14 Reasons Babies' and Children's Brains Need iron.

Iron status should be measured during pregnancy, infancy and childhood because iron is needed for brain health, brain function and brain development in children. Iron rich foods include beef or chicken liver, scallops, oysters, beef, sardines, chicken, turkey, halibut, haddock, salmon, tuna, pork, veal, fortified cereals, beans, tofu, pumpkin sesame or squash seeds, apricots, wheat germ, broccoli and spinach. Here are the reasons to pay attention to iron status in kids.

Iron is necessary for brain development. Study

Iron is necessary for normal brain function. Study

Hippocampal structure requires iron. Study

Iron is needed for myelination and memory function. Study

Low iron and ferritin levels are associated with ADHD, the severity of ADHD symptoms and cognitive deficit. Study 1 Study 2

Low iron levels in the brain alter dopamine function, involved in movement, cognitive function and attention. Study

Treatment with iron supplements may improve ADHD in children with low ferritin levels. Study Study

Iron deficiency is linked to autism. Study Study

Iron deficiency is linked to autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Study

The risk for autism spectrum disorder increases with low maternal iron. Study

Children who have iron-deficiency anemia in infancy are at risk for long-lasting developmental disadvantage. Study

Children who had severe, chronic iron deficiency in infancy scored lower on measures of mental and motor functioning at age 10 Study

There is an association between psychiatric disorders and iron deficiency anemia among children and adolescents. Study

Children with iron deficiency had greater than twice the risk of scoring below average in math than did children with normal iron status. Study

Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D may control brain serotonin, affecting behavior and psychiatric disorders.

In a previous paper published last year, authors Patrick and Ames discussed the implications of their finding that vitamin D regulates the conversion of the essential amino acid tryptophan into serotonin, and how this may influence the development of autism, particularly in developing children with poor vitamin D status.

Here they discuss the relevance of these micronutrients for neuropsychiatric illness. Serotonin affects a wide-range of cognitive functions and behaviors including mood, decision-making, social behavior, impulsive behavior, and even plays a role in social decision-making by keeping in check aggressive social responses or impulsive behavior.

Many clinical disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and depression share as a unifying attribute low brain serotonin. "In this paper we explain how serotonin is a critical modulator of executive function, impulse control, sensory gating, and pro-social behavior," says Dr. Patrick. "We link serotonin production and function to vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, suggesting one way these important micronutrients help the brain function and affect the way we behave."

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) increases serotonin release from presynaptic neurons by reducing inflammatory signaling molecules in the brain known as E2 series prostaglandins, which inhibit serotonin release and suggests how inflammation may negatively impact serotonin in the brain. EPA, however, is not the only omega-3 that plays a role in the serotonin pathway. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) also influences the action of various serotonin receptors by making them more accessible to serotonin by increasing cell membrane fluidity in postsynaptic neurons.

Their paper illuminates the mechanistic links that explain why low vitamin D, which is mostly produced by the skin when exposed to sun, and marine omega-3 deficiencies interacts with genetic pathways, such as the serotonin pathway, that are important for brain development, social cognition, and decision-making, and how these gene-

micronutrient interactions may influence neuropsychiatric outcomes. "Vitamin D, which is converted to a steroid hormone that controls about 1,000 genes, many in the brain, is a major deficiency in the US and omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies are very common because people don't eat enough fish," said Dr. Ames.

This publication suggests that optimizing intakes of vitamin D, EPA, and DHA would optimize brain serotonin concentrations and function, possibly preventing and ameliorating some of the symptoms associated with these disorders without side effects.
Rhonda P. Patrick And Bruce N. Ames. Vitamin D and the omega-3 fatty acids control serotonin synthesis and action, part 2: relevance for ADHD, bipolar, schizophrenia, and impulsive behavior. FASEB Journal, February 2015

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder can be downright dangerous.

Having a diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder increases the risk of death and reduces overall life-expectancy, a large study published in The Lancet shows. It finds that people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder have a more than doubled risk of premature death - and that accidents are the most common cause.

The researchers, led by Søren Dalsgaard from Aarhus University in Denmark, found the relative risk of dying was much higher for women than for men with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Not receiving a diagnosis until adulthood was also associated with higher risk.

When asked what the causal link could be between ADHD and early death, researchers cited one pathway that follows ADHD's well-known risks for oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder. That pathway links ADHD to risk of death as follows. There is an increased risk of:

Antisocial disorders - which increase the risk of violence and crime.

Substance use - leading to accidents and fighting
Inattention and impulsivity - increasing accidents and poor health habits.

Risky behaviors - leading to health risks and accidents.

ADHD alone increases risk of accidents viainattention and impulsivity - which affect driving since when treated with medication, there is better "performance in a driving simulator"
 and through risky behaviors associated with increased sensation seeking.

Tylenol use during pregnancy is linked to ADHD and behavior problems.

A study published in the journal Pediatrics finds that Tylenol (acetaminophen) taken by women during their pregnancy may raise the risk of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) and similar disorders in their children up to 40%—and the risk is higher as use increases. The more acetaminophen the mother takes, the higher the risk in her child.

The study’s authors say it is plausible that the drug may interrupt fetal brain development by interfering with maternal hormones or through neurotoxicity. 

This isn’t the first study to note the connection between a mother’s Tylenol use and her child’s reaction to the toxic drug. Last year a troubling study showed that women taking acetaminophen during pregnancy increased the risk of their children having serious behavior problems at age 3 by an overwhelming 70%.

It is simply not worth the risk, to use acetaminophen. Every year, 78,000 people go to the emergency room from intentional or accidental acetaminophen overdose; 33,000 are hospitalized, and about 450 die.