low iron in 2 yr old

[nycmom18]

we just found out that my ds has a 10.9 hemoglobin and a 32 hemo(something else . so he is low on both ends. i have just started to do my research and i am extremely OVERWHELMED!

i told the doc i did not want to do a prescription iro, and wanted to try with food etc. she said fine and wants to check his levels again in 1 month.

after reading the list of iron rich foods, inhibitors etc. i feel at a loss as to what i should feed my son.

please help!!!

[dogmom327]

Doesn't nettle infusion have a lot of iron? My 3 yo drinks a ton of it (his choice--it's actually supposed to be for me but he keeps grabbing it and chugging away).

[Magelet]

blackstrap molasses is a good food for iron. We like it stirred into our oatmeal, and it could be good in smoothies. It has a strong taste while some people don't love, but we really like.

also, there's the classic of red meat does have good iron. nettles do too.

liver and shellfish if he'll eat them are very rich in iron.

aren't beans pretty good too.

[nycmom18]

right, all of those things do have iron, but what im confused about is the inhibitors that i can not feed with the iron rich foods, especially the ones that are meant to be a good source of iron such as eggs and beans for example.

about the nettles: i've been wanting to make them for a while, is it easy? can i just purchase them at whole foods?

thanks for the replies! more please

[tbone_kneegrabber]

cooking in cast iron
feed iron rich foods throughout the day and don't worry about inhibitors that way

[Otterella]

http://www.iherb.com/Organic-by-Natu...90-g/4994?at=0

My midwife had me taking this during pregnancy when my hemoglobin was low, and it not only worked, but made me feel AWESOME. My DS absolutely loves it, and gets REALLY mad if I have my "green juice" without him, and now that DD is old enough for OJ, she loves it too. Mix one teaspoon in 6-8 oz of OJ. I mix up a tablespoon in a peanut butter jar (no idea how big it is), and split it three ways for all of us. The flavor takes some getting used to, but I love it. And with a 2 year old, if he sees you drinking it too, he'll naturally want to share it.

[Otterella]

Also, to answer your other question, calcium is an iron inhibitor. So don't let him have any dairy or other calcium-rich foods for at least an hour after an iron-rich meal or snack.

[dogmom327]

It's super easy to make an infusion. Each night (or early in the morning), I boil some water and add about 1 handful dried nettle leaves to each quart of water. I cover with a lid and let it sit overnight or for a good 8 hours or so then I put it in the fridge (I think it tastes better cold but really it doesn't matter that much). To drink it, I just pour it through a small strainer as to catch the leaves. I try to drink a quart a day and my 3 year old inhales it--I'd guess he drinks 4-16 oz. a day (I know--crazy!).

ETA: I get nettle leaf from mountainroseherbs.com (excellent quality and price) but any health food store should have them in bulk too.

[Magelet]

dogmom, I'll have to try it. I had some of a friend's nettle infusion the other day and while I hate hot nettle tea, the cold nettle infusion was delicious.

[Rosehip]

vit C enhances iron absorption and calcium inhibits it, so plan iron rich meals w/vit C, but w/o dairy. My 3.5 just had his first Hgb that was within normal limits. He's been as low as 8.9. I've struggled.

I've found that for red meat, ground beef works best b/c it's easy for the little ones to chew. I go to a butcher that grinds the meat from individual pieces of meat, which I think is a bit safer. I make homemade chili & sloppy joe, both with loads of veggies, as well as meatballs (make them in bulk & freeze some). Those all go over well.

Cook in cast iron.

Beans - my son loves bean salad (I make the New Basics black bean salad), marinated chick peas and rice & beans.

Eggs

I have in the past also given chewable vitamins w/iron

Dark meat of turkey or chicken

Quinoa

[nycmom18]

thanks everyone, i definitely dont want his development to suffer, so im thinking of supplementing, but id rather just do it with food. from what i've read, once the hemo levels have dropped, that is a sign that the stored iron has also been depleting. he doesnt have any classic symptoms now, but i dont him to get worse. oh what to do what to do?

i will make more of an effort to combine iron foods with vit. c foods.

please more experiences! thanks again!

[EyesOfTheWorld]

I make smoothies with spinach or kale daily, and both of my kids eat them up. Just be sure to add some strawberries, oranges or other foods with Vitamin C to help aid absorption (and taste ). I usually do about two handfuls of spinach or kale, frozen strawberries, banana, flax seeds, chia seeds, aloe juice, some fruit juice if we have any on hand, and water (just enough to cover the solid stuff). You really just play around and see what tastes good to you! If he won't drink the smoothie you can freeze it into popsicles, and most kids will eat popsicles without asking what's in them

[tanyalynn]

I'm willing to supplement other minerals, so I'd be willing to supplement iron as well. Have you searched sbgrace's old posts on iron? She's looked into it a lot, she dealt with it and discusses here experience, and I'd use that as a starting point.

But beyond that, I'd consider why your LO is low. Does your LO's diet seem to include as many iron-rich foods as a typical child that age? If it does, and you don't have any of the typical low iron dietary factors (lots and lots of milk is the only one that pops to mind, maybe there are others) and you aren't dealing with lingering low iron due to low birth weight or premature birth, then I'd look into reasons why your LO is low when other kids aren't. It seems like some people have iron status improve by cutting out gluten--I think mostly by improving absorption of current dietary sources.

[nycmom18]

well i thought i was giving him a diet with a good amount of iron, but i hadnt known about inhibitors etc. a typical day would look like this:

smoothie: orange juice, blueberries, banana, mango, spinach, yogurt
oatmeal with banana and butter OR eggs and tomatoes

turkey, chicken or ham with orange slices and broccoli

soup and pasta or rice

beef, chicken, or turkey with green beans, broccoli, and peas and some type of grain

he hasnt had much wheat in the past 6 months because we were trying to figure out his dark circles under the eyes. so his grains are usually brown rice, rice pasta, occasionally quinoa, and occasionally wheat pasta

he's never had cows milk and is still breastfeeding.

we have beef about once a week, so im thinking up it to 3 times a week, make a conscious effort to combine with vitamin c foods and take yogurt out of the smoothie?

i had also read sbgraces info which is why im considering supplementing, but im starting to think that his levels might have been low-the same they are now a year ago, i need to email his old doc and see. if so, what might that mean? because developmentally hes perfect, he never acts tired, actually has a ton of energy. he is irritable at times, but i think thats just his personality of he doesnt get things his way-just like his mama and daddy!

anyway, thanks again everyone for your input!

[Beppie]

[nycmom18]

sooo...i emailed our old doc from last year and she said his iron last year at his 1 yr visit was 11.1 and now its 10.9. however she said that in their office they consider 10.5 to be the lowest where she would still just recommend iron through the diet instead of supplementing to start of with.

this obviously made me feel better, but at the same time, now even more confused! i've got 2 doctors telling me different things??

another thing im very confused about is that when they did a cbc it did not include stored iron levels, and from what i've read your hemo can be low, but your stored can be full and if its full then you aren't able to absorb/use your intaking iron?? i just dont feel comfortable not knowing these numbers and supplementing. so i am going to try diet for a couple of months and recheck levels then. and i will hopefully have a wonderful update at that point!