Does iron help kids think and move better?
The Effect of Iron Deficiency Anemia and Serum Ferritin Deficiency on Cognitive Functions in Children 1 to 5 Years Old.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Children with nonanemic iron deficiency had developmental scores as low as those with full-blown iron deficiency anemia.
Common belief is that anemia is the main problem — but this shows even without anemia, low iron stores are just as damaging to development.
Practical Takeaways
If your child is under 5 and shows delays in speech, motor skills, or social interaction, ask your pediatrician for a serum ferritin test — not just a hemoglobin check.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Children with nonanemic iron deficiency had developmental scores as low as those with full-blown iron deficiency anemia.
Common belief is that anemia is the main problem — but this shows even without anemia, low iron stores are just as damaging to development.
Practical Takeaways
If your child is under 5 and shows delays in speech, motor skills, or social interaction, ask your pediatrician for a serum ferritin test — not just a hemoglobin check.
Publication
Journal
Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology
Year
2025
Authors
B. C. Duran, Yilmaz Ay, Hidayet Imancli, Gurbuz Akcay
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Claims (4)
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.
When little kids between 1 and 5 years old don’t have enough iron in their blood, it can slow down how well they think and move, and checking their ferritin levels can tell us this is happening early.
When little kids between 1 and 5 years old have less iron in their blood, they tend to do worse on tests that measure how well they talk, move, and interact with others.
When kids who don’t have enough iron in their blood take iron supplements for 3 months, they tend to do better on tests that measure how they think and learn.