Iron Deficiency Anemia in Children Under Five: Trends in Early Diagnosis and Preventive Outcomes in Uzbekistan (2023-2025)

IDA remains one of the most prevalent health issues that are silently devastating in young children, particularly in low- and middle-income nations, such as Uzbekistan. Even in developed countries, a great number of children who are younger than five years of age remain undiagnosed until the symptoms are severe enough to become difficult to overlook. We conducted a follow-up of 418 children in the urban and rural pediatric practices between February 2023 and February 2025 to gain more insights into the early identification of the problem, the clinical manifestation of the disease, and the efficiency of the existing prevention strategies. Every kid was checked clinically in all respects, and hemoglobin, serum iron, and ferritin status were determined in the laboratories. Of the sample, 264 (63.2) percent of children had iron deficiency anemia. Of greater concern, almost 10 percent were severely anemic at the moment of diagnosis. Early screened children who were usually screened at times of check-up tended to perform better on developing conditions such as being more attentive, physically growth and attentive. We also found out that integrated caregiver education, dietary improvements, and oral iron therapy showed high levels of recovery, as over 75 percent of children treated regained normal hemoglobin levels in 3 months. Nevertheless, rural children had a higher chance of delayed diagnosis and poor access to regular follow-ups. These results emphasize the importance of the improvement of community-based screening initiatives, better routes to raising parental awareness, and equalizing the possibility of care access to prevent interventions. Early detection of the anemia is a possibility to treat this health condition more successfully and save the further growth and learning abilities of a child.