# Anaemic 11 month old



## janie77 (Jun 3, 2006)

Hi, wonder if you can give me any advice?  My son was diagnosed with anaemia this week, he has been on follow on milk since he was 6 months old and although he isn't a big eater he does have a well balanced diet so I'm not sure how he managed to become anaemic.  Anyway, he is now on iron twice a day for the next 3 months and I'm wondering if there is anything else I can do to help other than get as much iron rich food down him as possible? Is it true that aneamic babies get more infections and take longer to recover from any illness?  Also will this have any lasting effect on his health?

He is small and I have been worried about his weight gain for a while, he has been between the 9th and 25th centiles, he has lost weight again this past week as he has had a nasty case of tonsillitis.

I have posted on the parents thread to see if anyone else has an anaemic child, but thought maybe you could give some advice as my own HV is useless.

Thanks
Jane x


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## jeanette (May 3, 2003)

Hi Jane

Sorry for not replying sooner.

You could also look at starting him on multi vitamins as well.

The absorption of iron is greatly improved if it is taken with vitamin c (use an age appropriate vitamin or give with foods packed full of vitamin c eg.pumpkins, plums and apples, oranges, brown bread, cauliflower etc)

Vitamin c will help to boost his immune system as well.

I would be inclined to get him weight fortnightly if you can so that you can keep a watch of his weight on his centile chart.

Let me know how things are going.

Jeanettex


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## janie77 (Jun 3, 2006)

Hi Jeanette

Thank you so much for your reply.

I am giving him foods packed with Vit C but I think I will start him on vitamins again.  I was giving him to them for a while and then he really went off them and refused to open his mouth for them, but I will try and reintroduce them.  

I have been getting him weighed regularly, my own HV thinks I am some sort of neurotic mother as she keeps telling me that its really not necessary to take him to the clinic so often, so I have stayed away for a few weeks.  Its only when Harry was in hospital last week that we found out that she has been plotting his weight incorrectly, I had been worrying about his slow weight gain and she kept telling me he was fine and following the 25th centile, but now we know that he has been jumping down to the 9th centile quite regulalry - I told you she was usuless   I will start back with the regular weigh in's though and hopefully as his iron levels come up he will start to get a better appetite and gain a bit more weight.  He will be one in less than a fortnight and at the last weigh in about 4 weeks ago he was only 19lb 10oz.  The paediatrician we saw at the hospital said he didn't look undernourished at all, just that he was a bit dinky for his age.

Anyway, thanks for the advice on the Vit C and the extra vitamin supplements.

Jane x


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## janie77 (Jun 3, 2006)

Hi  

Harry has become very constipated in the last couple of weeks because of the iron so my HV advised to stop the iron until he become regular again.  She prescribed Movicol and this is helping to soften his poo but he is still only having a poo every couple of days and he is clearly struggling with it.  I have been giving him lots of juice and fresh fruit to try and help things along and have increased his water intake.  Do you know if there is anything else I can do to help him?  I am a bit worried that its almost 2 weeks since he last had his iron supplement.

His colour and appetite have really improved since we started the iron and he is having more milk (I'm still giving him follow-on milk) so I am hoping that he is no longer anaemic.

We are seeing the paediatrician next Tuesday and I guess they will want to test his blood again.  I am starting to fret about this already as it was very traumatic and upsetting when they took blood while he was in hospital.  That time they were testing for lots of different things but this time they will be looking just for iron deficiency and I was wondering if you knew if they would be able to do the test just from a heel prick or if he will have to have blood taken properly?

Thanks so much
Jane xx


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## verity c (Oct 23, 2006)

Hi Janie,

Just wondering how you are getting on with harry? Sorry for not replying sooner.

Please let me know how you are getting on

Luv V xx


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## janie77 (Jun 3, 2006)

Hi thanks for the reply.  We had his follow up appointment on Tuesday and had his blood test, it was awful, the doctor couldn't get the needle in properly and Harry screamed his head off.  His bloods have come back and he is still anaemic, his hb has gone up to 10.6 from 9.4 so there has been a little bit of improvement.  He has to stay on iron though until his next appointment in December. 

He is no longer constipated - in fact he is the opposite now, but I think this is either teething related or he has a little bug, we are seeing the GP in the morning.  He hasn't eaten very much the past few days and has been a bit sick too, although he seems fine and is full of energy as usual.

he is back on the full dose of iron now so no doubt in a few days time he'll be constipated again...poor little thing, if its not one thing its the other!

Thanks for you reply xxxx


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## verity c (Oct 23, 2006)

Awwww Poor Harry and poor mummy, think you both need lots of these   

Sorry to hear the blood test was traumatic   Did they use the magic cream before doing it?? ( local anesthetic cream!) Babies can be very difficult to get blood off but because harry is anaemic it is important to get a good sample. 

Glad to hear he is not constipated, he may have a bit of a bug. Keep an eye on his fluid intake and i am sure his diet will pick up in a few days. Doesn't help he is teething too, poor thing  

If he should get constipated with the iron again then speak to your gp and see if he/she could recommend anything

Take care and keep in touch

Luv V xxx


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## janie77 (Jun 3, 2006)

Thanks for the hugs verity  

They didn't use any of the magic cream which is why I was so upset, they used it last time and Harry hardly flinched then.  I am going to insist that they use it when we go back in December.

Been to the GP this morning and he thinks he has a gastro bug, he isn't dehydrated and seems well in himself so will just keep his fluid intake up and the doctor said not to worry if he doesn't eat very much.  He also suggested that we keep him off the iron until he is eating properly again as its supposed to be given with food.

We have Movicol to use in case he becomes constipated again.

Thanks so much for your advice xxxx


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## verity c (Oct 23, 2006)

Hi Janie,

No problems hun!!!   Glad you have some answers from the doctor today!

I have to say as a paediatric nurse i know the importance of magic cream, even in babies. Some think they dont suffer pain like others    Insist on the magic cream, he may still cry as babies dislike being held but at least you know it is because of that and not pain if he has had it on   

Take care and let me know how you get on

Luv V xx


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