Pediatrician and graduate of Gadjah Mada University, Dr. Devie Kristiani, Sp.A., said there are a number of symptoms of Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) that parents are often unaware of and can affect a child's nervous and brain development.
"Iron deficiency anemia is not simply a lack of blood. This condition directly impacts nerve and brain development," Devie said in an official statement in Jakarta on Thursday.
The woman who currently practices at Bethesda Hospital Yogyakarta explained that symptoms of anemia in children can be seen from a pale face, easily tired, lethargic, or less active.
Other symptoms to watch out for include difficulty gaining weight, delayed growth, decreased appetite, and the habit of eating non-food items such as dirt or ice cubes (pica).
The causes are varied, such as low iron intake, suboptimal iron absorption, or blood loss due to chronic infections.
Some groups of children are at higher risk, such as premature babies, children whose mothers experienced anemia during pregnancy, and children who consume low-iron complementary foods (MPASI).
