Severe Iron deficiency in 3.5 year old

[meow]

I have a friend who went through pretty much the same thing with her son. She gave him spatone and organic beef liver. The spatone is almost tasteless but she was lucky her son liked fried liver. Her doctors weren't happy as they wanted the stronger iron supplement but she stuck to it and his iron came up (along with a gluten free diet of course, so that he can absorb nutrients).

As an aside, you can heal his gut to overcome these issues with the GAPS diet. When I put my son on GAPS he wouldn't eat anything either and I force fed him. It was awful but he's so much healthier now. I only had to force feed him for about 2 weeks, then he allowed me to feed him and now he feeds himself.

[mrs thomo]

I have a friend who went through pretty much the same thing with her son. She gave him spatone and organic beef liver

Thanks so much for responding, we feel so alone and helpless. I was only told about the Spatone yesterday and went straight to Chemist Warehouse. The chemist said that he will need about 6 sachets a day to get the dose he needs to, but you know what that has to be better than nothing! I might go back and get it and try it because this is just not working. Even if I get him to eat 3 choc oreos with a tiny bit of the gradumet powder and some of the Spatone, maybe it will help make him at least feel better.

I WISH AND PRAY for my son to eat meat. Since he was born the closest he has come to eating meat is a chicken nugget from Macca's even then thats a challenge. Ig he would just eat some meat and veg we would be ok, well after we get his iron up of course. The iron suppliments are just not enough. He was on Incremin every day and even with that his iron kept dropping. We have his Vitamin D back up, which is good, but I am worried now that its winter that he wont get enough sun.

Thanks again, I am going to try that Supatone, my theory is it has to be better than nothing surely!
Have a Peadi appointment soon to see what suggestions he has. Also waiting to hear back from my sons dietician as she was organising a feeding clinic for him.

I am at my witts end!

[Arcadia]

I think it's important to remember eating equals pain for your son, so it's little wonder he doesn't want to eat. I would really look seriously at the GAPs diet, because it is nourishing without all the possible allergens.

[mrs thomo]

I think it's important to remember eating equals pain for your son, so it's little wonder he doesn't want to eat. I would really look seriously at the GAPs diet, because it is nourishing without all the possible allergens.

I have never heard of this, but will google it now. To be honest any diet would be an improvement. This is a list of what he eats and even then its not that much.
- dry cerial
- soy milk
- dry gluten, egg, nut and dairy free biscuits
- choc oreas
- maybe a sandwich (white bread) he wont eat gluten free bread with choc mud (not free alternative to nutella)
- 2 min noodles
- lollies
Weekends are the worst as he eats barely anything. He goes to pre-school 5 days a week mainly because he will at least eat something there, not a cooked meal like the others, but some noodles or some sanwich.

He does not eat dinner at all!
Will look at this GAP diet and hope the peadi and dietition have some answers!

[meow]

If you join the GAPShelp yahoo group you can find other parents who have gone through the same thing with their children and you might find that really helpful.

His food preferences are completely inline with a candida overgrowth and you can overcome this and heal his gut with GAPS. I agree that his gut is in pain from eating so that will be why he's not eating much. My son has created a strong anxiety around food and is still a very picky eater but he eats well now so I'm hoping that in more time he will be able to feel less anxious about eating more food.

Before my son started GAPS he had been dropping foods off his menu at a rapid rate. He was down to:
- Apples
- Corn thins
- Salt & sugar free peanut butter
- Sometimes strawberries and avocado

[Olive]

Will they do iron injections or infusions then?

[mrs thomo]

Will call the dietition on Monday as ask her about GAPS, it looks great although she is not keen on encouraging children to eat by offering bribes, sometimes its the only thing that works though. P.S. I like the sounds of that diet for me too as I have IBS.

Iron injections looks like a very real option now. Will get some Supatone today and try that and when we see peadi in a couple of weeks I will push for the injection. I know its not nice, but he needs this, he is not sleeping well, very clingy and starting to get sick. I think he is feeling very yucky.

You guys are great, I can not tell you how much I appreciate your comments and advice!

[surprised]

I think I'm just confused, but it would appear some of what he's eating would have dairy in, which you said he's allergic to? Have I got it wrong?

Hugs Hun. You sound like you're having a rough time of it.