How To Iron Out Anemia In Children

How to iron out anemia In children with a certain diet rich in iron. This one hits close to home because as an adult, I was recently diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia.

For a few years, I was anxious because I didn’t understand my breathing problems and fatigue. I hadn’t seen my doctor because I didn’t have insurance.

I finally went to get a physical and found out I had anemia and also was a diabetic on top of it.

Basically, between anemia and Parkinson’s (joint pain) makes me feel very exhausted, so I don’t move around like I used to.

So, in a sense anemia is a blood disorder that occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough healthy red blood cells or red blood cells don’t function properly.

Iron can be absorbed from heme iron in red meat and liver, or from non-heme iron in other foods.

Anemia Causes In Children

Subsequently, anemia in children can have many causes, including:

Nutritional Deficiencies

A lack of iron, folic acid, or vitamin B12 is a common cause of anemia. Children who are growing quickly, like during puberty, need more iron.

Children who drink too much cow’s milk may also be anemic because it can make it hard for the body to absorb iron.

Inherited Diseases

Some types of anemia, like sickle cell anemia, are inherited. With the inherited type, parents pass the genes for the condition on to their children.

Two common causes of this type of anemia are sickle cell anemia and thalassemia. These conditions produce red blood cells that don’t live as long as normal red blood cells.

Bleeding

Slow blood loss over time can cause anemia. This can be due to menstrual periods or bleeding in the digestive tract.

I used to have heavy periods with a lot of cramping when I first started getting my periods.

boy wearing green crew neck shirt jumping from black stone on seashore

Infections

Infections can cause anemia. Young children are more likely to have recurring infections and a greater decrease in hematocrit levels than older children.

Medications

Certain medications, like those that prevent seizures, can interfere with how folic acid is absorbed. Antibiotics such as Cephalosporins, penicillin, and derivatives, sulfonamides, and chloramphenicol

Anti-inflammatory drugs such as Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin.

Other Conditions

How to iron out anemia In children by giving them supplements if needed.

Some other causes of anemia include autoimmune diseases, certain cancerous conditions, and digestive diseases.

Also, other risk factors for anemia include: family history of anemia, lead poisoning, thyroid disease, and HIV/AIDS.

Symptoms of Anemia in Children

Chiefly, anemia can cause a variety of symptoms in children, including:

Skin: Pale skin, lips, hands, or under the eyelids
Heart: Increased heart rate, rapid pulse, or palpitations
Energy: Lack of energy or tiring easily
Tongue: Sore or swollen tongue
Eating: Craving unusual foods, such as dirt or ice, also known as pica

Besides, other symptoms of iron deficiency include:

Shortness of breath
Headaches
Enlarged spleen
Brittle nails
Cracks at the corners of your mouth
Cold hands and feet
Food tasting strange
Feeling itchy

What are the Behavioral Symptoms of Iron Deficiency?

At length, some behavioral symptoms of anemia in children are wariness, lack of positive affect, and diminished social engagement.

Iron deficiency can also impact motor skills and school achievement.

Some more iron deficiency symptoms in children are fatigue, low mood, anxiety, and restlessness.

What are the Five Strange Symptoms of Anemia?

Some unusual symptoms of anemia include:

Tinnitus: Hearing ringing, buzzing, or hissing noises in your head
Pica: Craving substances that are not food, such as dirt, clay, paint chips, charcoal, ashes, hair, fabric, cardboard, or cleaning supplies
Restless legs syndrome: A symptom of iron deficiency
Sore tongue: A symptom of iron deficiency
Hair loss: You notice more hair coming out when brushing or washing it

What are the 3 Stages of Iron Deficiency Symptoms?

How to iron out anemia In children by having them eat certain foods rich in iron.

Normally, your body brings in a steady flow of iron from the food you eat. Your body stores excess iron so it’s available as needed to make hemoglobin.

Iron-deficiency anemia develops when your body uses the iron stores faster than they can be refilled, or when the flow of iron into your system has slowed.

This occurs in three stages:

First Stage

Iron stores are depleted. In this stage, the supply of iron to make new hemoglobin and red blood cells is dwindling but hasn’t yet affected your red blood cells.

Second Stage

When iron stores are low, the normal process of making red blood cells is altered. You develop what’s called iron-deficient erythropoiesis, sometimes called latent iron deficiency.

Erythropoiesis is the medical term for the process of producing new red blood cells. In this stage, your bone marrow makes red blood cells without enough hemoglobin.

Third Stage

Iron-deficiency anemia develops because there isn’t enough iron to make hemoglobin for red blood cells.

In this stage, the hemoglobin concentration will drop below the normal range. This is when you may begin noticing iron-deficiency anemia symptoms.

How to Cure Anemia in a Child

How to iron out anemia In children by taking certain vitamins. The treatment for anemia in children depends on the cause of the anemia. Some common treatments include:

Iron-rich diet: Eating foods that are rich in iron, such as meats, eggs, beans, lentils, and leafy greens.
Iron supplements: Taking an oral iron supplement for several months. Iron supplements should be taken on an empty stomach or with orange juice to increase absorption.
Vitamin and mineral supplements: As well as taking supplements to help with anemia.
Antibiotics: If an infection is the cause of the anemia, antibiotics may be prescribed.

Just to let you know, iron is a common cause of poisoning in children, so keep iron supplements out of reach.

What Foods Boost Iron Quickly?

Foods rich in iron include:

Red meat, pork and poultry.
Seafood.
Beans.
Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach.
Dried fruit, such as raisins and apricots.
Iron-fortified cereals, breads and pastas.
Peas.

What Fruit is High in Iron?

Strawberries.
Watermelon.
Raisins.
Dates.
Figs.
Prunes.
Prune juice.
Dried apricots.

What Drink is High in Iron?

At the same time, there are many drinks that are high in iron, including:

girl in black dress standing beside girl in white sweatshirt and black striped pants

Prune juice: A 240 ml cup contains 17% of the daily value of iron
Beetroot juice: Contains vitamin C and manganese, which help with iron absorption
Pea protein shakes: A 20 gram serving contains 30% of the daily value of iron
Cocoa and beef liver smoothie: Contains both heme and non-heme iron
Spinach, cashew, and raspberry smoothie: Contains non-heme iron sources
Cashew butter: A 2 tablespoon serving contains 11% of the daily value of iron
Orange juice: Hence, it contains vitamin C, which helps with iron absorption
Pear juice: Contains a higher concentration of iron
Tomato juice: Contains a higher concentration of iron

I know some of them sound gross, like cocoa and beef liver smoothie. My favorites are simply pear juice and orange juice.

What Foods Should a Child Avoid if They Are Anemic?

If a child is anemic, they should primarily avoid foods high in calcium like dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt) in large quantities, as well as coffee and tea.

These can hinder the body’s ability to absorb iron from other foods, sometimes worsening anemia.

Key Foods to Limit When Anemic:

Dairy products: Excessive milk, cheese, and yogurt can interfere with iron absorption due to their high calcium content.
Coffee and tea: Tannins in these beverages can bind to iron, preventing its absorption.
High-fiber cereals: Some high-fiber cereals can also bind to iron, limiting its absorption.
Eggs in large quantities: While not a complete avoidance, consuming too many eggs can slightly reduce iron absorption due to a protein called phosvitin.

Important Points to Remember:

Eat iron-rich foods with vitamin C: Pair iron-rich foods like red meat, leafy greens, beans, and fortified cereals with vitamin C-rich fruits (citrus fruits) to enhance iron absorption.
Moderation is key: Don’t completely eliminate dairy, but ensure a balanced diet with enough iron-rich foods.

Sum It All Up

How to iron out anemia In children by avoiding certain foods that inhibit iron absorbtion.

My iron-deficience anemis started about five to six years ago. I was always tired and for the most part, short of breath.

If I were to have any exertion (going up steps), I couldn’t catch my breath. That played out for several years. I was like that until I started taking iron pills.

I imagine it might be hard to tell if your child is anemic unless they have some really telltale signs such as some of the more strange symptoms.

Those might raise a red flag that something is wrong. For me, I knew something was wrong but didn’t find out what it was until I had a physical and they drew blood.

So it’s good to have your child do a yearly exam (I know, they don’t like needles) to find out if anything is going on in their bodies. Until next time…