intestinal tract, iron-fortified formula contains enough of the nutrient to meet the baby's needs.
Do babies need iron supplements? For the first four months, your breastfed baby needs no additional iron. The iron in their body at birth was enough for their initial growth. But now the reserves will be low and as their growth increases, so will their need for iron.
Severe iron deficiency anaemia may increase your risk of developing complications that affect the heart or lungs, such as an abnormally fast heartbeat (tachycardia) or heart failure, where your heart is unable to pump enough blood around your body at the right pressure.
Ferritin. Ferritin is the best indicator of iron deficiency and a low ferritin alone is diagnostic of IDA. Iron is stored intracellularly as ferritin and in the presence of infection, malignancy or chronic inflammation, the ferritin rises as it is an acute phase protein.
Thalassemia, an inherited condition that results in anemia, is sometimes mislabeled as iron deficiency anemia.
Eye symptoms of low iron can include a pale coloring of the inside of the lower eyelids. In moderate or severe cases of iron deficiency anemia, the inside layer of the lower eyelid is very pale pink or yellow instead of red. Rather than low iron, one common cause of blurry vision is dry eye.
Iron-rich drinks include apple juice, apricot nectar, beef broth, beet juice, cocoa using natural cocoa powder, “green” smoothies, orange juice, pea protein smoothies, prune juice, tomato juice, and spinach juice.
Symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia are related to decreased oxygen delivery to the entire body and may include: Being pale or having yellow "sallow" skin. Unexplained fatigue or lack of energy. Shortness of breath or chest pain, especially with activity.
You should call 911 or go to the emergency room if you are having severe symptoms or any chest pain, shortness of breath, or loss of consciousness. Left untreated, anemia can cause many health problems, such as: Severe fatigue. Severe anemia can make you so tired that you can't complete everyday tasks.
If left untreated, iron-deficiency anemia can cause serious health problems. Having too little oxygen in the body can damage organs. With anemia, the heart must work harder to make up for the lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin. This extra work can harm the heart.
Anemia caused by a low iron level can affect a child's ability to learn in school. A low iron level can cause decreased attention span, reduced alertness, and learning problems in children. A low iron level can cause the body to absorb too much lead.
Breast milk contains 0.4 mg/L of iron, according to an overview of iron and breastfeeding published in Antioxidants. The authors emphasize that even though the amount of iron in breast milk is small, it is just the right amount for most breastfed babies.