Iron for Young Children
Adequate Iron for Young Children
Adequate iron for children means that each child consumes enough iron to meet his or her physiological needs, which are high for young children due to rapid growth. It is very challenging to meet the iron needs of young children without fortified foods, which is why iron deficiency anaemia is so common around the world. Anaemia in early life affects cognitive development and overall health, and thus it is a priority to ensure the iron needs of young children are met. Learn how to assess anaemia prevalence with the NCOE's Anaemia Assessment Guideline.
Adequate iron intake is usually achieved through a combination of iron from dietary sources as well as from supplements, such as syrup or tablets, or through fortification either through home-based methods (eg. micronutrient powders) or a commercially prepared food specially designed for infants and young children. The decision to address iron deficiency in a population through mass supplementation must be made in consideration of the prevalence of infectious disease and malaria. Learn more in the NCOE's Guideline on Iron Supplementation in Malaria-endemic Areas.
Home-based Fortification
Home-based fortification is a vital strategy for children under two years living in areas where fortified complementary foods are not available or affordable. During the most critical period of growth and development (6 to 24 months), home-based fortification provides those micronutrients in small packets that a caregiver can use each day to enrich the child’s porridge or other food. Specially formulated to meet a young child’s micronutrient requirements for that day, use of these packets helps reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia and/or prevent nutritional deficiencies.
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