When is the best time for iron drops for children?

Benefits of iron drops for children

Iron drops contain the mineral iron and are used to compensate for the deficiency of this element in the body or to prevent anemia. All children need iron to grow. The human body uses iron to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. Iron is also essential for making myoglobin. Myoglobin is a protein that delivers oxygen to muscles and helps them function better. In addition, the production of some hormones in the body depends on the consumption of a sufficient amount of iron ore.

Therefore, if the body does not get enough iron, the function of all organs and muscles will be impaired and serious health problems will occur. If you want your child to develop in the best way possible as a child, do not forget to pay attention to the supply of iron for him.

What are the complications of iron deficiency in children?

Before we explain the best time for iron drops for children, let’s learn more about the importance of iron intake in your childhood. If your child’s diet does not contain enough iron, the risk of iron deficiency anemia will increase. If the anemia is severe, the red blood cells will not produce enough and as a result the body will not get enough oxygen. In this case, the physical and mental development of the child is impaired. Decreased weight and height growth, low concentration, decreased IQ, skin discoloration, cold hands and feet, and unusual weakness and tiredness are some of the symptoms of iron deficiency in children. The only way to fight anemia is to include iron in your diet as well as iron supplements.

Iron intake for children

Children of different ages need different amounts of iron. Note the following table:

By the age of 13, the values ​​mentioned are the same for girls and boys, but these values ​​change during adolescence and puberty. From 14 to 18 years old, female adolescents need 15 mg of iron daily and male adolescents need 11 mg of iron daily. The maximum daily intake of iron from birth to 13 years of age is 40 mg per day and reaches 45 mg during adolescence.

The best time for iron drops for children

Doctors believe that the best time to take iron drops for children is when your baby’s stomach is empty. However, some children may experience gastrointestinal side effects after eating iron drops; For example, they may be in pain or have nausea and vomiting. In this case, iron drops can be given to the child with meals to reduce gastrointestinal side effects.

Try giving the child a drop of iron with a glass of orange juice. Do not give your child antacids, milk or caffeinated beverages until 2 hours after taking the iron drops. These fluids can interfere with the body’s absorption of iron. Because iron drops can cause heartburn, nausea, and constipation, it is best for the child to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Be sure to rinse your child’s teeth and mouth after taking iron drops to avoid blackheads and stains. Of course, you can use the best iron drops without blackening teeth for your beloved child to solve this problem.

Consumption of iron drops and all iron supplements along with sources of vitamin C such as orange juice causes the absorption of iron to reach its maximum in the body. For this reason, many iron supplements also contain vitamin C.

From what age should we give iron drops to the child?

As we said, the best time for iron drops for children is when the baby’s stomach is not full. For this purpose, one hour before the meal or 2 hours after the meal can be chosen as the appropriate time. The advice of doctors and specialists around the world is to start taking iron drops for the baby from the end of 6 months and at the same time as starting the complementary food. But there are exceptions. For example, when the baby is premature or born with low birth weight or anemia, the situation is slightly different. In this case, iron drops may need to be started at four months or even earlier at the doctor’s discretion. Therefore, take your child to a pediatrician regularly for other tests for anemia.

Consume iron drops for cocoons that drink dry milk

Many formula-fed babies may develop iron deficiency anemia. Of course, dry milk formulation is very important and it is necessary to see exactly how much iron it contains. Therefore, the type of powdered milk that is considered for your child is of special importance and it is better to determine it in consultation with a doctor.

The importance of iron drops for underweight and premature children

Underweight and premature babies may not have used enough iron in the last 3 months of pregnancy through the placenta and may be at higher risk for anemia than other babies. Therefore, their nutrition is more important. In this case, the best time to take iron drops is usually not after the end of 6 months, and your doctor recommends that you start taking this supplement earlier than this time. Underweight and premature babies should not only use iron drops, but should also get enough iron and other nutrients in their diet.

Should children one year of age and older use iron drops?

Generally, doctors recommend taking iron drops for children from the end of 6 months to the end of 24 months. Therefore, children 1 year of age and older should continue to use their iron drops unless the pediatrician recommends otherwise. But after 2 years, when the child is no longer developing in terms of tooth structure, he may no longer need to take iron supplements because the child will have more variety in food. In this regard, it is better to consult a doctor regarding the amount of iron in the child’s blood.

How many drops of iron should we give to the child daily?

The general recommendation is to give 15 drops of iron daily to children under 2 years old. This amount may be changed by the doctor depending on the weight and condition of the child. Breast milk contains adequate amounts of iron, but after 6 months, it can not completely meet the baby’s need for this nutrient. So even if your baby is breastfeeding, do not forget to take iron drops for him.

Vitamin D is also one of the nutrients that may not be present in sufficient amounts in breast milk. Therefore, from the 15th day after birth, mothers are advised to start taking A + D drops or multivitamins containing vitamin D for their child. Vitamin D helps to better absorb calcium and is effective in maintaining healthy bones and teeth.

Conclusion

In this article, we introduced you to the best time for iron drops for children. For better absorption of iron in the body, you can give this supplement 1 hour before food or 2 hours after food, ie on an empty stomach. If you feel your child has gastrointestinal problems, give him iron drops with food. If you want to increase your baby’s absorption of iron, give it along with sources of vitamin C such as orange juice. The amount of iron drops should be determined according to the doctor’s opinion for children.