How is iron-deficiency anemia treated in a child?

Treatment will depend on your child’s symptoms, age, and general health. It will
also depend on how severe the condition is.

Treating iron-deficiency anemia includes:

Iron supplements. Iron drops or pills are taken over several months to

increase iron levels in the blood. Iron supplements can irritate the stomach
and discolor bowel movements.

Iron-rich diet. Eating a diet with iron-rich foods can help treat iron-deficiency
anemia. Good sources of iron include:

 Iron-enriched cereals, breads, pasta, and rice

 Meats, such as beef, pork, lamb, liver, and other organ meats
 Poultry, such as chicken, duck, turkey, (especially dark meat), and liver
 Fish, such as shellfish, including clams, mussels, and oysters, sardines,
and anchovies
 Leafy greens of the cabbage family, such as broccoli, kale, turnip greens,
and collards
 Legumes, such as lima beans and green peas; dry beans and peas, such
as pinto beans, black-eyed peas, and canned baked beans
 Yeast-leavened whole-wheat bread and rolls

How to prevent iron-deficiency anemia?

 Beginning at 4 months of age, infants that are only breastfed or partially

breastfed should be given a daily iron supplement until they begin eating iron-rich
foods.

 Infants that are formula-fed do not need iron supplements. The formula has iron
added to it. Whole milk should not be given to infants less than 12 months old.

 Infants and toddlers from 1 to 3 years old should have foods rich in iron. They
include cereal that has iron added, red meats, and vegetables with iron. Fruits
with vitamin C are also important. The vitamin C helps the body absorb the iron.
How’s Calcium deficiency treated?

Calcium deficiency is usually easy to treat. It typically involves adding more calcium to
your diet.

Commonly recommended calcium supplements include:

 calcium carbonate, which is the least expensive and has the most elemental
calcium

 calcium citrate, which is the most easily absorbed

 calcium phosphate, which is also easily absorbed and doesn’t cause

constipation

 Calcium supplements are available in liquid, tablet, and chewable forms.

How can Calcium deficiency be prevented?

You can prevent calcium deficiency disease by including calcium in your diet every day.

Be aware that foods high in calcium, such as dairy products, can also be high in
saturated fat and trans-fat. Choose low-fat or fat-free options to reduce your risk of
developing high cholesterol and heart disease.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important because it increases the rate calcium is absorbed into your
blood. Ask your doctor how much vitamin D you need.

To increase your calcium intake, you can add food rich in vitamin D to your diet. These
include:

 fatty fish like salmon and tuna

 fortified orange juice

  fortified milk

 portobello mushrooms
 eggs

Lifestyle changes

In addition to maintaining healthy calcium and vitamin D levels, there are certain lifestyle
changes you can make to promote bone health. These include:

 maintaining a healthy body weight

 exercising regularly

 restricting tobacco use and alcohol intake