Zinc is an essential nutrient in the baby's growth and development. A survey shows that the zinc deficiency rate of children in China is as high as 6%, that is to say, one in two children may be zinc deficient.

In fact, the probability of zinc deficiency in breast-fed babies within six months is very low, but with the growth of babies, the demand for zinc has increased greatly, and breast milk can no longer meet their requirements. Therefore, Bao Ma should pay extra attention to the supplement of zinc when adding complementary food to her baby. When the baby has the following four signals, it means that the child is short of zinc.

1. Children have anorexia reaction:

If zinc is deficient in children's bodies, their taste will be reduced, resulting in anorexia and anorexia, and even some children will have pica, like eating soil, nails and other strange things, which are caused by serious zinc deficiency.

2. Growth retardation:

Babies with long-term zinc deficiency, with less food intake and unbalanced nutrition, will suffer from stunted growth, short stature and emaciation. Some serious babies are 5 or 6 centimeters shorter than their peers. Some parents think that their children's short stature is caused by calcium deficiency, so they often delay their illness because of misdiagnosis.

3. Mental retardation:

The lack of zinc in the body will also limit the baby's intellectual development, leading to inattention, decreased cognitive function and slower reaction speed than ordinary people. If it is a school-age child, the academic performance will drop significantly.

4. Decline of immunity:

Our immune system is a big defense system, which can help resist the infection of various pathogenic bacteria and viruses. If zinc is deficient for a long time, the immune system function will be reduced, and symptoms such as cold, fever, diarrhea and eczema will appear at any time.

in our daily life, how should we avoid zinc deficiency in our baby?

1. Eat more foods rich in zinc:

Shellfish, red meat and animal offal are all foods with high zinc content, which are more conducive to the baby's digestion and absorption. Therefore, such foods can be appropriately added to the baby's complementary food. In addition, red meats such as beef, mutton and lean meat and animal livers are rich in iron, which can be won in one fell swoop if eaten regularly.

2. Put an end to second-hand smoke:

Parents always think that if they don't smoke in front of their children, it won't hurt them, but it may not. When smoking, smoke will attach to parents' clothes, hair and skin, and cadmium, a heavy metal in smoke, will have a strong toxic effect on children. This substance will interfere with the absorption and function of zinc in the body, so it will also lead to zinc deficiency in the baby.