Iron supplement for 3 year, really struggling with it!

[mummytowillow]

My daughter is 3 and has a very limited diet, the HV thinks she needs an iron supplement, she suggested Minadex but she hates it! I've put it in her milk am/pm but she notices it, so I've been putting chocolate powder in it to disguise it!!

I'm obviously worried about the chocolate thing but am at a loss of what else to give her! I've tried vitamin tablets with iron in them but she spits them out, they don't seem to do the jelly type vits with iron in them?

So I noticed that Ovaltine (chocolate) has quite alot of iron in it, is that equally as bad to give her? Or should I go back to toddler formula to get the iron into her? I'm very careful with her teeth cleaning, so does it really matter with the chocolate??

Any suggestions please?

Would blatant blackmail help? ie - eat this tablet/take the medicine, then you can have a gummy bear/marshmallow? Most days I manage to get my vv stubborn DD to take it this way, I don't like it but for me getting the iron in outweighs the downside of the sugar.

Alternatively does she like orange juice? I think you could disguise Spatone, a liquid iron supplement, in that (not many drinks are strong enough to manage it though).

Boots do a chewable, fizzy, strawberry flavoured multivitamin and iron tablet that both of mine are convinced is a sweet. They are called A-Z chewable tablets and contain about half of the RDA of iron.

Is she definitely anaemic? I've just been to the GP and despite a limited diet and extreme tiredness the GP thinks iron deficiency is quite unlikely.

What does your DD eat in a typical day?

Jareth I'm surprised your GP thinks it's that unlikely! Iron deficiency with very mild anaemia (often no symptoms) is extremley common due to the fact that most people don't have a perfect diet with enough red meat/greens/beans/lentils/combining them effectively...
Dairy and Tea and coffee also does reduce absorption of iron and these are very common things to eat regularly in Britain.

Low ferritin is low ferritin. And with symptoms it needs treating.

My dc, 3 & 2yrs both happily have this vitabiotics one. I get it in Boots or Tesco, it says its for up to 5yrs. I think its orange flavour, well thats what it smells like!

no, what I meant was that DS is showing very extreme symptoms (very tired and sleepy), but the GP said it was very unlikely that it's anaemia causing it (mild anaemia is common, but anaemia extreme enough to cause DSs symptoms is rare).

That's what I meant. I'd just come back from the GP so was a bit upset.

...and I also meant to add that why would a HV recommend iron supplements without first checking that a child is actually anaemic and that there aren't any other underlying health problems (if the child is showing symptoms)

My DS is quite fussy and has a small appetite. I used to give him Minadex in his bottle at night but I didn't like the fact it made his milk sugary as he's not a great tooth brusher so I now give him something called SPATONE. It's great as comes from natural iron sources so very gentle on tummies and is suitable for children over 2 years old. It's tasteless, just looks like water and it recommends mixing it with juice so that they get the vitamin C to absorb the iron but I do sometimes put in his bottle. Boots sell it in boxes containing enough sachets for a month. Is she definitely anemic? Does she eat anything at all containing iron? Good luck! x

Well I got those Boots A-Z tablets and she loves them, so drama over! In fact she thinks they are sweets and wants more than one!!