All issues > Volume 19(3); 1976

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1976;19(3):197-204. Published online March 31, 1976.

The Studies on Nutritional Anemia in Infants

Ha Baik Lee¹, Hyung Sun Yoon¹

¹Departmet of Pediatrics,Han Yang University College of Medicine, Seoul Korea

Abstract

Nutritional defiency or malnutrition was common findings in the pediatric age, especially weaning period in most of developing countries. Ntritional anemia was followed by lacks of several elements associated with improper weaning; and feeding without specific supplementary nutrients. We made investigations to clarify the causes of pure nutritional anemia and their epidemio logical relations to nutritional problems on 105 infants and 27 children in Korea. 1.Anemia was most common in the weaning age: 6 to 12 months and 12 to 24 months,. 30. 2% respectively. 2.Modes of infant feeding were: Breast-fed, 59.19%, pure bottle-fed, 18.94% and mixed, feeding Cbreast milk and cow’s milk or rice water) 21.87%. There were cases of small amounted, or irregularly taken multivitamin, 23 (17.4%) and iron 5 (3.8%). 3.Weaning was delayed in most of infants and most often(52.8%) started at 10~12 months of age. 4.Actually, large number (56 cases; 42.4%) of mothers whose children were hospitalized had high education level, however, there was imporoper feeding to be developed anemia. 5.Majority of cases (67.4%) who were consulted with well-baby clinic meant lacks of it proper guidance on growth and development as wellas nutrition. 6.In 45. 5% of the cases noted below 25 percentiles in growth and development. 7.The hemoglobin level was mostly (61.8%)ranged from 8. 0 to 8.9 gm/100ml. The serum iron levels was low on the whole(below 30ug%; 51. 5%, 30~100ug%,27.3%) and total iron-b-inding capacity was generally high (below 250 ug%; 36.4%, 250~350ug%; 43%). There were. normal levels of serum protein, RBC and reticulocytes. 8.Major types of anemia by RBC morphology and biochemistry were iron deficiency (microcytic hypochromic 52.3%, normocytic normochromic 38.6%, normocytic hypochromic 5.3%). 9.There was significant increase of Hemoglobin 0.6 gm in 4~8 weeks after administraton. of iron and multivitamin fortified supplementary diets. 10.In most developing countries, there are urgent necessities of proper guidance for child care and nutrition, and production-provision of good baby-foods for weaning.

Keywords :