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13th November 2023
10:50am GMT
Anaemia is a common health issue for children, but it often comes with visible and easy-to-spot symptoms that can make it quicker to diagnose.
If they're a little more tired or irritable than usual, it may suggest their iron levels are running low.
Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) indicates that person does not have enough healthy red blood cells or haemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body's tissues, according to Mayo Clinic.
The most common cause of anaemia is a lack of iron. However, there are other reasons why a child can develop the blood disorder.
Nationwide Children's Hospital outlines a number of causes that may contribute to IDA.
Inqdeaute intake of iron is one of the top causes of the disease.
Children get iron from food in their diet. However, only a small amount of the iron gets absorbed by the body.
Infants born to parents with IDA or other health conditions may not have stored sufficient amounts of iron.
Premature babies may also not be able to get enough iron, which may lead to the development of IDA.
Babies get their iron from their parents in the final three months of pregnancy and by four to six months of age, this reserve starts to run low as the iron is used as the infant grows.
As previously mentioned, when an infant grows or is going through a growth spurt, more iron is required to make more red blood cells, which may leave iron levels low.
If your child has undergone any form of GI surgery, they may experience poor iron absorption.
When they consume foods with iron, it may result in much of the iron being absorbed in the upper small intestine; altering iron absorption and resulting in potential IDA.
A loss of blood can deplete iron levels.
GI bleeding, injury, or menstrual bleeding are all sources of blood loss that may contribute to IDA.
There are a number of symptoms that can make it easier to identify IDA, these include:
Meanwhile, other less visible symptoms that can indicate IDA include:
In the majority of cases, anaeamia can be diagnosed with simple blood tests.
However, there may be no symptoms present in some cases for children. Routine anaemia screening tests can detect IDA without symptoms.
IDA treatment depends on a child's age, symptoms general health, and the severity of their IDA.
To treat the condition, iron supplements - such as pills or drops - may be given over the course of several months to help increase iron levels in the blood.
Iron supplements are the most effective way to remedy an iron deficiency.
However, it is always recommended to seek the best course of treatment from your GP as certain supplements may irritate the stomach and discolour bowel movements.
Providing an iron-rich diet can also help with the condition and may be an easier alternative to pills for your child to adjust to.
Foods that contain good sources of iron include:
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