Does Your Child Have A Zinc Deficiency? You Might Be Surprised At The Signs!
You may never have given a thought to whether your child gets enough zinc in his or her diet but a zinc deficiency is surprisingly common.
Check out these "top ten" signs!
- Your child is frequently sick.
- He or she is a fussy eater.
- They have a poor appetite.
- Your child suffers from dry skin or the symptoms of eczema.
- White spots appear on their nails.
- Your child becomes upset at loud sounds - for example, the vacuum cleaner or garbage truck.
- They have auditory processing issues.
- They can also have tactile sensory issues.
- They can suffer from food sensitivities or a leaky gut which can cause various skin issues including acne in older children.
- Your child has attention/focus issues or becomes easily irritable or depressed.
What causes a zinc deficiency?
While the most obvious one is a poor diet, other reasons can be: Exposure to BPA and other plastics which can block zinc absorbency. Exposure to heavy metals. Not getting rid of toxins. Diets lacking animal proteins yet high in legumes and whole grains (which contain phytates that bind and make zinc absorption difficult).How to include zinc-rich food in your child's diet
- Pumpkin seeds
- Grass-fed beef
- Lamb
- Cashews
- Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)
- Mushrooms
- Chicken
- Kefir or yogurt
- Spinach
- Cocoa powder
Most of those in the USA are unaware of the possibility of a zinc deficiency in both adults and children.
A significant problem for most countries in the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the global prevalence of zinc deficiency is 31%.
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Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.