Mothers should pay attention to the symptoms of zinc deficiency in babies

Many babies suffer from zinc deficiency due to some lifestyle habits, such as not eating vegetables. So what are the specific symptoms of zinc deficiency? Moms, hurry up and learn. If you find that your child has the following symptoms, you should pay attention to supplement your child with zinc in time.

Symptoms of zinc deficiency in babies

Comprehensive and rich nutrition for infants can ensure the healthy development of their bodies. On the one hand, zinc deficiency in babies will reduce the number of brain cells, especially during the fetal period to 3 years old. If zinc is deficient, it will affect brain development. According to relevant nutrition surveys, for some children with congenital idiocy, zinc deficiency is one of the important reasons after excluding genetic factors. On the other hand, zinc deficiency can also reduce immune function and lead to frequent illness, because zinc has a great effect on the bactericidal ability of phagocytes. Studies have shown that among children with recurrent respiratory infections, the proportion of zinc-deficient babies is significantly higher than that of normal babies. Clinically, it has been found that injured children have slow wound healing when they lack zinc. If you want to know whether your baby is zinc deficient, you must first find out what the symptoms of zinc deficiency are. The following editor will introduce to you:

1. Loss of appetite. Picky eating, anorexia, refusal to eat, general reduction in food intake, no feeling of hunger, and no initiative to eat;

2. Eating strange things randomly. For example: biting nails, clothes, chewing toys, hard objects, eating hair, paper scraps, raw rice, wall dust, soil, sand, etc.;

3. Slow growth and development, height is 3-6 cm lower than the same age group, and weight is 2-3 kg lighter;

4. Low immunity, frequent colds and fevers, repeated respiratory tract infections such as tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, sweating, night sweats, etc.;

5. White spots appear on the nails, hangnails grow on the fingers, and geographic tongue appears (irregular red and white patterns on the surface of the tongue);

6. Hyperactivity, slow reaction, lack of concentration, and poor learning ability;

7. Vision problems: decreased vision can easily lead to night vision difficulties, myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, etc.;

8. Skin damage: When trauma occurs, the wound is not easy to heal; prone to dermatitis and stubborn eczema;

9. Recurrent oral ulcers.

The role of zinc in babies

1. Promote growth and development

Children are in the golden period of growth and development. Once zinc deficiency affects the normal development of the baby, it will lead to stunted growth. In severe cases, it may even lead to dwarfism and mental retardation.

2. Maintain normal appetite

If the baby's body lacks zinc, his sense of taste will be significantly reduced, and he may then develop symptoms such as picky eating and partial eating. In severe cases, he may even develop pica.

3. Improve Immunity

Zinc can help provide the necessary nutrients for the human immune system. Zinc can decompose T lymphocytes, increase cellular immune function, and thus protect the healthy development of the thymus.

4. Accelerate wound healing

Zinc can treat skin diseases and is called zinc supplement. This is because the human body needs a variety of enzymes for metabolism, and zinc is an activating factor for these enzymes, which is beneficial to the division and growth of human epidermal cells and accelerates the formation of new granulation tissue in wounds.

5. Good for visual development

From the clinical point of view, zinc is beneficial to human eye organs. Zinc can promote the absorption of VA. Once the body needs it, vitamin A stored in the liver will be transported to the relevant parts through zinc.

Reasons for zinc deficiency in babies

There are three main ones:

1. In the traditional dietary habits of Chinese people, dishes are usually cooked by high-temperature methods such as frying, stir-frying, boiling and deep-frying. The high-temperature cooking process will cause the loss of many nutrients in the dishes, especially the loss of zinc.

2. Foods high in zinc, such as animal liver and seafood, are not commonly consumed by Chinese families, leading to a high zinc deficiency rate among Chinese children, reaching nearly 60%. In other words, on average one in every two children is zinc deficient.

3. Anorexia is common among Chinese children, and it is less likely that they can supplement zinc through food. In fact, the essence of anorexia among children is a problem of their digestive function. Zinc can protect and promote the normal development of taste buds and gastrointestinal digestive function, improve children's sensitivity to food and gastrointestinal digestive function. When the function develops normally, the child's appetite will naturally be strong.

What should children eat to supplement zinc?

1. Oysters

Among all seafood, oysters are the most zinc-rich. Every 100 grams of edible oysters contains 9.39 mg of zinc, 7.1 mg of iron, 11.5 mg of copper, 115 mg of phosphorus, 86 micrograms of selenium, 27 micrograms of vitamin A, and 1.4 mg of niacin.

2. Beef

Beef is rich in nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, and niacin. The protein in beef contains a lot of essential amino acids for the human body; beef is also rich in iron and zinc, so its nutritional value is very high. The zinc in beef is easier to absorb than the zinc in plants. The human body absorbs 21% to 26% of the zinc in beef, while the absorption rate of zinc in whole wheat bread is only 14%.

3. Eel

Eel contains a variety of vitamins and inorganic salts. It is a high-protein, low-fat food that can supplement children with rich zinc, iron and calcium. The rich vitamin A it contains can enhance eyesight and promote skin metabolism. The lecithin it contains is an indispensable nutrient for brain cells and can improve memory.

4. Shrimp

Shrimp skin is rich in calcium, phosphorus and zinc. It is one of the best foods for zinc supplementation. It is especially rich in calcium. If you want to supplement calcium, it is also one of the good ingredients.

5. Bean sprouts

Bean sprouts contain protein, fat, carbohydrates, phosphorus, iron, calcium and multiple vitamins. The rich vitamin C can promote the body's absorption and utilization of iron. If bean sprouts are cooked with clam meat, they can supplement zinc, iron, calcium and other nutrients for children, which is beneficial to the healthy growth of children.

6. Chicken

3 ounces of cooked chicken contains 2.4 mg of zinc. Chicken is an important food source of vitamin B6, which is beneficial to the normal function of the brain. Curry chicken with yogurt is a good nutritional combination.

7. Cashews

One ounce (28 grams) of cashews contains 1.6 mg of zinc. Cashews also contain healthy fats, folate, B vitamins, and vitamin K. Unsalted cashews are a very healthy snack and can also be added to stir-fried or salad dishes.

8. Almonds

1 ounce of almonds contains 0.9 mg of zinc. Almonds are also rich in magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin E, which help protect the eyes and enhance immunity. Eating a handful of almonds in the afternoon can not only resist hunger but also prevent you from eating too much at dinner.