Everything you need to know about IRON in children and infants

Iron is an essential mineral that plays a key role in children’s development. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, developmental delays, and reduced immunity, so it is important to monitor iron levels, especially in infants and young children.

• Babies born prematurely or with low birth weight may require supplementation from the first weeks of life.
• Babies of mothers who had anemia or anemia during pregnancy may need supplementation before 6 months of age. In this case, the pediatrician will assess whether the child requires earlier support.
• Babies at risk of anemia (e.g. due to nutritional deficiencies, celiac disease, food allergies, etc.) should be monitored for iron levels.
  Standards and tests.
• For children up to 6 months of age, sufficient iron supplies are provided by the mother (unless there are contraindications).
• After 6 months of age, the daily requirement for iron increases to about 11 mg per day.
  A serum ferritin test is a good indicator of iron stores in the body. Low ferritin levels may suggest a deficiency, even before anemia occurs.
  The best sources of iron in your diet are:
  – Meat is a rich source of heme iron (better absorbed).
  – Plant foods: spinach, kale, chickpeas, lentils, tofu, oatmeal, buckwheat, beans, nuts are great sources of non-heme iron.
  – Fortified foods: Many porridges, cereals and breads are fortified with iron.
  To increase the absorption of iron from plants, serve foods rich in vitamin C (peppers,strawberries, kiwi, citrus fruits) with your meal!

Dr Aleksandra Gajecka
Pediatrician in Malta

• Treatment of sick children
• Protective baby and childhood vaccinations
• Health check-ups
• Care for the development of healthy children
• Counseling in children’s physical and mental development
• Online consultations regarding the possibilities of effective diagnostics
• Preliminary diagnostics and referring patients to specialists for in-depth diagnostics
• Issuing documents and certificates needed for nurseries, schools and educational institutions