Abstract :
To determine the prevalence of micronutrient deficiency in school-age children. A total of 400 children, including 227 girls and 173 boys, were included in the study, which was completed by their parents on a purely voluntary basis and had a written consent form, which applied to the General Outpatient Clinic of Ibn Al Atheer Teaching Hospital in City of Mosul between January and September 2021. Blood was taken from the children included in the study to tubes suitable for full blood count, iron, ferritin, folate and vitamin B12 level. The tube with EDTA was used for the full blood count internal, and the flat tube without anticoagulants was used for other parameters. The lower limit of hemoglobin was 11.5 g/dl for the 6-12 age range, 12 g/dl for girls and 13 g/dl for boys for the 12-14 age range. The number of WBC was considered 5000-14500 cells/mm3 for6-8years and 4500-13500 cells/mm 3 for 8-14 years. The lower limit of ferritin was determined as 12 ng/dl and the lower limit of iron was 70 μg/dl. The lower value for Vitamin B12 is 200 pg/ml, vitamin B12 is set at 200-300 pg/ml, the lower value of folate is3 ng/ml, and the inadequacy limit for folate is 3-5 ng/ml. Anemia in 60.5% of the 392 children included in the study, anemia in 13.5%, IDA in 11.5%, Vitamin B12 deficiency was found in 33.4% and folate deficiency was found in 0.5%. Also, when vitamin B12 and folate deficiency are assessed, respectively It was found to be 33.9% and 7.1%. There was no statistically significant difference between the presence of iron deficiency and vitamin B12 levels (p>0.05). Folate levels were found to be incomplete and inadequate in 10.1% of those with iron deficiency and statistically significant difference was found (p=0.037). There was no statistically significant difference between vitamin B12 deficiency and folat levels (p>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the presence of ane. The education levels of mothers who have an important role in child nutrition and education should be raised.
