My 19 month old boy is anemic and won't eat

[CatFromSA]

My little boy is anemic (we have yet to see a specialist regarding iron supplements) but more worrying and frustratingly he doesn't want to eat anything other than bread and biscuits. He will eat the odd bit of fruit, raisins and porridge. He refuses everything I cook and always has done. He won't even eat a pouch now. He has steadily been getting worse since he was 1. He has never been great at eating even when weaning but the past month has been a nightmare. He is now irritable and throws almighty tantrums. Has or is anyone experiencing the same with their child? Help! I'm getting totally stressed out which I know is shouldn't be.

Didn't want to read and run, and don't have much in the way of advice except perhaps to offer milkshakes with good stuff added in? Make a banana milkshake, get him used to that and then sneak other things in once he is used to it?

My older ds is 7 now, so it is a long time since I weaned, but as veggies I was always worried about iron consumption and used to add things like wheat germ, blackstrap molasses and spinach to everything I possibly could!

Also I remember vitamin c helps dietary iron absorb. I used to do wholemeal eggy bread with puréed spinach in the egg mix and a glass of oj at the same time.

I hope someone more knowledgeable will be along soon. Good luck OP

Thanks DoItToJulia! The milkshake sounds like a good idea as he loves his milk! As for food, all sounds good but he won't touch any of that stuff sadly. We're resorting back to follow on milk as it has iron in it until he's back in track. Thanks for your advice xx

buy some double cream and add that to porridge. add it to mashed potatos a well will increase calories in the small amount he eats.

I would ask to get him tested for coeliac disease. How are his bowels?