Wondering If Anybody Has Had to Deal with an Anemic Child

H.,

I would first advise that you get your little one to a quality Pediatrician ASAP for blood work, etc. There is a wonderful Nutritionist who I can recommend that has helped me so much. It is Dr. Dinklemann in WoodRiver, IL. I am not sure where you live, so this may or may not be an option. However, perhaps Dr. Dinklemann could recommend someone in your area that would be qualified to help with Nutritional advice. I HAVE found for my Daughter who is anemic, that the sub-lingual (under the tongue) B-12 tablets from the Tri-Vita Company have made a HUGE difference. They go directly into the system and have a 97% absorbtion rate into the system and does not lose any potency because it does not have to go through the digestive tract (stomach, intestines, etc). I KNOW this is a quality product to use. It is pleasant cherry flavored tablet that dissolves under your tongue in a few minutes. They have a web-site or you could call them if you prefer. I would check with your child's MD first to see if this product is safe for a 7 year old. My daughter is 17 and will not eat any meat, so therefore has low iron levels..........before she took this B-12. Now, it is much better. I hope this advice helps you and God Bless!

D.

I would suggest taking him to your dr and have them do a hematocrit (just a finger poke) to rule out anemia. It sounds like he may have something a bit more serious than anemia. Since he had a constant constipation issue when he was younger, he might have bowel issues. If his bowels aren't working well, it will keep him from being able to absorb the nutrients and fats that he needs to stay healthy. As for suppliments, I would suggest Emergen-C. It is a blend of Vit C, as well as trace minerals and several Vit Bs. It is also carbonated, so to kids it is like drinking soda. hope this helps.

Hi H.,

I agree with most moms here, DOCTOR FIRST AND NOW!(yesterday actualy!)
Give him pediasure for nutrition in the meantime and vitamins with iron to make sure he gets nutrition, that shoul take care of the anemia issue. What he has is somethign else that only a doctor can diagnose, not moms, every child is unique and can't relate to similar problems, please take him to the doctor as soon as you can, dark circles under eyes is not a good sign, my daughters only gets that when they get really sick and did not sleep well for several days, but they go away as fast as they come.
First the doctor to discard anythign serious, then you can focus on nutrition, pediasure does the trick.
Good luck and keep us posted!
M. Abadie
www.MykidsFirst.com

Take this child to a pediatrician; do not try to diagnose this problem yourself. It could be very serious.

Hi,
I do not have an anemic child, but we do have Celiac and Chrones diesease in our family. It sounds like your son needs some sort of specialist. I would check with your pediatrition to see if he would reccommend a Gastrointerologist or an Allergist
Good Luck!

I've been anemic my whole life and it really didn't start hitting me till i was in HS. My diet is fine, but i always feel tired; like i don't get enough sleep. your hemiglobin should be around 10-12. Mine has gotten down to a 6 before and they were going to give me a blood transfusion, but luckily i didn't have to have one. I'm suppose to take iron pills, but can't becasue i throw them back up. I know several people that are anemic and can't take iron pills because of that. I've been on several different kinds of iron. I also take Sublingual b-12. You can get it over the counter at walmart and it goes under your tongue and dissolves. It gives you a boost of energy, and i feel great the rest of the day. Don't know how old you have to be to take it. Before you do any kind of regimine though, take your son to the dr. and ask if they could give him a hemiglobin test. They draw blood, and test to see what his blood count is. I would start there and then if that isn't it ask your dr.

H.,
Have you had this child to a doctor, instead of trying to second guess if there is a real problem with him? You say nothing about a dr. in your notes. A parent is generally right on regarding his/her child, but it sounds like you really need to have a thorough evaluation of this little one done by his pediatrician. Does he do well in school? Does he sleep well at night? Does he get enough sleep? Is he a very active child? Does he take any supplements to replace the food he is not getting? You state that he is not a good eater. As a parent of two, I would certainly get this child to a doctor, if for no other reason than to make certain that I am doing all as a parent that I can do for him. If YOU do not know the reasons for him having sunken eyes and no appetite, the child certainly doesn't know. Please do not try to diagnose something yourself. That might get you in more of a quandry. Get this child professional attention before his habits become a lifetime lifestyle for him. The best of life to you and your family. Give those little ones lots of hugs from all of us mommies. D.

I had a similar problem with my son. When he was 3, 5, and 6, he threw up so much, and started throwing up blood that we would have to go to the emergenncy room where they would give him IVs to help rehydrate him and medication to help stop him from throwing up. They even kept him for three days on time. Thankfully he has not had any problems since, and he is almost 10.
Our family doctor ran simple blood tests and found out that his iron levels were low, a common start to anemia. We increased his iron intake with red meats and green leafy vegetables like broccoli and cabbage. As well as made sure he took vitamins daily. He has done wonderfully and has not had any more problems, and continues to grow and stay active.
My best advice is to talk to your doctor and voice your concerns. Ask about blood tests and any information about any other illnesses this could be. Good luck. I hope that you are able to find an answer soon.

Hi H.!

I went to hear a lecture from Dr. William Sears. He has written over 32 books for pediatric nutrition. Anyway, I went to his website and saw that he recommends a product called Juice Plus+. I started our girls on the gummies and the smoothie that Dr. Sears calls the "brainy breakfast". Our girls had been very constipated and missed several days of school throughout the year. Within about a week, both girls were very regular and they have not missed school at all! I became a representative because I truly believe in nutrition and if Dr. Sears recommends it, and Juice Plus+ is in 20 countries! Let me know if you want any samples and I will send them to you but first do the research so you can decide for your family.

Wishing you well,

Rene'

Have you had him tested for a toxin? Perhaps his liver is dealing with something bad. He may also have trouble digesting proper food due to food allergies, such as wheat.

Sorry I cannot be more helpful. I wish you the best in finding out what is wrong.

I would think it would be Anemia as well. Also if a child doesnt eat much and doesnt eat well they can start to display symptoms of someone that might be Anorexic. Dark circles, weight loss, hair loss, purging, etc. However, it doesnt sound like thats the case with your son. I would suggest that he drink something like Pediasure. Many people who are tube fed eat this for nutritional purposes and to stay at a healthy weight. Many people with disabilities, weight issues, feeding issues, ect live off of Pediasure alone and are able to maintain a healthy weight. Maybe try to supplement with something like that that is high calorie and has many many vitamins. I hope this helps. Also, if your son isnt eating and isnt eating good foods it could be a sign of depression. Ask him how he is feeling emotionally and see what develops.
--S.

My 2 year old son has been anemic since he was about 9 months old. The NICE thing about anemia is that it is VERY easily diagnosed (through a simple pin prick blood test) and easily treatable (through iron supplements). Even during my son's anemic bouts there were no outward signs of anemia.
Go to your pediatrician to see if your son is anemic- it's a very simple visit and the results come in quickly. If he's not anemic, then at least the doctor should be able to help figure out what's ailing your son. Good luck!

Most communities have a health department. It only takes a few minutes for them to check for anemia. It might be worth checking it out. Usually their services are free.

I would definitely take him for a checkup, and have blood drawn. Get the medical opinion first and if you don'tget help FIND A nutritional /natural doctor.
A good thing to help the constipation that works great is Psyllium hulls...natural food store, caps. Also Aloe Vera juice in juice WORKS wonders.
Anemia can be the symptom of several things, and you should have that checked out.

Have you heard about Reliv nutrition. It is a powder you mix is a cold liquid like water, milk or juice and shake it up and drink it down. This nutrition is being given to orphan children all over the world and they are thriving and growing.
____@____.com

This is only a suggestion, but maybe you should take your son to your family Dr., and have him tested for diabetes. This is the way my son and a grandson of mine reacted at the onset of type 1 diabetes. I hope this is not the health ploblem with your son. I hope you can get the problem resolved quickly, and that he has no serious health issues.

Mother of 4, Grandmother of 9.

Sometimes kids don't show many sypmtoms of being anemic especially if it is a poor diet induced anemia. Myself and my daughter are anemic; my daughter due to an iron deficiency, and she had the same thing, just the pale skin and smudges under eyes. It wasn't until I had the doctor check her out with a blood test that we found out she was anemic due to iron deficiency.
My anemia was due to a B12 deficiency, due to gastric problems.
If you can, I would get him tested for both, the B12 and the iron to rule that out.

Don't just assume that poor diet is the only symptom he matches. Dark circles under eyes, pallor (pale complexion),
light fingernail beds, fatigue, (does he run and play like the other 7 yr olds? If you have any doubts, have the Dr. order a CBC and if he is anemic, some iron studies. Has he been screened for Lead? I work in the hospital, in the lab, and I have seen children go from things like this to much worse, like Leukemia. If in doubt, check it out. May solve the problem, but better to be safe.
Don't mean to sound bad, but these children are the most precious things we have. we have to take care of them.....

My question is have you taken him to the hospital to have a blood test ran to make sure he is anemic? If not that would be the first thing to do to see what is going on. Make sure you ask alot of questions even if you think its a dumb question. The dark circles around his eyes are usally a sign that he is not getting enough sleep or proper nutrition. If that is the case you need to have him seen by a doctor ASAP. Please contact me back for an update.MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

Has he seen a doctor for this? I did some research online, and the dark circles can be a sign of poor diet/not enough nutrients which can lead to bad stuff such as malnutrition. As far as him not eating, he could have anything from a lack of appetite to irrital bowl syndrome or worse. I don't mean to sound so "scary" but I do think he should be taken to a doctor. Please keep me updated. I'll be praying for his health and your/doctors wisdom in whatever you decide to do with this situation.

Have you taken your child to a doctor for advise?

My pediatrician suggested when I had those probems to give him 1 tablespoon of mineral oil a day. It works. The other thing that is now over the counter, Miralax. It is tasteless, orderless and you just mix it in his water, juice or whatever. You have to get him on p fruits also. Peaches, Pears, etc. My pediatrician always told me that A fruits stop you up and P fruits make it work. It does work. Good Luck. If you need a great ped., call John Galgani at ###-###-####. He is a primary ped and an endroconologists. My son was diabetic also.

Hi I have never had to deal with a child that is anemic. but when my mother was pregant with my little sister. we ate liver and onions once a week , be cause iron pills made her sick. you might try a vitamin with extra iron for kids. I know that i get gummy vitamins for my daughter,because she doesn't like the regular one. thanks and goodluck

At this point Give him ANYTHING!!! Like pizza rolls,or chicken nuggets things kids really like.Don't worry about fat, his is so thin he needs it. Don't even say no if he wants something for breakfast that U usually have for Lunch or dinner let him choose and give him bite sized portions ...finger foods add up faster than you think.

S. McCalmonShawnee,Ks ____@____.com

Take him to the doctor! Some symptoms look alot alike in various things. Sometimes in our home remedies we miss something that is small now. Not dealt with can turn into a bigger problem.

My advice, don't put off what can be done today! You'll thank yourself and your child will thank you!

H.- does he ever complain about stomach pain- lower stomach pain? How is his growth right now? Is he behind or is he right on the charts? I just ask this because I have a eight year old son, that we had some what of the same troubles with when he was about six- we now know why but before we discuss that, I just wanted to get more info about your son. Please feel free to email be back at ____@____.com has the doctor said about any of this? Take care
V.

H.,
We thought our daughter was anemic too. She was anemic, but it was due to another problem that proper nutriton could not fix. I would definitley take him to the doctor and request to have a blood test.

Hi H.....From experience of having 5 children and now 12 grandchildren, I do not believe that your son has anemia. Their is something more deep rooted, and he should be seen immediately by a doctor. I personally had anemia as a child, and his symptoms do not constitute a diagnosis of anemia.

Please take him to a clinic or doctor so that he can be tested and to find out what the real problem is. Don't play with his life...find out for certain.

A. C
St. Louis, MO

Take him to the dr. They can test him, but even if it's not they can find out what's wrong.

LOOK ON THE INTERNET, FIND A HEALTHY DIET FOR YOUR SON,
LOTS OF FRESH FRUITS, VEGETABLES, WHOLE GRAINS, NUTS,
PLAN YOUR MENUS. DO NOT KNOW WHAT HIS EATING HABITS ARE
NOW, CUT BACK ON CEREALS THAT HAVE SUGAR, LITTLE SUGAR
RUINS APPETITE FOR HEALTHY FOODS, CUT OUT SOFT DRINKS,
FAST FOODS. SEE A DR, HAVE A BLOOD TEST, ASK THE DR IF
HE NEEDS AN IRON SUPPLEMENT. SUGGEST OPEN COMMUNICATIONS
WITH HIM, SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH HIM AFTER SCHOOL......
SEE IF SOMETHING IS TROUBLING HIM. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE
'QUALITY' TIME WITH OUR CHILDREN. POSSIBLY MISSES HIS
FATHER, AND I AM CERTAIN YOU DO. STAY CLOSE AND OPENLY
TALK WITH ONE ANOTHER.

I AM A MOM, GRAND MOTHER, GREAT GRANDMOTHER AND A
PRACTICING PSYCHOGIST. HEAR IS WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE,
'WE ALL WANT TO HAVE LOVE SHOWN TO US (IN TERMS WE KNOW
WE ARE LOVED) BE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD.

SINCE YOUR HUSBAND IS NOT HOME, IT IS DIFFICULT, BUT TALK
OPENLY WITH YOUR SON RE: HOW DOES HE FEEL WITH HIS DAD
GONE SO MUCH, HELP HIM TO EXPRESS HIS FEELINGS TO YOU.
DO NOT SERMONIZE, JUST LISTEN TO HIM. CHILDREN WANTS TO
BE HEARD.

MY PHONE: ###-###-####, I LIVE IN GRAIN VALLEY, MO,
E MAIL: ____@____.com

GOD BLESS, N. J ANDREW, PhD

My son has had a lot of issues with constipation as well and we use Miralax and mix it in juice--it helps draw the water into the intestines and doesn't cause any pain/cramping.
If this were my child I would take him to a pediatrician and have them run a full blood panel--sounds like something may be going on.