People often see advertisements for various zinc supplements on TV, which makes many parents worry that their children may lack zinc. When children are zinc deficient, there will be obvious symptoms. Moreover, the demand for zinc varies among children of different ages, so zinc supplementation should be based on the actual situation of the baby. So, how much zinc does a child need every day?
Children aged 0-6 months only need 1.5 milligrams of zinc per day, while children aged 7-12 months need 8 milligrams of zinc. As children grow older, their demand for zinc will gradually increase. During the age of 14-18, children have the highest demand for zinc, requiring 19 milligrams of zinc per day. After the age of 18, the demand for zinc will decrease, and a daily intake of 11.5 milligrams is sufficient.
When children are zinc deficient, it not only affects their physical growth, but also leads to eating disorders, with the most obvious manifestations being picky eating, anorexia, and refusal to eat. At this point, the child's food intake will significantly decrease, and sometimes they won't feel hungry even if they don't eat. In addition, children with zinc deficiency are also prone to developing "pica" and eating non food items such as pencils and paper scraps.
Zinc is an important substance that promotes the development of the human immune system. If children are deficient in zinc, it will lower their immune function and increase the frequency of illness. At this point, children often experience recurrent colds, fever, and tonsillitis.
