KOCHI: More than 31% of the samples tested among the children in Kochi are anaemic, according to a study.Data analysis of tests on 1,535 children conducted by Metropolis Healthcare shows that more than 31% of the children in Kochi within the age bracket of 0 to 20 years are found to be anaemic in nature. In the age bracket of 0-10 years, around 20% of children tested showed abnormal signs of haemoglobin levels and it further increased to 36% for children tested in the age group of 10-20 years.“It is important to consume foods rich in Iron. Vitamin C helps in absorption of Iron and should always be included in the diet. Also, tea and coffee interfere with the absorption of iron and hence, it is important to time your supplements well. Regular monitoring of haemoglobin levels will assure you that your child does not have anaemia,” said Dr Ramesh Kumar, chief of Laboratory Services, Metropolis Healthcare Kerala. The study found that the most common cause of anaemia is the Iron deficiency. There could be other reasons for a child to be anaemic: if the child is suffering from thalassemia or sickle cell disease and having G6PD deficiency.“The most common signs to watch out for anaemia would be lethargy, unexplained fatigue, pale skin and pale eyes. More severe form of anaemia is characterized by a behaviour called as ‘pica’ where the child builds a tendency to eat dirt, clay and other unusual substances. This is not a harmful behaviour and it corrects itself once anaemia is treated,” Dr Kumar said.Over 36.23% of samples tested between children aged 10 and 20were found to have lesser than the required amount of Hb.

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