I have a three year old that has been anemic for quite a while. He went for his ck-up and we found his iron was low. So I gave him Polyvisol for a month, and it came up slightly, but not enough. So his Dr prescribed him Icar- which is a stronger dose of iron. Needless to say three months of giving him his iron faithfully his iron levels didn't even budge!!!!!!! They are doing blood work and I don't have any results yet- are there any moms that have gone through this. I am worried to death and it doesn't help that it's a long weekend so only God knows when I'll get my results back. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The blood work came back and it turns out that he carries a trait that causes alpha thalsemmia. They think he is going to have to take an iron supplement for the rest of his life. I don't know the specifics because I still have to see a pedatric oncologist, but I'm hopeful everything will be okay. Thank you ladies for all your help, I am grateful!
My 4 month old daughter was the same way it lasted about a whole month before it went away. I would do the vicks humidafiyer, little noses saline drops and congestion medicine. They really dont do much. Evevtually hers went away slowly. Also if its to cold in the room it wont help the baby get better. Vicks on the chest and feet with socks over them really help too. Hope the baby gets better.
Do not you just love the medical system? There are times when I want to just go to the ER cause its faster....but it cost to dang much. SO make appt after appt only to move at a snails pace with anything, my kiddos has a seizure disorder and was informed he might also be autistic which the whole prosess is taking 3 appts spread over 3 months.....
I have no idea what your kiddo has, that the anemia would last so long.
I rember being low iron like that when I was preggie....its kind of scarey cause if you have an accident could bleed out or get a bad cut. I hated the iron vitamins and liver once a week yuck...
God Bless you both and may an answer come soon
2 things:
1. Has he been taking the iron with milk, which decreases absorption? Vitamin C has been shown to increase iron absorption, so you might try giving it to him with Orange Juice or V8.
2. All other things being equal, has he been tested for intestinal parasites? I have a friend who was also anemic for years - she had a couple of other deficiencies, too. When we were in the 7th grade we had to have sports physicals and the doctor checked her stool because of the deficiencies. I forget what she had, but it was some kind of worm... a couple of rounds of pesticide pills later and she's not had nutritional problem since.
Elizabeth,
I'm anemic and therefore it didn't surprise me when my two year old came up anemic. We are very much alike in all that we do. Anyways, I've been taking flintstone vitamins with Iron in them. There's a flintstones complete that has all the essentials and then theres one that says "Iron" on it. It still has everything you need just plus that Iron. But I was informed to give that to her. It has helped with my platelets. I even took them when I was pregnant instead of the prenatal vitamins and I swear I had my doctor fooled. He really couldn't tell the difference.
Hope this helps.
L.
Same thing happened to us and our 14 month old. They told us when he was 11 months he was anemic and last month we were told (after blood work- 2 sets) he has Spherocytocis (unsure of spelling), which is genetic that his blood cells are spheres and not disks. Right now it isn't a major concern. We got checked to see who has it and it turns out I do. But no one ever told me I was anemic until I was pregnate.I hope it goes well, please let me know.
My son is going thru the same thing. He has been on Icar for a month now. His iron level went up one. We will be going to the lab again in 4 weeks for another test. My son just turned 2 a couple weeks ago. His energy levels are really low for a 2 year old. So, with that being said, all I can really do is read labels, and try to get him to eat right. That is the biggest challenge so far. My son really loves milk, and the doctor only wants him drinking no more that 16 ounces a day. Good luck, and this is a problem that can be solved, with the right care. This is what I have been told. Email me if you want some support. Stay at home mom of a soon to be 4 year old and a 2 year old. Northeast side.
I don't know if they told you but try and not give your child milk (you can substitute it for soy or rice milk) and vitamin C will help the body absorb iron. check out this article on the internet. http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/commonproblems/ane...
There are many other related articles also.
Good Luck!
I went through a similar experience with my daughter when she was young. The doctors finally decided she was getting plenty of iron all along, she just wasn't getting enough vitamin C (which the body MUST have to absorb the iron). After starting my daughter on Vitamin C and making sure she drank at least 1 glass of 100% juice daily her blood count was perfect and we've never had any problems since.
My brother and sister in law went through this with their middle daughter. They tried iron with her as well and it barely did anything. Then they had to change doctors because of insurance. The new one did the labs and stuff on my niece and found that she would probably have low iron her whole life he said. They took her off the liquid iron and she's now 15 and perfectly healthy. Though she does eat lots of peanut butter (which helps in the iron department)she's still not on iron supplements and the docs still say she's anemic.Oh and if what they are putting him on is liquid irons then watch them they will eat his teeth up she had awful looking baby teeth due to liquid iron.
