ackground: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most common nutritional deficiency primarily in developing
countries.
Objective: This study evaluates the effect of IDA on language development in preschool children.
Methodology: The study is a multicenter, comparative cross-sectional study included 226 children between ages
4–6 years. The children were classified into two groups’ anemic (patients) and non anemic (controls) according
to the hemoglobin level. All anemic children subjected to complete iron study including; Serum iron, total iron
binding capacity (TIBC), Serum ferritin level, to confirm the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia. Cognitive
assessment was done using the Arabic translation Stanford Binet intelligence scale, version four which comprised
of four cognitive area scores; visual reasoning, verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and short-term memory.
Measurement of IQ and mental age were calculated for each child. Language evaluation was done using the
Arabic Language test. Receptive language quotient, expressive language quotient and total language quotient
were calculated for each child.
Results: 122 children were anemic and 90 were non-anemic with hemoglobin level 10.65 and 11.96 g/dL, respectively
(P < 0.000). Anemic children had significantly lower serum ferritin (p < 0.0001), and serum iron
(p < 0.0001) compared to the controls. Both groups were matched as regards age, sex, socioeconomic levels
and parental educational level. No significant differences observed regarding IQ, mental age, receptive, expressive
and total language quotients between anemic and non-anemic children.
Conclusions: IDA does not seem to have an effect on language development in preschool Egyptian Children.
Future large controlled studies with long follow-up time for the younger age group are needed to determine
whether there are existent associations between IDA with language development.