Iron profile in children with behavioural disorders: a prospective study in a tertiary care hospital in north India

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Nutritional Science
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Iron deficiency anemia is a prevalent micronutrient deficiency in developing nations, particularly impacting vulnerable groups like pregnant women and young children.
• Iron plays a critical role in neurodevelopment, including myelin formation, neurotransmitter synthesis, and overall neuro-metabolism.
• Behavioral disturbances have been previously associated with iron-deficient children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in children diagnosed with behavioral disorders.
• To assess the impact of oral iron treatment on behavioral symptoms, hematological parameters, and iron status in these children.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study evaluated 44 children (3-12 years) with diagnosed behavioral disorders.
• Hematological and iron status parameters (serum iron, TIBC, transferrin saturation, serum ferritin) were measured using an automated hematology analyzer.
• Iron deficiency was defined as transferrin saturation <16% and/or serum ferritin <16 μg/l. Thirty age-matched controls were included.

Main Results:

• Iron deficiency was identified in 73% (32 out of 44) of children with behavioral disorders.
• Following 100 ± 10 days of oral iron treatment, statistically significant improvements (P ≤ 0.05) were observed in clinical features, hematological profile, and iron status.
• No specific details on the child behavior checklist scores or specific hematological parameters were provided in the abstract.

Conclusions:

• The high prevalence of iron deficiency in children with behavioral disorders.
• The significant improvement in clinical and hematological parameters post-iron supplementation.
• These findings suggest a potential causal relationship between iron deficiency and the development or exacerbation of behavioral disorders in children.