Iron deficiency anemia is mostly seen in which age group of children?

RML PRE 2025

Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics)

Easy

Appeared in: RML PRE 2025

Explanation

The peak incidence of iron deficiency anemia occurs in infants and toddlers, specifically between 6 months and 2 years of age.
This is primarily because the iron stores a full-term infant is born with are depleted by around 4 to 6 months of age.
This period coincides with rapid physical growth, which increases the physiological demand for iron for hemoglobin synthesis and red blood cell production.
Dietary transition is a key factor; excessive intake of cow's milk, which is low in iron and can inhibit absorption, often displaces iron-rich foods from the diet.

Option A: Neonates are generally protected from iron deficiency. They rely on the iron stores transferred from the mother during the third trimester of pregnancy.
Option C: While iron deficiency can occur in this group due to poor diet, the risk is lower than in infancy. The rate of growth slows down, and children typically consume a more varied diet that can meet their iron requirements.
Option D: Adolescents are another high-risk group, but they do not represent the age of peak incidence for the pediatric population as a whole. The risk is particularly high for females due to the onset of menstruation combined with rapid growth spurts.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Peak incidence of iron deficiency anemia in pediatric age groups as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a crucial role in providing anticipatory guidance to parents during well-child visits about appropriate nutrition to prevent iron deficiency, especially regarding the introduction of iron-rich foods and limiting cow's milk.
Routine screening for anemia is recommended for all children at approximately 12 months of age, which aligns with the period of highest risk.
What if? - If an infant was born prematurely, the risk of iron deficiency anemia would be significantly higher and would manifest earlier (around 2-3 months). This is because premature infants have lower initial iron stores and a faster postnatal growth rate, necessitating earlier and more aggressive iron supplementation.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question: it asks for the age group where iron deficiency anemia is most commonly seen, implying a peak incidence.
Consider the physiological iron balance in early life. Recall that a newborn has iron stores from the mother.
Think about when these stores are depleted. For a full-term infant, this happens around 4-6 months.
Next, correlate periods of rapid growth with increased iron demand. The most rapid growth phase after birth is during infancy and toddlerhood.
Evaluate the typical diet for each age group. Infants transition from breast milk/formula to solid foods, and cow's milk is often introduced. This transition is a vulnerable period for inadequate iron intake.
By combining these factors—depletion of stores, rapid growth, and dietary changes—you can deduce that infants and toddlers (6 months to 2 years) are the most at-risk group.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Peak incidence of iron deficiency anemia in pediatric age groups
Stem keywords: Iron deficiency anemia, age group, children
Lead-in keywords: mostly seen in

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E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 2 p. 739-741