If your baby has a low-birth weight, you may be concerned for his or her wellbeing. However, Swedish researchers have discovered that, at least in one respect, you can give your low birth weight infant a certain wellness boost that wouldn’t have the same effect in normal birth weight children. The study, published in Paediatrics, found that giving iron supplements to low birth weight (LBW) babies reduced their risk of developing ADHD later in life.
In a randomised, controlled trial, researchers at the Umeå University in Sweden, led by Staffan Berglund, gave nearly 300 low birth weight babies a supplement that contained anything between zero and two mg per kg of iron. After this, the researchers reported, ‘At age three-and-a-half, these infants and the 95 who had a normal birth weight were assessed for intelligence and behaviour.’
Berglund’s team noticed that there were no real differences in the IQ of low birth weight groups and their normal birth weight counterparts, but in other behavioural problems, such as ADHD, there was a significant effect. ‘Of the low birth weight infants who received no supplements, 12.7% showed signs of behaviour problems, compared to 2.9% of the infants in the one mg group and 2.7% of the two mg group,’ the study’s authors explained.
So what does that mean for your baby? The study researchers said that their findings show that if you give your otherwise healthy, low birth weight child iron supplements early on in life, there are significant long-term benefits to his or her behavioural wellbeing. Further, on the other end of the scale, the researchers added that, ‘The study suggests a causal relation between infant iron deficiency and later behavioural problems.’
In their report, the investigators concluded by saying, ‘Early iron supplementation of marginally LBW infants does not affect cognitive functions at three-and-a-half years of age but significantly reduces the prevalence of behavioural problems.’ If you think that iron supplements could improve your baby’s behavioural wellness, make sure you look online for more information and well-research the subject, and consult your paediatrician before giving your child this or any form of supplement.
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