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Iron deficiency in kids… Part 1
This is something I see, and hear about so often, and many parents are frustrated with the liquid options available – as they can cause constipation and stomach upsets.
So why is this?
Ferrous Sulphate – the form in most pharmaceutical iron supplements is really poorly absorbed – so they need to put a lot in the liquid or tablet, hoping you manage to absorb 20% or so from the intestines. The rest just hangs around in there causing irritation and constipation.
Research has shown that it causes side effects at all doses, and you need to take twice as much to get the same effect as the more easily absorbed forms…
Do you have a child who is iron deficient? I’m going to post some tips over the next few days to boost it back up without the tummy troubles.
Iron deficiency in kids… Part 2
We need to get iron from our diet, and it plays a very important role in oxygenation of the blood, muscles, and brain.
With low iron kids may feel fatigued, short of breath, and have poor sleep as low iron can lead to restless legs syndrome. So if you notice your child kicking their legs around at night this could be a sign.
Kids may also have poor appetite, rapid breathing, pale skin, and slow growth and development.
With iron we need to consider different factors:
- Is there enough in the diet?
- Is it being absorbed? (inflammation, illness, genetics, and other conditions like coeliac disease can reduce this)
- Is iron being lost anywhere? We tend to lose iron through bleeding so is there blood in their stool?
It’s also not as simple as just supplementing every day – as it is best absorbed when taken every second day!
So… what can we do? Thursday i’ll share some great food sources, and Friday i’ll show you some supplemental forms that are great for kids.
Tomorrow I’m going to share one of the main causes of anaemia in kids!
Iron deficiency in kids… Part 3
Did you know one of the main causes of iron deficiency in kids is dairy intake???
Calcium blocks iron absorption so we are always told that iron supplements should be taken 2 hours away from any dairy consumption – but we need to remember that this applies to diet as well!
Cows milk can also lead to intestinal blood loss in infancy – something that affects up to 40% of otherwise healthy children.
And milk does not contain much iron so if kids are having multiple cups of milk a day, it can reduce their appetite for other foods – or interfere with the absorption of iron from their breakfast, lunch or dinner.
For example:
Spinach is high in iron – but often mixed with ricotta ?
Meat is high in iron and kids like bolognese – but we often have cheese, or Bechamel sauce containing milk, when we eat spag bol or lasagne.
So we always need to keep in mind what foods kids are eating to optimise their intake – or if they’re taking a supplement, is it being blocked?
Iron is best absorbed in the morning when hepcidin levels are low – so I give Quinn her ‘juice’ before breakfast, but ensure she doesn’t have any dairy until lunch time.
Is there something you could change in your child’s diet or routine to make sure they’re getting the optimal amount?
Iron deficiency in kids… Part 4:
What foods can we give our kids to raise their levels?
So most of us are aware that the main source of iron is meat – including beef, lamb, chicken, pork, duck, turkey, eggs and fish.
The form of iron available in red meat is the most easily absorbed by the body, so if you eat meat – try to add one of these sources most days.
When Quinn’s levels were really low a few months back we started having beef cheek every week, and I am sure it had a massive impact on how fast her levels rose. It is a great cut of meat for kids as it stays really moist and breaks apart, so its not chewy. If you’d like the recipe let me know in the comments – its super easy, and beef cheeks aren’t expensive.
We also get iron from vegetables – especially greens like broccoli, spinach, and silverbeet. (Silverbeet goes really well with the beef cheeks and mash!) Other ways you can use these veggies, if you have a fussy child, is to make a green smoothie (although remember not to use dairy milk as it blocks the absorption of iron – more info in yesterdays post). And with broccoli you can make tater tots, broccoli rice, and many more.. Quinn loves chewing on the tops of Broccolini – we call them trees!
And a final one – liver. I know.. its a bit gross. But it is so nutrient rich, and full of iron. There are two easy ways to get it into kids:
1. Make paté… My nephew can be a bit fussy with food – but loves his mums homemade chicken liver paté.
2. Freeze it, and grate it into any savoury meal – it will be hidden, but still providing nutrients.
Always try and buy organic livers – as with humans, this is where animals process and store toxins so we want to ensure they haven’t been exposed to chemicals etc during their lifespan.
Do you kids like paté?? would you be willing to try it??
I hope you’ve found this helpful – I have many great supplements to help boost iron levels as well including a new tasty chewable tablet that kids are loving!
Head to The Nature Of You Facebook page to watch a video where I explain iron deficiency and why it occurs in more detail 🙂