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

SSRI Antidepressant Use Linked to Autism!

New research coming from Kaiser Permanente Northern California has linked the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, a type of medication used to treat depression, and the occurrence of autism. The chances of having a child with autism spectrum disorder is double in women who took SSRI’s in the year before she gave birth. If the drugs were taken during the first trimester of pregnancy that risk quadrupled!

The study was published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry and the abstract can be viewed here.