Behavior of Infants with Iron‐Deficiency Anemia

Abstract

This study tested the hypothesis that infants with iron-deficiency anemia show behaviors, such as increased proximity to caregivers, increased wariness or hesitance, and decreased activity, that could contribute to "functional isolation." The behavior of 52 Costa Rican 12- to 23-month-old infants with iron-deficiency anemia was contrasted with that of 139 comparison group infants with better iron status during free play and mental and motor testing and in the home. Infants with iron-deficiency anemia maintained closer contact with caregivers; showed less pleasure and delight; were more wary, hesitant, and easily tired; made fewer attempts at test items; were less attentive to instructions and demonstrations; and were less playful. Adult behavior also differed. The results indicate that iron-deficiency anemia in infancy is associated with alterations in affect and activity, suggesting that functional isolation is a useful framework for understanding poorer developmental outcome in iron-deficiency anemia, the world's most common single nutrient deficiency.

Caring for children around the world: A view from HOME

“…Despite high rates of poverty and generally low levels of education in Latin America, Africa, and much of Asia, most studies examining HOME stimulation and child well-being have found robust relations between the two (Aina et al, 1993;Bastos et al, 1998;Black, 2003;Chomitz, 1992;Church & Katigbak, 1991;Cravioto & DeLicardie, 1972;Drotar et al, 1999;Duhan & Punia, 1998;Durbrow et al, 1997;Grantham-McGregor, 1991;Grantham-McGregor, Powell, Walker, Chang, & Fletcher, 1995;Grantham-McGregor, Lira, Ashworth, Morris, & Assuncao, 1998;Hamadani, Fuchs, Osendarp, Huda, & Grantham-McGregor, 2002;Hayes, 1997;Hayes, Lampart, Dreher, & Morgan, 1991;Jang, 2001;Lee, Super, & Harkness, 2003;Lozoff et al, 1995Lozoff et al, , 1998Lozoff, Jimenez, & Wolf, 1991;Marturano, Ferreira, & Bacarji, 2004;Masud, Luster, & Youatt, 1994;Misra & Tiwari, 1984;Richter & Grieve, 1991;Sahu & Devi, 1982;Torralva & Cugnasco, 1999;Zeitlin et al, 1995). In some instances associations were lower than most in the US, for example in Bahrain (Hadeed & Sylva, 1999).…”

Nutritional deficits and behavioural development

“…Functional isolation refers to processes whereby the behavioural consequences of malnutrition or vitamin or mineral de ciencies act to restrict both the child's access to the environment and the child's ability to pro t from facilitative in uences in the environment . For example, Lozoff et al (1998) have concluded that the lower activity, greater fearfulness, and lower positive affect seen in children with iron de ciency anaemia all act to reduce the child's interactions with its environment and the ability of the child to learn about and from its environment. Unfortunately, all too few studies have directly tested the function isolation hypothesis and those that have are not always supportive of this hypothesis (Gardner, Grantham-McGregor, Chang, Himes, & Powell, 1995).…”

Perinatal nutritional iron deficiency permanently impairs hippocampus-dependent trace fear conditioning in rats

“…water maze learning). It has been well documented in both humans and animals that ID produces significant impairments in skeletal motor activity along with reduced motivation (Glover and Jacobs 1972, Weinberg et al 1980, Bhatia and Seshadri 1987, Hunt et al 1994, Lozoff et al 1998, Kwik-Uribe et al 1999, Harahap et al 2000, de Ungria et al 2000, Pinero et al 2001, Stoltzfus et al 2001, Angulo-Kinzler et al 2002. No studies have ever determined if perinatal ID also affects non-motor forms of hippocampus dependent learning.…”