Patient's question:
The baby is three months old. Since the second and a half month, they have been eating their hands especially strongly, using both hands together, and they are always eating. I heard that eating hands is a sign of zinc deficiency, but some say it's just the baby playing. Is it zinc deficiency or just playing? If it's zinc deficiency, how should it be supplemented?Doctor's answer:
Hello: Children with zinc deficiency may suffer from various diseases. Not only do they exhibit stunted growth and poor weight gain, but they also experience rough skin, yellow and soft hair that is dry and brittle. Zinc deficiency can also impair their taste buds, altering their sense of taste and leading to a loss of appetite, anorexia, and pica (craving non-food items). Some children may develop a preference for things like matches, raw flour, soil, sand, paper, and cigarette butts, which is often caused by zinc deficiency. Additionally, zinc-deficient children are more prone to respiratory diseases such as colds, pneumonia, and bronchitis.If zinc deficiency is present, zinc gluconate oral solution can be used for supplementation.