I have a DS who is just over 2.5 years old. He has had issues with low iron since he was 16 months old. He is a very, very selective eater as it is and as such, is under a paediatric dietician. In the last year, I have noticed his iron drop four times and I know his iron levels are getting low when his selective eating becomes even worse in terms of him having any appetite at all. He’s been given ferrous fumerate four times now and it brings the levels up to (at best, 57) before he no longer has it and then because his diet consists of limited food that has iron in (only Cheerios), it slowly decreases again.
I have just come out of a doctor appointment for him where his level is 31 - 1 above abnormal range for his age. He’s been prescribed ferrous fumerate again, though the GP wasn’t keen because he was “normal”. In reality, it’s probably abnormal now because his blood test was 3 weeks ago. I literally burst into tears in the appointment because I couldn’t get through to the GP how upsetting it is to watch your child eat a bite of food and be full. She just kept interrupting DH and I, even when we were answering her questions.
They just aren’t interested in helping him. He’s a 2 year old. I just don’t get it. The dietician is rubbish too in all honesty.
When his iron increases, I see a noticeable difference in his appetite and interest in different foods, even just licking them. He won’t accept any iron supplement to keep going with but actually really likes the taste of ferrous fumerate.
In the last 3 months, he’s actually lost 0.2kg. He was on 52nd centile this time last year and is now 25th. No one seems to listen or support.
Any ideas?
Respectfully, we have always done eating together, no pressure, making food available, safe foods (of which he has only a handful) food prep together, all that business so I don’t mean tips to get him to eat more, I mean where can I go from here to get him more support?