iron deficiency

Zoe - posted on 05/22/2009

Quoting Cheryl:

I wouldn't know what to do with a picky eater. :( I made the meals, and if my kids didn't eat it they had to wait til the next meal. We had no snacks, candy, crackers or junk food in the house, so it was my cooking or pb + j.

I wouldn't even eat jam, so I ate a LOT of pb on wheat bread (I couldn't even stand the squishy texture of Wonder Bread... still can't!) as a kid. My dd is allergic to pb, otherwise I'd STILL be eating it! My kids basically eat anything that doesn't move or talk back. My dd won't eat anything that's spicy (though I will) and my 2yo WILL eat spicy, though he just wants lots of water to drink with it. I'm learning from my kids (about a lot of stuff, actually, as all parents should). I still won't go near a casserole though. Uh uhn! I make them for my kids though. The LOVE casseroles and pot pies. 

Cheryl - posted on 05/22/2009

I wouldn't know what to do with a picky eater. :( I made the meals, and if my kids didn't eat it they had to wait til the next meal. We had no snacks, candy, crackers or junk food in the house, so it was my cooking or pb + j.

Amy - posted on 05/22/2009

Yeah I'm picky too, so i'm sure he gets it from me! ;) Thanks for all the great advice/tips. I will try to do these things. Though he is not a dip person either, but that's ok. I hate the idea of him being on supplements (which he didn't even start yet because he wouldn't drink the water i put the supplements in!) if it's just a matter of getting him to eat better and limit the milk at the same time. And like I said, he is not symptomatic so it's not like he's suffering! I would never have known if the routine blood tests didn't say so--and really he's just borderline so it's not, like, "urgent" right now.

Zoe - posted on 05/22/2009

That's a pretty good list for a 3yo "picky" eater, IMO! You can put fruit in pancake and waffle batter and if he doesn't like to see the fruit, you can blend it until it's pureed and just mix it in. For pizza, you can add veggies that are diced or chopped. Even if you buy frozen pizza, you can add frozen or fresh veggies for a short cut. Does he like "dips" like hummus? I can hide all kinds of things in hummus and other bean dips, even hardy green veggies like kale and chard and red and yellow bell peppers. Even though my kids aren't particularly picky eaters (I'm the picky eater!), they love the colors that their "dip dip" is and like to experiment. Also, see if he would like to cook along with you and come up with his own creations. Maybe he won't like fresh fruit but will try frozen fruit on top of ice cream or in his cereal? Things like that... Good luck!

Amy - posted on 05/22/2009

Quoting Cheryl:

You don't have to force him. Simply wait til he's hungry and have a progessive meal: start with the veggies and fruit and serve the stuff he likes last or not at all. No kid willingly  starves themselves. You can also start making lots of nutritious soups and meatloaf crammed full of veggies.

ooh i wish i could do that. my son doesn't eat soup or meatloaf either. Here's what i can get him to eat:

peanut butter

toast/bread

pancakes/waffles

cereal--lot of different kinds, cheerios, honey bunches of oats, special k, etc

pudding

mac n cheese (kraft)

pizza

chicken nuggets

fries

cheese (american)

crackers

spaghetti o's (a to z)

trix yogurt

fish sticks (but we tell him it's chicken)

My son won't even eat hot dogs or ketchup!

so actually many of these things do have iron. I'm really thinking it's the milk that is causing the deficiency because he will drink that rather than eat some days.

And when he does eat any of these things, it's really not a lot. He'll choose one meal where he'll eat the most (usually lunch) and then the rest of the day he doesn't eat much.

thanks for the help!

Amy - posted on 05/22/2009

Quoting Melissa:

this is really not uncommon, my nephew was anemic and it didn't take too long on his supplements to get back to healthy levels.

yeah i figured it was pretty common. how did he do on the supplements and did he have to stay on them long term?

Cheryl - posted on 05/22/2009

Quoting Amy:

thanks everyone. yes, zoe, he is a big time milk drinker! Not just with his meals either. He won't drink juice, occasionally water, but always milk, and that would explain it.

mary, he doesn't really show any symptoms so I am actually amazed at this diagnosis. he is full of energy!

angela thanks for the advice.

cheryl--heh, well, i'm sure going to try, even if it means going back to those jars of baby food and telling him it's "pudding" ;) He just knows what he likes and won't try anything else. and i don't believe in forcing him to eat things either, so I'll just do what i can.

You don't have to force him. Simply wait til he's hungry and have a progessive meal: start with the veggies and fruit and serve the stuff he likes last or not at all. No kid willingly  starves themselves. You can also start making lots of nutritious soups and meatloaf crammed full of veggies.

Lindsay - posted on 05/22/2009

I agree with Zoe about the milk. I remember when my kids switched off of formula the dr. said to make sure they didn't drink too much milk as it could casue anemia. I thought it was strange at the time but when she told us why it made sense. We also use the flintstone vitamins with iron but seeing that your doctor gave a prescription that won't be needed!

Melissa - posted on 05/22/2009

this is really not uncommon, my nephew was anemic and it didn't take too long on his supplements to get back to healthy levels.

Amy - posted on 05/22/2009

thanks everyone. yes, zoe, he is a big time milk drinker! Not just with his meals either. He won't drink juice, occasionally water, but always milk, and that would explain it.



mary, he doesn't really show any symptoms so I am actually amazed at this diagnosis. he is full of energy!



angela thanks for the advice.



cheryl--heh, well, i'm sure going to try, even if it means going back to those jars of baby food and telling him it's "pudding" ;) He just knows what he likes and won't try anything else. and i don't believe in forcing him to eat things either, so I'll just do what i can.

Zoe - posted on 05/22/2009

Does your son have milk with his meals? I ask because calcium blocks the absorption of iron, so having milk with a hamburger, chicken, or other source of iron could actually cause anemia (many doctors fail to mention this). Simply serving water with a meal could solve the anemia. You can check with your ped and ask about this if this is the case and try this out for 6 to 8 weeks and have a blood level recheck before trying iron supplements (and avoid all the side effects).

Mary - posted on 05/22/2009

we eat a very healthy diet as well... it was the heartbreaking blood work that always upset his life.we used the liquid for about three years and switched to pills when he was about four now he takes the multi. He and we can tell when his iron is low... he is very tired... and grumpy...sleep is his slavation. Prayers to your little one

Cheryl - posted on 05/22/2009

Supplements are fine, but you are going to have to get him to eat the fruits and veggies as well. It might change his stools.

Mary - posted on 05/22/2009

been there, done that... many many blood tests later.... after a while it was part of his life, don't ask just take the medicine... but after 14 years, as happy and healthy as anyone

Angie - posted on 05/22/2009

Speaking as someone who has been anemic most of my life......give him oj when he takes his iron, it helps the body absorb iron. Feed him high fiber foods and make sure he drinks a lot of water since iron will constipate him. Beware of the gas that will follow - it's a killer - LOL.