Anemia - Highlights

Highlights

Overview

Anemia is the name applied to many different conditions that are all characterized by an abnormally low number of healthy red blood cells. There are many different causes and types of anemia.

Iron-deficiency anemia, the most common type, is usually treated with dietary changes and iron supplement pills. Other types of anemia, such as those associated with chronic disease or cancer therapies, need more aggressive treatment.

Preventing Iron Deficiency in Infants and Toddlers

In 2010, the American Academy of Pediatrics updated its guidelines for preventing iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in infants and young children. The new guidelines recommend:

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• Term infants who are healthy and exclusively breastfed should receive an oral iron supplement beginning at 4 months of age. The supplement should be continued until iron-containing solid foods, such as cereals, are introduced. Breast milk itself contains very little iron, but most healthy babies are born with iron stores sufficient for their first 4 months.
• Preterm infants who are breastfed should receive an iron supplement by 1 month of age.
• Formula-fed infants get adequate iron from iron-fortified formula. For all babies, cow’s milk should not be introduced before age 12 months.
• Toddlers ages 1 - 3 years should get their iron from foods, including red meats, iron-rich vegetables, and fruits that are rich in vitamin C. (Vitamin C helps boost iron absorption.)

Review Date: 01/13/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).