Dealing with Anemia

My little guy is 13 months old and just got diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia (hope I got that right). He’s on iron supplements now, but I really want to beef up his diet to boost his immune system since he seems to catch everything going around. Anyone have any suggestions? I’ve been giving him Twinlab multivitamins for kids, but honestly, I don't know much about the different brands and feel a bit lost. I've heard Dr. Mercola's stuff is good too.

It feels like Twinlab vitamins and minerals tend to pack massive doses, whether they’re formulated for kids or adults. Even if you follow what the label says, it might be worth checking in with your doctor to nail down the actual daily amounts you need.
Also, consider how much he really needs right now. Since he's already on iron, that should help boost his immunity, which has taken a hit because of his iron-deficiency anemia.

Alright, I’m doing all this in coordination with our pediatrician. I'm just wondering—what kind of blood work numbers are we actually looking for to consider him in the clear?

The most common culprit behind iron-deficiency anemia is just not getting enough iron through your diet, which is likely what’s going on with your son based on what you mentioned earlier. Usually, you're looking at about three months of iron supplementation, though sometimes it takes longer.
(Another, less frequent cause is when a child's body can't actually absorb the iron they eat—something you see with conditions like celiac disease).

Noah Myers8 said:Fine, I am coordinating all of this directly with his pediatrician. My question is: what specific blood work levels are we actually looking for to consider him "in the clear"?

It takes about two months for those new red blood cells to actually build up their iron stores... once you fix the anemia, the kid won't be catching every bug that goes around. It’s a vicious cycle—the child gets sick because they're anemic, and then the illness makes the anemia even worse. Give him iron supplements every single day (check if there are any on the market now that won't stain his teeth black).

Forget the vitamins and all that nonsense (that's just stuff for old ladies😬); just get the kid to finally eat some real red meat—give him some veal cutlets—and eggs, especially the yolks.😁

And look, I know I've mentioned this before, but it's a waste of time listening to those New Age nutritionists. 🙂

There are also those types where teeth don't even grow in, I just don't know if they do that for little kids yet.

granitebadger25 said:It takes about two months for those new red blood cells to actually get their iron levels up... once you fix the anemia, the kid won't be catching every single bug going around (it’s a vicious cycle—they get sick because they're anemic, and then being sick makes them even more anemic). Just give him iron supplements every day. (Check if there's anything on the market now that won't stain his teeth)

Forget vitamins and all that other nonsense (that's just stuff old ladies swear by 😬). Instead, let the kid finally eat some actual red meat (give him some veal cutlets) and eggs, especially the yolks 😁

And I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it's honestly such a waste listening to those New Age nutritionists 🙂

I am literally going to kill myself😵 because I don't eat red meat at all—well, barely any—and since I have allergies, I'm terrified of eggs, so I haven't really been giving them to him. I thought I was "helping" him with a high-quality, super healthy diet 😢 chicken. Pure chicken. Well, at least now I know.

Just give him some chocolate, man—it’s loaded with iron anyway.

Edward Green said:Just give him some chocolate, it's basically fortified with iron anyway.

Are you kidding me?😁

That’s hardly a unique tragedy; there are certainly darker instances on the record. A few years back in Canada, a child lost their life because the parents insisted on a strictly vegetarian diet. 🙄

blue, I’m serious, it’s not like there's enough iron in there to cure anemia, but it is fortified. That’s why I’ll pick it over Cocoa Puffs any day 😁

Ethan Martinez11, he didn't die because of a vegetarian diet—he died because his parents were idiots. Plenty of people eat vegetarian and have perfectly healthy blood counts. Unfortunately, I’m not one of those 😢, but there are other factors at play here. You can definitely get plenty of iron from non-meat sources.

I didn't explicitly state—nor did I necessarily imply—that death resulted from overeating. Rather, my point was regarding the absence of meat within the diet, particularly since I was building upon the narrative shared by Blue. Until a child moves past puberty, meat remains a necessity; it provides the essential proteins and vital compounds required for healthy growth and physical development.

blue said:I’m losing my mind here.😵 I barely touch red meat, and because of allergies, eggs are a huge no-go for us, so I haven't really been giving them to him. I thought I was actually "helping" by sticking to a high-quality, super healthy diet.😢 Just chicken. Tons of chicken. Well, at least now I know.

For most infants, it doesn't matter much if the formula or milk they're on is slightly low in iron, since they can lean on the iron stores they built up before birth. But premature babies? They have very low iron reserves, making them much more susceptible to iron-deficiency anemia.

While a doctor has to handle treating actual anemia, you can help out through diet by focusing on iron-rich foods—think beef, liver, whole grain bread, dark leafy greens, and dried fruit. Pairing those with fresh fruits and veggies during meals also helps, since Vitamin C boosts iron absorption.

Alexander Hall said:Including fresh fruits and vegetables during meals is key, since Vitamin C helps boost iron absorption.

Exactly. You serve a steak alongside some fresh bell peppers or sauerkraut... boom, you've got both the iron and the Vitamin C. 👍 And kids can handle all of that at this stage.

It isn't just infants who deal with iron deficiency; older babies—the ones hitting those big growth spurts—are also at risk.
Up until about 6 months, they still have those iron stores passed down from their mothers. After that, if they aren't getting enough iron through their food, deficiency sets in.

That’s why I find this recent trend so baffling—this idea that we shouldn't introduce meat or eggs to breastfed babies until some arbitrary month. 😕

Blue, regarding eggs: the whites can be tricky for kids prone to eczema... but if the kid hasn't shown any signs of skin issues by the time they hit a year, you can give them the whole egg without hesitation. 😉

P.S. Just to be clear: if there is actual anemia, you have to correct it with iron supplements. Fortified foods alone won't cut it. Only once the levels normalize can you stop the supplements.
And yes, once they start taking the iron, their stools will turn black... don't freak out when it happens.

Let me jump in here early just to be safe 😁
Should I be planning on taking extra iron during pregnancy? I’m definitely not raising a vegetarian—I've dealt with blood count issues my whole life—but still. I won't be pregnant anytime soon, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to know ahead of time 🙂

I have no idea what the current trends are, but back when I was pregnant, doctors recommended iron supplements and folic acid to every single expectant mother, even those who weren't showing any signs of anemia,

granitebadger25 said:It’s not just premature babies prone to iron deficiency; older infants deal with it too.

Nowhere does it say it's limited to preemies. Adults, pregnant women, the elderly—they're all at risk.😉.

blue, just give him some dried apricots to snack on, maybe some pumpkin seeds.

Give him some green veggies.

My little one is taking Ironclad liquid iron. It actually tastes like caramel, which isn't half bad 😁

Look, I dug up some more info for you:

"Iron—it’s what's inside hemoglobin, that protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to your tissues. It’s also a key part of myoglobin, the protein that pumps extra fuel to your muscles when you're working hard. You basically get iron in two ways through food. There's heme iron (bound to hemoglobin) found in red meat, chicken, seafood, and other animal products, and then there's non-heme iron (attached to free protein carriers) found in dark leafy greens, whole grains, walnuts, and other plant-based foods. Just a heads up—coffee, tea, soy, and even high amounts of calcium, zinc, or manganese can actually block iron absorption. If you're low on iron, your tissues don't get enough oxygen, which leads to anemia. Since iron is vital for a strong immune system, being deficient can definitely make you more prone to getting sick. Also, don't go playing doctor with supplements that only contain iron; you should only take them under medical supervision because too much iron is toxic. "