Babies and Toddlers Need Iron to Thrive

Iron-rich foods may not top your list of what to feed your baby or toddler. Yet this mineral is key to your young child's growing body and mind, experts say.

Iron carries oxygen around your child's system. Without enough iron, your child may feel tired and listless or have poor motor skills. Your child also needs iron for sharper thinking.

Research suggests that children who didn't get enough iron as infants score lower on intelligence tests as teens, says Marilyn K. Tanner-Blasiar, R.D., an American Dietetic Association spokeswoman.

"The gap widens as children grow to adulthood. There are long-term effects if your child doesn't get enough iron during the first three years," says Tanner-Blasiar, a pediatric dietitian in St. Louis.

Greater risk

Young children may be at greater risk for a lack of iron because they need more iron during growth spurts. Iron is also crucial for toddlers at risk for lead poisoning. That's because a lack of iron lets a child's body absorb more lead, she says.

To head off iron-related problems in a newborn, women planning a family should make sure to get enough iron in the childbearing years, says Tanner-Blasiar. Breast milk provides the best nutrition for infants and contains enough iron for a baby younger than 6 months. If you don't breast-feed, give your baby an iron-fortified formula. Use iron-fortified baby cereals when you start your child on solid foods (at 6 months).

Infants from birth to 6 months should get 0.27 mg of iron a day. Breast-feeding moms should continue to take their prenatal vitamins, which contain iron. From 7 to 12 months, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is much higher: 11 mg a day. For toddlers ages 1 to 3 years, the RDA is 7 mg a day.

Too much iron—such as from an accidental overdose of an iron supplement—is harmful. Overdosing isn't a risk with foods that contain iron. "Children usually don't have a problem overdosing on food because they're satisfied before they eat too much," Tanner-Blasiar says.

Foods for iron

Both animal and plant foods supply iron. Animal sources are easier for the body to absorb. Some plant foods, such as breakfast cereals and instant oatmeal, are fortified with iron. You can raise the iron value of plant foods by mixing in some vitamin C. For instance, make a salad of kidney beans and orange segments.

Animal sources

• Lean braised beef

• Roast chicken leg

• Baked halibut

• Egg yolks

Plant sources

• Legumes, including lentils, kidney beans, lima beans, black beans, and pinto beans