Iron deficiency increases the probability of deviations in the trajectory of children's motor and mental development from a normal developmental path.

What does the evidence say?

The retrieved papers consistently support the claim that iron deficiency adversely affects children's motor and mental development trajectories. Reviews such as [1] and [8] highlight the established neurodevelopmental consequences of early-life iron deficiency, confirming that iron is critical for cognitive and motor outcomes. Although some studies like [10] or [11] examine maternal anemia or note mixed short-term neonatal findings, the broader body of literature supports the negative impact of iron deficiency on developmental trajectories.