Iron deficiency

[KLouise]

I have just found out that my 20mth son is aneamic!! This is a bit of a shock as he eats everything and anything! He always has ready brec or weetabix for breakfast and always has veggies with his lunch and tea!! He loves meat (even though me and my husband are veggie) and lentils and just about everything! I cook all his meals fresh, and use very little pre bought frozen meals, except veg! His favourite veg is peas and sweetcorn but will eat any. He drinks only water during the day and milk in the morning and at night! Any ideas where i'm going wrong?

it might depend what you're giving with iron rich fods. dairy products inhibit the absorption of iron, so if you gave him spinach with a cheesy sauce for example then it wouldn't be much benefit.

good sources of iron are dark leafy green vegetables, apricots and chick peas

you could also try a breakfast cereal with added iron

some people aren't able to absorb iron properly for a variety of reasons, both metabolic and due to vitamin deficienies.

make sure you give him iron at the same time as vit c (orange juice with his dinner for example) and don't give calcium foods at the same time if poss as these slightly inhibit the absorbtion of iron. one of the B vits (B12 i think) is also crucial for iron absorbtion

if he doesn't improve though i'd strongly recommend bringing him for more tests as he could have a metabolic problem which prevents iron being absorbed from his food

My sister's youngest dd had iron-deficient anaemia when she was a couple of years old. The GP told them that it's usually caused by a poor diet but that in children, particularly older babies and toddlers, it can be triggered by a period of rapid growth or weight-gain rather than by poor diet.

Good sources of iron are wholemeal bread, cereals, eggs, green vegetables and dried fruit. If he'll eat liver or beef, both are high in iron. Plus, try him with a glass of orange juice with his meals - it helps with the absorption of iron from food.

Something that the GP did tell my sister was that anaemia can sometimes be triggered by coeliac disease. Chances are it's not that in your son's case but it may be worth bearing in mind if he has any other symptoms.

Strawberries and Blueberries are great for Vitamin C too so if he could have some of them as snacks.

There is a great iron supplement you can buy called Spatone. I've been using it throughout my pregnancy and post-natal. It comes in little sachets, its clear and you just pour it in a glass of orange juice. Its suitable from the age of 2 (just checked the box) and if your gp diagnosed it then you may be able to get it on prescription. Its £3.50 for a pack of 14 and you have 1 a day.

Thank you all sooo much, I cant believe the response in such a short period of time!! My son has been prescribed iron supplements (in a liquid form!) and my other worry is that I dont want to suddenly increase his iron intake through food at the same time as he has the iron supplements! He has to have the medication for at least 2 months!

My partner is a very committed vegie and I am by default. He decreed that ds should be too. We had ds iron checked at about 9 months and he was under in all his iron-related levels. He was put on a liquid iron supplement for about 3 months and then left off for 3 months and then tested again. He was still low. After a few times of this I asked that he be tested at the end of taking the supplement. He was still low! He has just come into the normal range (at lower end) at 4. We did everything we could while he was taking iron supplements to try and get his iron up through food sources. His eating hasn't improved (if anything it's got worse). The iron thing just seems to have improved with age. with age. I doubt that focusing on iron-rich foods while taking a supplement will be a problem for your ds, although it sounds as though you're pretty on track for that now anyway. We always give our ds a kiwifruit in the evening to try and avoid the potential for constipation which is a possible side effect of iron supplements and this seems to work.
I find the veg. soc. website very helpful with info about iron etc. and lots of yummy recipes.