AllRefer Health - Caring for your Well Being  

Home | About | FAQs | Contact Us

AllRefer Channels :: Yellow Pages | Reference | Health  

Diseases & Conditions
Select & Go
 Diet & Nutrition
 Diseases & Conditions 
 Health News
 Injuries & Wounds
 Poisons & Overdoses
 Surgery & Procedures 
 Symptoms Guide
 Special Topics
 Tests & Exams
 Pictures & Images
 Medical Encyclopedia
Google
  Web health.allrefer.com   

You are here : AllRefer.com > Health > Diseases & Conditions > Iron Deficiency Anemia - Children

Iron Deficiency Anemia - Children

Provided by A.D.A.M.

Definition

Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors

Symptoms & Signs

Prevention

Diagnosis & Tests

Treatment

Expectations or Prognosis

Complications

Pictures & Images

Go To Main Page

Alternate Names : Anemia - Iron Deficiency - Children


Definition

Iron deficiency anemia is a decrease in the number of red blood cells, caused by a lack of sufficient iron.

Pictures & Images

Red Blood Cells, Target Cells
Red Blood Cells, Target Cells

Formed Elements of Blood
Formed Elements of Blood

Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin

 
     See all Pictures & Images
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia. Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein (pigment) in blood. Iron is normally obtained in the diet and by the recycling of iron from old red blood cells.

Babies are born with about 500mg of iron in their bodies. By the time they reach adulthood they need to have accumulated about 5000mg.

Children need to absorb an average of 1mg per day of iron to keep up with the needs of their growing bodies. Since children only absorb about 10% of the iron they eat, most children need to ingest 8-10mg per day of iron. Breast-fed babies need less, because iron is absorbed 3 times better when it is in breast milk.

Drinking too much cow's milk is a classic cause of iron deficiency in young children.

A common time for iron deficiency is between 9 and 24 months of age. All babies should have a screening test for iron deficiency at this age. Babies born prematurely may need to be tested earlier. The adolescent growth spurt is another high-risk period.

Iron deficiency in children can also be related to lead poisoning.



Today's Top News Stories

Clinical Trials Update: Jan. 8, 2009 - Jan 08, 2009, 10:12

Protein Might One Day Prevent Blindness - Jan 08, 2009, 14:00
Researchers find it prolongs lives of key vision cells in mice.

Hormone Therapy May Cut Colorectal Cancer Risk - Jan 08, 2009, 09:00
Study included nearly 57,000 women who had been followed for about 15 years.

Melanoma Rates on the Rise in U.S. - Jan 08, 2009, 14:00
Increase could indicate an epidemic of skin cancer, researchers suggest.

New Drug May Work Better Against Chemo Side Effects - Jan 08, 2009, 09:00
Japanese testing reveals longer protection from nausea and vomiting.


<

^ Top

>


Jump to another section

Definition
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Symptoms & Signs
Prevention
Diagnosis & Tests
Treatment
Prognosis
Complications
Pictures & Images

Topics that might be of interest to you

Diseases & Conditions

Anemia
Pica

Tests & Exams

Hematocrit (HCT)
Hemoglobin
Serum Iron

Other Topics

Appetite - Decreased
Breathing Difficulty
Fatigue
Headache
Intravenous
Lead Poisoning
Nail Abnormalities
Paleness
Vitamin C
Weakness

Review Date : 11/10/2003
Reviewed By : John Goldenring, M.D., MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

Main Page of Iron Deficiency Anemia - Children






Featured Topics

Alzheimer's Disease

High Blood Pressure

Crohn's Disease

Impotence

Overactive Bladder


ADAM

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial reviewers. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2003 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Copyright © 2007 AllRefer.com All Rights reserved.
Health Topics: A-Al Am-Az B C-Cj Ck-Cz D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Pl Pm-Pz Q R S-Sl Sm-Sz T U V W X Y Z 0-9
About Us | Help | Privacy Policy | Editorial Policy | Advertising Policy | Accessibility | Terms of Use
Contact Us | Link to Us | User Satisfaction Survey | Healthopedia.com
Page Last Updated: 08 Jan, 2009