DS anaemic but iron not helping... So worried

[YouMeddlingKids]

A few months ago Dr picked up that ds (12 months) was anaemic so put him on liquid iron. Two blood tests since then have shown anaemia has worsened even with increased dose. Now waiting for a referral to paediatric haematology but no idea how long the wait will be. Have Googled of course, and everything seems terrifying, blood transfusions, organ failure, reduced life expectancy... Does anyone have experience of similar anaemia not responding to iron, without it being something terrible? I was anxious anyway for a variety of reasons, and this has floored me

[YouMeddlingKids]

Desperate evening bump...

[Helspopje]

Paed haem referrals are usually fairly rapid for an infant with unexplained anaemia. Iron deficiency is not the only cause of anaemia so this may be why it 'didnt work' or it may be that the dose was inadequate.
I wouldnt worry unduly at present.

[YouMeddlingKids]

Thank you heis it's good to know that we shouldn't be waiting for months. I'm most worried because his iron dose was doubled, he takes a multivitamin with the b vitamins in as well, and he still ended up more, not less, anaemic. He was very very poorly when he was born due to difficulties in labour, and this has sent me back into a tailspin of feeling like I'm going to lose him. Glad to hear from someone else that I'm probably over reacting!

[UnbornMortificado]

Not a child but I struggled myself.

Never got an answer as to why they kept dropping. In the end the GP advised to take my iron tablets with pure orange juice and that eventually sorted it out.

[letsgetcake]

Has he been screened for coeliac disease? You dont need to have any gastro signs. So deffo worth asking the gp to do if he hasnt already!

[Viviene12]

What letsgetcake said. Someone from my family suffered from aneamia for years before hey found out it was gluten intolerance.

[YouMeddlingKids]

Thanks so much for your replies. unborn thanks for the tip, maybe I should try him on some watered down orange juice with it. Dr has actually recommended reducing the dose of iron for now, presumably because if it does turn out to be something like Thallesemia then iron could be dangerous for him.
I'd wondered about coeliacs after reading that online... Dr didn't mention it, just said that red blood cells were "consistent with Sickle cell" (although I think it's v unlikely to be that as no family history/not picked up during pregnancy or five day heel price and rare I think in caucasians). Not sure if red blood cells would be funny if it was coeliacs too? Have made an appointment to see usual gp next week, will have a list of questions!