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Reversal of developmental delays in iron-deficient anaemic infants treated with iron
1Department of Child Health, Medical Faculty, Padjadjaran University, Bandung, Indonesia.
Insights
Iron supplementation significantly improved cognitive and motor development in iron-deficient anaemic infants. This treatment reversed developmental delays, bringing performance up to the level of iron-sufficient infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Iron Metabolism
Background:
- Iron deficiency anaemia is prevalent in infants globally.
- Impaired cognitive and motor development is a known consequence of iron deficiency anaemia in infants.
- Early intervention is crucial for mitigating long-term developmental deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of iron supplementation on the mental and motor development of iron-deficient anaemic infants.
- To compare the developmental outcomes of iron-treated infants with placebo-treated infants.
- To assess the efficacy of ferrous sulphate in reversing developmental delays associated with iron deficiency anaemia.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, double-blind trial involving 12-18-month-old Indonesian infants.
- Participants were categorized into three groups: iron-deficient anaemic, non-anaemic iron-deficient, and iron-sufficient.
- Intervention involved daily ferrous sulphate or placebo for 4 months, with assessments using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development.
Main Results:
- Iron-deficient anaemic infants showed significantly lower baseline mental and motor scores compared to iron-sufficient and non-anaemic iron-deficient infants (p < 0.01).
- Infants with iron-deficient anaemia who received ferrous sulphate demonstrated a reversal of developmental delays.
- Placebo treatment did not improve scores in the iron-deficient anaemic group, and neither intervention affected scores in the other two groups.
Conclusions:
- Iron supplementation with ferrous sulphate effectively reverses developmental delays in iron-deficient anaemic infants.
- Treatment with ferrous sulphate can improve the mental and motor development scores of affected infants to levels comparable to iron-sufficient infants.
- Targeted iron supplementation is a critical intervention for optimizing infant neurodevelopment.
Abstract:
Iron-deficient anaemic infants perform worse in tests of mental and motor development than do iron-sufficient infants of a comparable age. A randomised, double-blind trial was done to monitor the effects of iron supplementation on performance in the Bayley scales of mental and motor development among 12-18-month-old infants in Indonesia. Iron-deficient anaemic infants (n = 50) were assigned randomly to receive dietary ferrous sulphate or placebo for 4 month. Similar treatment randomisation was done among nonanaemic iron-deficient (n = 29) and iron-sufficient (n = 47) infants. Before intervention, the mean mental and motor scores of the iron-deficient anaemic infants were significantly (p < 0.01) lower than those of the nonanaemic iron-deficient and iron-sufficient classes. After intervention, developmental delays were reversed among iron-deficient anaemic infants who had received iron but they remained the same among placebo-treated iron-deficient anaemic infants. Neither ferrous sulphate nor placebo had significant effects on the scores of the other two iron-status classes. The poor performance of 12-18-month-old iron-deficient anaemic infants in the Bayley scales of mental and motor development can be improved to the level of performance of iron-sufficient infants by treatment with ferrous sulphate.