We are not supporting this browser

Toddler Tummy

      The importance of iron for toddlers 1 year+

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      .

      Playing

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      .

      Iron is important for brain development

      Every new skill your toddler learns, whether it’s giggling and chatting, taking little wobbly steps or scribbling their first work of art, relies on healthy brain development. So it’s important to include iron-rich foods in your toddler’s daily diet.

      Your toddler is learning more every day

      At this stage, your toddler is using their brain for four key skills:

      • Physical development: 
        Good co-ordination skills are essential for any physical activity, including learning to walk, using a crayon and playing catch with a ball
      • Language development: 
        These first few years of life are the prime time for learning to use words
      • Emotional and social development:
        Interacting with other people and learning to share toys with other children encourages good relationships
      • Visual development: 
        This is a key time for learning to recognise objects, shapes and colours in the world around them

      Iron deficiency and your toddler

      Due to toddlers’ relatively high dietary iron requirements, they are vulnerable to iron deficiency if they are not regularly consuming iron rich foods.

      If iron levels get too low, this can leave your toddler tired and lacking in energy. In a small number of cases this can lead to iron deficiency anaemia which can affect a toddler’s development in the longer term.

      If you have any concerns about your toddler’s iron intake or general health please consult your doctor.

      How much iron does your toddler need?

      The recommended daily amount of iron for toddlers aged 1 to 3 years is 6.9mg. However, getting iron into your toddler's diet can be tricky. To help you achieve this, we've put together some useful advice on how to give your toddler more iron as well as a list of the top iron-rich foods.

      Any more questions?

      Our specialist baby advisors and experienced mums are here to talk and ready to help whenever you need them. You can call us or reach us on Live Chat 8.30am-5.30pm Monday-Friday.

      Join the C&G baby club today

      Join the C&G baby club today

      • Weekly emails with tips and advice for your stage
      • 1-to-1 support from our dedicated Careline team, 8.30am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday.
      Join us now

      More from toddler

      Your privacy is important to us and therefore we would like to explain how we use cookies on this website. With your consent, we will use cookies to measure and analyse how our website is used (analytical cookies), to tailor it to your interests (personalisation cookies), and to show you relevant advertising and information (targeting cookies) we think you will like. For more information please read the cookie statement.

      Privacy Settings

      You can choose your preferences anytime for cookies and tracking. For more information please read our cookie policy

      • Strictly necessary

        They are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services (setting your privacy preferences, logging in, filling in forms, etc.). You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.

      • Analytical cookies

        They allow us to count visits and traffic sources, to measure and improve the performance of our site. They show us which pages are the most and least popular and how visitors move around the site. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

      • Personalisation cookies

        They enable website’s enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third parties whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

      • Targeting cookies

        They may be set through our site by our advertising partners, to build a profile of your interests and to show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.