A diet high in iron for children 
           
          Information for patients 
          This leaflet is intended for parents of children who have had advice from a Health Care 
          Professional that their child requires a high iron diet. 
                                    
          What is iron? 
          Iron is an essential mineral that is obtained from the food we eat. It has several important roles in 
          the body, including helping to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. A lack of 
          iron in our diet can cause iron deficiency anaemia. 
               
          Children who are anaemic may have the following problems:- 
                           Tiredness 
                           Pale Skin 
                           Lethargy & lack of concentration. 
                           Poor weight gain & growth 
                           Poor appetite 
               
          Iron is particularly important in children's diets from 6 months of age. It is important to eat plenty 
          of iron-rich foods to prevent anaemia. 
           
          Milk 
          Breast milk or formula milk should be given to children under 1 year as the main milk drink in the 
          diet.  Follow-on Milk may be used from 6 months of age, alongside an increasingly varied diet as 
          solid foods are introduced. 
          Cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk should not be given to children under 1 year as the main milk drink, 
          because they do not contain enough iron and other nutrients to meet young babies’ needs. 
          DO NOT GIVE more than 1 pint milk (600ml) per day - as it reduces the appetite for food. 
           
           
               
                                 
              Supplements 
              Vitamin drops are available from your local Baby Clinic and can be used until 5 years of age. Iron 
              supplements may be prescribed by your doctor and should be given at the same time as foods 
              high in Vitamin C.   
               
              Improving iron absorption 
              INCLUDE: Foods and drinks rich in Vitamin C at each meal as Vitamin C helps to absorb the iron 
              from food. Good sources of Vitamin C include: 
                      Citrus fruits - oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruit, tomato. 
                      Fruit juices - citrus fruits and other juices, drinks with added vitamin C, e.g. blackcurrant 
                       squash.                           
                      Vegetables - cook for as short a time as possible in a minimum of water or eat raw. 
                
              AVOID: Tea - contains tannin which slows down absorption of iron. 
               
               
               
              Foods which provide iron 
              Good sources of iron      
                       Meat            Beef, chicken, lamb, liver, pork, turkey, liver pate, liver sausage,  
                                       sausages, beef burgers, corned beef. 
                       Oily Fish       Sardines, pilchards, tuna, mackerel, salmon, trout. 
                       Eggs            Cooked in any form – yolk provides most of the iron (must be hard-
                                       boiled for children under 1 yr old). 
              Other sources of iron     
                                       Baked beans, lentils, kidney beans, chick peas, mung beans, haricot 
                   Beans & Pulses      beans, red kidney beans, soya beans etc. 
                                       Ensure beans are well cooked or use tinned. 
                       Bread           Wholemeal bread, rolls, chapattis 
                                       Foods from wholegrain flour. 
                                       Wholegrain cereals - All Bran, Bran Flakes, Cornflakes, Ready Brek, 
                       Cereals         Weetabix. 
                                       Fortified breakfast cereals (check labels for products fortified with iron)  
                       Vegetables      Dark green leafy vegetables, e.g. spinach, cabbage, broccoli, peas, 
                                       watercress, curly kale. 
                       Fruit           Dried fruit - raisins, sultanas, figs, prunes, apricots. 
                                       All nuts and nut butters e.g. peanut butter. 
                       Nuts            NB: DO NOT GIVE WHOLE NUTS TO CHILDREN UNDER 5 DUE TO 
                                       RISK OF CHOKING. 
                      Baby Foods       Rusks, some manufactured baby foods – jars, tins, packets. 
                      Miscellaneous    Chocolate and cocoa powder, treacle, Bovril. 
               
               
               
         
         
        Who should I contact if I have a problem or question? 
        The Dietetic Department, Hillingdon Hospital, tel: 01895 279416 
         
        What should I do in case of an emergency? 
        If your concern is related to your diet please contact us on 01895 279416. Otherwise please 
        contact your GP or NHS 111. 
         
        Languages/ Alternative Formats 
        Please ask if you require this information in other languages, large print or audio format. 
        Please contact:  01895 279973 
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        01895 279 973  
                                                       
                                                       
                                                              
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         Ref: PIID 426 
         Date: May 2017 
         Review: May 2019