2.8 yr old, pale, dark circles, run down does she need extra iron?

[hazeyjane]

My 2.8 yr old dd, is very pale and tired all the time, she has recently started having naps in the pushchair again, after months without. She used to walk everywhere, but now always asks to go in the pushchair because she is a bit heavy (tired!)

She has been eating really badly recently and although i have had her checked out by the doctor ( who said she probably had a virus?). I wondered whether she was a bit low in iron (complete lack of red meat and green veg in diet).

Has anyone given iron supplements or Spatone(which i found very good when i was pregnant) to their children?

you should never give iron supplements to children without medical advice. Ask the doctor for a blood test.

I quite often give dd a few days of Minadex when she's like this and it usually perks her up. You can buy it fairly easily in pharmacies.

Minadex

better to give a multivit containing iron - no good giving iron alone if she's not eating the vit C to help her absorb it

winter takes some this way - multivits, hidden veg and hope she perks up over Christmas...

Really easy thing to eat which ds loves is carob - he has a teaspoon mixed into some yoghurt, or breakfast, or mixed into a mug of milk - its a bit chocolaty but don't expect it to taste like chocolate. Its sweet on its own though unlike chocolate. Its a really easy way of boosting iron through what you're eating rather than with supplements - I always feel better with this approach, particularly with ds. We've had similar times when we've boosted his iron leves this way - we often find that this seems to be close to a growth spurt...

I have also given Minadex before.

But IMO pale, dark circles round eyes and too tired to walk implies she also needs more sleep. Try to improve her intake of nutrients but also bring forward her bedtime by half an hour.

Tiredness can be part of being hypermobile (www.hypermobility.org) and little ones can use the pushchair more than average as a result. GPs are not always aware of hypermobility. Physio really helps - from Hypermobility Clinics. I may have gone off on a tangent here but worth considering.

Thanks Christywhisty, I was thinking of asking for a blood test when dd has to go the hospital on the 23rd for an asthma checkup.

I looked at the Spatone box and it said from 2 years, and nothing about doctors recommendation, so thought it might be ok.

I'll have a look out for Minadex, haven't heard of it before - thanks.

Sorry didn't see other replies, before I wrote last post.

Carob, is a good idea, I used to eat this when i was vegan, i'll check out the health food shop.

Don't know anything about hypermobility, so will check out that website - thankyou.

If I'm feeling run down, I try to eat better and cut out stuff that makes me feel crap, but when dd refuses to eat loads of stuff it is hard to improve her diet, she does have a multi vitamin, but it doesn't have iron in.

HJ - I get carob powder to add to things - its just carob ground up - that way you don't have all the other stuff that's in the bars which effectively dilutes the carob and adds a whole lot of sugar/milk/fat that you could probably have a different way..

Oh darn I thought the chocolateyness might mean she would actually eat it!

You could try the bars certainly! However, if (like me with my son) you're more interested in other foods, the powder is a good addition and it can make other foods more interesting - eg we have 'stripy' yoghurt and 'carob' porridge sometimes (a bit like cocopops etc!!!)

She might have allergic shiners. esp if she is asthmatic too.

Sorry for my ignorance, but what are allergic shiners!?

shiners here. scroll down a bit

Thanks for the link, ladyjuliafish

I think I am going to try and get a referral for an allergy test, because recently she has had really bad wind, bloated tummy, and her eczema has reappeared. Reading some of the allergy stuff on google, it all seems very familiar.

Now I just have to try and persuade a medical person that I am not just a paranoid mum!

Blimey.... sounds just like my ds, lethargic constantly ill,pale,circles under eyes, asthma, eczema,hayfever,wind etc etc. Not good they have it but glad he is not exclusive!! Am reading the advice with interest!

jvs, can I ask have you been to a doctor about you ds? It's just that whenever i ask them about it they say 'Oh I expect its a virus', and I am starting to feel completely fobbed off, as she seems to have had this 'virus' for a very, very long time!

Ds seems to go through spells of it rather than a constant thing.... he is also a poor sleeper because he has huge adenoids... recurrent tonsilitus etc etc. My docs are pretty good and always seem understanding but have always been reluctant to do blood tests/allergy tests because it is stressful for child...... He was run down for a good two months over the summer and took for ages to recover from a chest inf in the spring so I guess the 'aftermath' of a virus is hard for them to cope with. It is hard though when they never seem as well as all their mates and other mums keep commenting on how often they are sick. Asthma just seems to make them so much more vulnerable!

Do you have an asthma nurse..... ours seems far more forward thinking than some of the docs.... maybe she could sort out some blood tests?