REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS There is no convincing evidence that iron treatment of young children with IDA has an effect on psychomotor development discernable within 5 - 11 days .
The effect of longer term treatment remains unclear but the data would be compatible with clinical ly significant benefit .
BACKGROUND Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia ( IDA ) are common in young children .
It has been suggested that the lack of iron may have important effects on children 's psychomotor development and cognitive function .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of iron therapy on psychomotor development and cognitive function in iron deficient children less than 3 years of age .
Treatment with iron increases weight gain and psychomotor development.
Previous work at this hospital and elsewhere has shown that anaemia in toddlers is common and is associated with psychomotor delay . It seemed unclear , however , whether this association was cause and effect or merely due to the same underprivileged environment . A double blind r and omised intervention study was , therefore , performed . After an initial assessment 97 children with anaemia ( haemoglobin 8 - 11 g/dl ) aged 17 - 19 months received either iron and vitamin C or vitamin C only ( control group ) for two months and were then reassessed . The children who received the iron had an increased rate of weight gain and more of them achieved the expected rate of development . While iron deficiency anaemia is unlikely to be the only factor in the slower development of children living in underprivileged circumstances , it can at least be easily identified and treated . Routine child health surveillance in such areas should include a haemoglobin determination
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS There is no convincing evidence that iron treatment of young children with IDA has an effect on psychomotor development discernable within 5 - 11 days .
The effect of longer term treatment remains unclear but the data would be compatible with clinical ly significant benefit .
BACKGROUND Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia ( IDA ) are common in young children .
It has been suggested that the lack of iron may have important effects on children 's psychomotor development and cognitive function .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of iron therapy on psychomotor development and cognitive function in iron deficient children less than 3 years of age .