Why iron matters for kids' brains
Iron Deficiency, Cognitive Functions, and Neurobehavioral Disorders in Children
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Kids under 7 need lots of iron to grow their brains right. If they don't get enough, their thinking, moving, and focusing can get worse, and they're more likely to have ADHD or autism. Giving them iron in food or pills helps a lot and doesn't cost much.
Surprising Findings
Iron deficiency is frequently comorbid with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.
Many assume ADHD and autism are purely neurological or genetic; this suggests a nutritional component is commonly present, even if not causal.
Practical Takeaways
If you have a child under 7 with learning, focus, or motor delays, ask their pediatrician for a simple blood test to check iron levels.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Kids under 7 need lots of iron to grow their brains right. If they don't get enough, their thinking, moving, and focusing can get worse, and they're more likely to have ADHD or autism. Giving them iron in food or pills helps a lot and doesn't cost much.
Surprising Findings
Iron deficiency is frequently comorbid with ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.
Many assume ADHD and autism are purely neurological or genetic; this suggests a nutritional component is commonly present, even if not causal.
Practical Takeaways
If you have a child under 7 with learning, focus, or motor delays, ask their pediatrician for a simple blood test to check iron levels.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Molecular Neuroscience
Year
2019
Authors
L. Pivina, Yu O Semenova, Monica Daniela Doşa, M. Dauletyarova, Geir Bjorklund
Related Content
Claims (6)
If your body doesn't get enough iron or B12 over a long time, you might feel foggy-headed and less motivated to get things done.
Kids who don’t have enough iron in their blood are often the same kids who have trouble paying attention or who behave in ways linked to ADHD or autism.
When kids under 7 don’t have enough iron in their blood, it can make it harder for them to think clearly and move smoothly, because their brains aren’t getting the right materials to grow and work properly.
If a baby doesn't get enough iron, it might also miss out on other important nutrients, and that could make their brain and organs grow slower or not as well.
Adding iron to food or giving kids iron pills is seen by health experts as a good and affordable way to help children’s brains develop properly and avoid thinking or learning problems.