This week on Health Watch, we’re talking about taking care of children. Children who don’t get enough iron during infancy and early childhood may face developmental delays that could lead to difficulty in school, lower test scores and delayed motor development. Some iron-deficiency anemia could come from feeding habits, such as not supplementing breast feeding with iron-rich foods and prolonged bottle feeding.

Dr. Jane Brotanek, a pediatrician at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says children should be weaned from the bottle by one year of age, with the transition to a cup starting at about nine months so the child can get used to it. Toddlers shouldn’t have more than two cups of cow’s milk a day. In addition to milk, toddlers should be given iron-rich foods such as spinach, eggs and fortified breads and cereals.

Visit http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/patientcare/medicalservices/pediatrics.html to learn more about UT Southwestern’s clinical service in pediatrics.