d.). According to Brody (2008), "Babies are born with about 500 milligrams (mg) of iron in their bodies. By the time they reach adulthood they need to have about 5,000 mg."

Tympa-Psirropoulou et al. (2008) outline the three stages during which iron deficiency anemia develops in infants. First, iron stores in the body become gradually depleted. "Iron is an essential part of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in blood," (Brody 2008). This first stage is sometimes called the pre-latent iron deficiency stage. The second stage is the latent iron deficiency stage, at which "the level of serum iron starts decreasing in parallel with an offsetting increase in siderophylin synthesis," (Tympa-Psirropoulou et al. 2008). Finally, the third stage is full onset iron deficiency anemia.

Once iron deficiency anemia has been identified in the infant, the problem can be corrected by careful supplementation. If the infant is being breast fed, the mother may...
[ View Full Essay]