[The association between iron deficiency and learning disorders in preschoolers]

With the aim preventing future problems of underachievement at school, we studied the possible relationship between learning difficulties and iron deficiency in nursery-school children. To do this, we determined the prevalence of iron deficiency and the prevalence or learning difficulties in the different areas of mental development in a sample of 136 nursery school children coming from the Alaquàs public school (Valencia), aged between four and five years. Their nutritional state and ferric state, socioeconomic and cultural level, and psychomotor development were evaluated. All the children were in a good nutritional state, coming from homogeneous families as regards their socio-cultural level and being divided into two groups as regards their economic situation. The iron deficiency prevalence was 17.6% in stage I (ferritina sérica < 12 ng/l) and 22.8% in stage III (anemia ferropénica). The coefficient for overall development was 85.95, the lowest marks being in the speech area. A positive association (prevalence ratio = 2; IC 95% = 1.1-8.3) between iron deficiency in its III stage and changes in the specific area of analysis and synthesis.