How to avoid anaemia

Oct 21, 2001

Anaemia can adversely affect your child’s academic performance. Also referred to as “weak blood” or “thin blood,” anaemia is caused by several factors.

With Grace Canada Anaemia can adversely affect your child’s academic performance. Also referred to as “weak blood” or “thin blood,” anaemia is caused by several factors. The most common cause is not having sufficient iron in the diet. Other causes include infections especially malaria, hook worm and heavy menstrual periods in some teenagers. Being that malaria is endemic in Uganda, that it also causes lack of appetite; and that currently a good number of people are suffering from malaria; you need to pay particular attention to your child’s diet. However, before we discuss diet let us first look at the effects anaemia can have on your child. Reduction in haemoglobin, or the number of red blood cells, can occur if the red blood cells are destroyed by malaria parasites. This can also occur when hook worms attach on the walls of your child’s intestines competing for nutrients. Heavy menstrual periods and insufficient iron in the diet can also lead to reduction. This is not good because haemoglobin is a component of the red blood cell that contains iron. It is responsible for transportation of oxygen to body tissues. Thus if the child is anaemic they may not get the right amount of oxygen available to the cells of the body including the brain. As a result, the child has less energy available to perform normal function. Also important processes such as muscle activity, cell building and repair slow down and become less efficient. If the brain lacks sufficient oxygen, dizziness including lack of concentration, and confusion will occur. For example, a child who chronically suffers from anaemia may learn and develop more slowly. The first signs of developing anaemia may include loss of appetite, constipation, headaches, irritability, and difficulty in concentrating. Established anaemia can produce symptoms such as weakness, tiredness, depression, coldness of the hands and feet, brittle nails, pale lips and eyelids, sourness in the mouth, swelling of the legs, and cause the heart to beat faster. Recommendations l If your child has some or all of the mentioned signs and symptoms, or if she or he has had malaria, before you give iron supplements get the child’s blood checked for haemoglobin levels. l Include in your child’s diet ripe bananas, pineapple, oranges, mangada, fresh lime or lemon juice, cabbage, bell pepper, pumpkin, green peas. These fruits contain vitamin C which helps the body to absorb iron from the diet more efficiently. l Also include lean beef, liver, fish, eggs, kidney. These foods contain iron as well as the B vitamins. B vitamin and iron are necessary for building healthy red blood cells. l Avoid sweets, ice cream, sodas. They contain additives that can interfere with iron absorption. l Eat vegetables such as Swiss-chard, spinach, kale, rhubarb in moderation. They contain high levels of a chemical called oxalic acid. Oxalic acid can interfere with iron absorption. l Avoid chocolate, cocoa. They too contain a chemical that may interfere with iron absorption. l You may give your child folic acid as a supplement. Folic acid is necessary for building healthy blood cells. l Get your child checked for intestine parasites preferably every three months. For those of you with teenage daughters make sure you talk with your child about her monthly flow. You have to proceed with care and tact. Teenagers often do not feel comfortable discussing such matters with parents. ends

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});