title: [The significance of iron in development and nutrition of infants. II. Prevention of iron deficiency].
abstract: The symptoms and consequences of iron deficiency in the child are described as found in the literature. The role of iron in immune processes is presented and it is noted that there is no proof for the theory of the development of bacterial infections as a result of giving oral iron supplements. The influence of breast milk and cow milk on the intestinal uptake and loss of iron is discussed. Feeding infants formulae or milk-substitute formulae after cessation of breastfeeding prevents the increased blood loss in the digestive tract, which results from the introduction of cow's milk. The iron content of selected Polish infant formulae, follow-on formulae and milk-substitute formulae available on the market are given and compared with FAO, WHO, ESPGAN and EC recommendations. Results of the authors' own researches on the iron content of selected Polish powdered whole cow's milks are presented. The measurements, made by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), showed that iron content of whole powdered milks ranged from 0.23 to 1.19 mg/dm3. The values do not vary significantly from those in the literature on the iron content of unboiled cow's milk. It is shown that up to the point of the doubling of birth weight, formula-fed infants should be fed modified milk containing at least 2 mg/dm3 of iron. Thereafter infants should receive milk containing at least 7 mg/dm3 of iron.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Gastroenterologii i Alergologii Dzieciecej Akademii Medycznej w Lodzi.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Baranowski
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wasowska-Królikowska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000378:metabolism; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism; D009751:Nutritional Requirements
chemical_list: D019266:Iron, Dietary