Iron and Your Kids

Iron ensures that the blood is healthy. So it can deliver oxygen to the body's tissues. Oxygen helps produce energy that kids need to perform their activities. It also plays an important role in fighting infections, brain development and growth. Less iron in the body can  effect to iron-deficiency anemia and can affect the growth of the child and may lead to learning and behavioral problems. Vitamin C can help your body absorb iron, so it is a good idea to pair iron-rich foods with foods that have a lot of vitamin C, including citrus fruits and iron-fortified orange juice. It is best to eat a diet supplying enough iron in order to stay healthy. To improve iron levels it is recommended that you eat a variety of foods that contain iron everyday.

How Much Iron Do Kids Need?

Infants with full-term and normal-weight have developed iron stores that can last them until 4 to 6 months. While premature baby don't spend as much time in the uterus of their mother to get nutrients that they need. Their iron stores usually last until 2 months, so they have the high risk in iron deficiency. However after 6 months their iron stores may be running down. Introducing of solids is an important step in maintaining a satisfactory iron level. Introduce solids which is iron rich foods such as iron-fortified rice cereals.

Toddlers between 1 to 3 years old are at risk of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). Toddlers are usually consuming an non iron-fortified formula and infant cereal, and they aren't eating enough iron-rich foods to make up the difference. According to kidshealth.org,Toddlers also tend to drink a lot of cow's milk, often more than 24 ounces a day, an amount that injures the lining of the stomach causing chronic blood loss leading to iron deficiency.

Cow's milk is usually low in iron. Toddlers drinking cow's milk usually less hungry and less likely to eat iron-rich foods. Usually milk with less iron, can also irritate the lining of the intestine that causes a small amount of bleeding and gradual loss of iron in the stool.

According to kidshealth.org, Kids require different amounts of iron at various ages and stages. Here's how much they should be getting as they grow:

• Infants ages 7-12 months need 11 milligrams of iron a day. Babies younger than 1 year should be given iron-fortified cereal in addition to breast milk or an infant formula supplemented with iron.
• Kids ages 1-12 years old need 7-10 milligrams of iron each day.
• Adolescent boys should be getting 11 milligrams of iron a day and adolescent girls should be getting 15 milligrams. (Adolescence is a time of rapid growth and teen girls need additional iron to replace what they lose monthly when they begin menstruating.)
• Young athletes who regularly engage in intense exercise tend to lose more iron and may require extra iron in their diets.

What's Iron Deficiency Anemia?

Lack of Iron in blood can cause Iron Deficiency Anemia, which is common problem with children. Kids usually don't eat enough or who eat foods that are poor sources of iron are at risk for developing the condition. If your child is iron-deficient, he may easily

• get tired
• feel weak
• develop a poor appetite
• experience dizziness
• have difficulty in sleeping
• pale skin and mucous membranes
• rapid heart-bit that usually detect by your child physician 

The cause of Iron deficiency Anemia

• insufficient iron in your food diet
• poor absorption of iron in the body
• on going blood loss, most commonly from menstruation or from gradual blood loss in the intestinal tract
• periods of rapid growth

According to kidshealth.org, Iron deficiency can also cause the body to absorb more lead, which increases the risk of lead poisoning in kids, especially in kids, especially those living in older homes. The combination of IDA and lead poisoning can make kids very ill and can put them at risk for learning and behavioral problems. 

Iron Rich Foods

• red meat
• dark poultry
• tuna
• salmon
• eggs
• tofu
• enriched grains
• dried beans and peas
• dried fruits
• leafy green vegetables
• blackstrap molasses
• iron-fortified breakfast cereals
• Whole wheat or enriched bread with smooth peanut butter and jelly
• Burritos (beef, refried beans, cheese and tomatoes wrapped in a flour tortilla)
• Mild chili con carne
• Gingerbread cookies made with molasses (a good source of iron)
• Pork and beans
• Hamburgers made with lean beef
• Dried apricots, served in iron-fortified cereal or oatmeal, or as a cookie ingredient
• Split pea soup and crackers
• Meatball sandwiches

Ways to make sure your kids get enough Iron

• Limit their milk intake to about 16-24 fluid ounces (473-710 milliliters) a day.
• Continue serving iron-fortified cereal until kids are 18-24 months old.
• Serve iron-rich foods alongside foods containing vitamin C — such as tomatoes, broccoli, oranges, and strawberries — which improves the body's absorption of iron.
• Avoid serving coffee or tea at mealtime — both contain tannins that reduce iron absorption.
• If you have a vegetarian in the family, monitor his or her diet to make it includes sufficient iron. Because iron from meat sources is more easily absorbed than iron from plant sources, you may need to add iron-fortified foods to a vegetarian diet.
• Stock up on iron-rich or fortified foods for meals and snacking, and serve some every day. And be sure to teach kids that iron is an important part of a healthy diet.