Anemia questions

[Shaunsmom]

DD's pediatrician wanted to get her checked for anemia. The nurse called back after our appointment...DD is at 10, pedi. would prefer the number to be at 10.5 or above. She suggested polyvisol drops and said pedi. would re-check at her 15 month check up.

Eek. Is 10 low? If so, what are alternative methods to increasing her iron besides the polyvisol drops? Any good foods? DD is 13 months and pretty much eats what we do, she's not picky at all. Except when she's on a solid food strike, then she eats nothing.

TIA!

[dewoman81]

I hope someone follows me with more information. If it was a finger/toe prick, it isnt all that accurate. They could do a whole draw to check the iron if they are really concerned. That is up to you.

For iron rich foods: try spinach, eggs, enriched cereals (cheereos), enriched pastas, beans, broccoli, meats, especially beef. Also make sure that you give him vitamin C at the same time. Vitamin C helps your body absorb Iron.

Are you still nursing? If so up your iron intake and that could help a bit too. Good luck.

[Shaunsmom]

Yes, it was a finger poke. Is this not accurate?

Shaun is still nursing. She loves it and so do I:) We've made it 13 months strong and no plans to wean. She can self wean whenever she is ready.

Help! Dewoman, you said to have a full draw done. What does that mean? Thanks.

[dewoman81]

From what I have learned on here, the finger poke is not that accurate. It uses the tiniest bit of blood from the tip of a finger or toe. If it was much lower, I would suggest and push having a vial of blood take for examination (or a full blood draw), but a 10 isnt that low. I would encourage the foods I suggested and for you to take your prenatals again.

I am an anemia sufferer. I have been as low as 6.8 on that scale. I have ALWAYS refused to take supplements. Total cereal daily and spinach daily helped me :). PM me if you have any specific questions.

[Psyche]

at a 10, I would probably try iron rich foods. Or floradix if you can find the liquid (like at at health food store or Whole Foods). Floradix is food based iron and non-constipating and easily absorbable. It is expensive though and you'd probably need to mix it with something (I don't think it tastes good).

I wouldn't use the poly vi sol stuff though. It's constipating and not food based.

[Babyblue]

I would try iron rich foods for the both of you and switch to cooking in well seasoned cast iron pans, they add a bit of iron to your diet.

I dont know if I would try pills or supplements, they can upset tummys and cause constipation.

[Sadalsuud]

Vegetable irons are harder to absorb than meat irons, but as Dewoman said, Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron. It can help to sprinkle a little lemon juice on iron rich vegetables, or drink a glass of something that is high in Vitamin C when eating vegetable irons. If you want to find out more about the kinds of iron foods have, try searching for heme iron and non-heme iron.

[Sputterduck]

Cook in iron cookware.

Polyvisol stinks Horribly. I'd try anything before that. lol It also stains their teeth.

[cc1003]

Definitely no Polyvisol. I would try the Floradix as a pp suggested along with iron rich foods. You could also take an iron supplement. Take one from a health food store though so that you can make sure it isn't synthetic.

[Shaunsmom]

Is a 10 that low? From what I've read so far on the internet (especially kellymom.com), 10.5 is the minimum for her age group.

I will incorporate more iron rich foods into her daily diet. Do not do the Polyvisol drops, huh? I certainly do not want to give DD anything that is constipating. We'll go the iron rich food route for now and I really hope it's over a 10.5 in a couple of months.

Thanks.

[jessiehannan]

I just do iron rich foods and cook in cast iron. I eat beef on the rare occasions that I get the craving, and feed it tot he kids. We are all considered mildly anemic, but I feel like crap when my levels are what they want them to be.

[lolabear]

I have been anemic my whole life ... this last pregnancy i was down to 6, an adult is supposed to be at 14. they tell me to eat lots of iron rich foods, even peaches and cantelope (sp?) are good sources of iron. the best thing is not baby food but actual food. baby food does not have as much nutritional value to it, so its best to have the freshest foods and actually steaming veggies takes out the least amount of vitamins. my kids love steak and thats got a lot of iron so dont be afraid to give them some red meat. i would def try some supplements/vitamins also, it takes time for iron levels to go up. and if hes only .5 points down and it was a finger prick, its possible its not really that low.

[alejorge]

what about liver isn't that very high in iron. I know that is what I would have to eat when my iron was low. I also suffer from low iron and I still do. I have been trying to take my prenatals but it hasn't been easy to remember.

[lolabear]

yeah they said liver has the msot iron in it but i could never bring myself to eat it lol

[mommyof2sons]

My son is the same age and had the same reading (10) at the WIC office from a toe prick. At the Dr last week, she said that it wasn't accurate. And the only true way to get a reading is to do a blood draw. She gave me vitamins with iron to give him (but I haven't) Blackstrap molasses is great too!

[newmommy1]

My son had low iron. His level was 9.8 and pedi. said it was too low. Since my son is a terrible eater and refuses to eat vegi's at all, he told me to give him iron drops, he recomended MyKidz Iron. I couldn't find it, and bought polyvisol, it smells horrible and he refused to take it. I finally found MyKidz and he's been taking it, his lest bloodtest came back with higher iron levels, but because of his diet, pedi. advised me to continue giving Iron, except now not pure iron, but with vitamins. However, he told me that if he is willing to eat more variety it's better than any drops.