The Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination recommends that high-risk infants be screened for iron deficiency at nine months of age. Non-hematologic consequences of iron deficiency include poor weight gain, anorexia, irritability, decreased attention span, exercise intolerance and decreased physical activity. A recent study of iron deficiency anemia and psychomotor development concluded that when iron deficiency progresses to anemia, performance on developmental tests is adversely affected for up to at least three months, despite correction of the anemia with iron therapy. Some of these abnormalities may persist indefinitely among infants with severe or chronic iron deficiency, despite adequate iron therapy. Infant feeding patterns have undergone some notable changes since the mid-1970s.
Fewer mothers introduce solid foods before four months or unmodified cow s milk before six months.
Iron requirements vary for term and newborn infants. On average, infants almost triple their blood volume during the first year of life and will require the absorption of 0.4 to 0.6 mg of iron daily during that time to maintain adequate stores. Premature infants have a lower level of body iron at birth, approximately 64 mg in infants weighing 1 kg. In the normal infant born at term, iron stores are adequate to maintain iron sufficiency for approximately four months of postnatal growth. There is a large difference in amounts and absorption of iron from various dietary sources.