Floradix-- for Toddlers with Iron Deficiency Anemia?

I think it is a good idea to ask a pediatrician about using the Floridix. I think it is great product and works super fast, but have never used it for kids. A naturopathic physician might be a better option, s/he would have more experience with the Floridix and would be more comfortable prescibing an appropriate dose. Some insurances do cover naturapthic care, but not as good of a rate as regular MDs, but I find the extra expense totally worth it. (as a side note, a naturopath can give options of medicines for kids who have colds, runny noses, etc) If you go to a health food store you might be able to find a different iron supplement that is food based and non-binding.

If you would like an alternative that does not taste bad and is made by a reputable company, let me know..
Hope this issue clears up for him soon!

I'm taking Floradix now and there is a child dose for it but not a child version of it. He still might not like it, though. It's better tasting than other iron supplements but still has a bit of a taste to it. It doesn't cause constipation or anything.

If his iron is slightly low, it's likely normal. Even if he's eating well, he might not be getting enough iron (a lot comes from beef and green foods, especially spinach). I've known lots of little kids that show low iron levels around that age. Not that it's normal to have it slightly low - just somewhat common.

My daughter is severely anemic, but it has nothing to do with iron. Her body just won't make enough red blood (or platelets or white blood cells). She actually needs a bone marrow transplant.

If your son has something seriously wrong, often the blood counts will get worse or something. If it's just slightly low, it's probably pretty okay and hopefully diet can fix it. You might want to try giving him the Floradix in a little smoothie of something to see if you can mask the flavor! :-)

Sorry you're having a hard time with this! Oh, and my 14 month old eats whatever we eat. Apples, bananas, various chicken, ground beef meals...not too much into salads;-) I have no idea what her iron levels are. But I remember my 11 month old had hemoglobin levels down to 10.

I think the Floradix said it was 1 tsp per day for a child 6-12 years old. Maybe you can ask your doctor, but I would guess that 1/2 tsp a day for a child younger would be safe. The worry of more would be iron overload. But it sounds like he needs the iron.

Good luck figuring it out!

I've never given Floradix to my kids, but I took it and Chlorphyll after my last delivery. (I bled profusely and was nearly transported to the hospital. The last medication the midwife gave me worked and stopped the bleeding within 5 minutes, so we chose not to transport.)

I loved the Floradix. The taste wasn't bad at all. You could probably mix it in with juice, or put it in a sippy cup with some water and he'll drink it. It has a fruity taste (almost).

To be honest, I can't remember what my kids were eating by two. I do remember that my husband started giving them meat as soon as they had teeth. I tend to be more anemic, seeing as I don't like the texture of most meats, so I typically take something such as the Floradix. The pills and other things the doctor suggested bind me up as well...Floradix never has.

I would recommend talking to the pedi about it and then switch him.

HTH! *hugs*

You are lucky to have a child who eats well, but the problem is, that apple and that orange and that peach do not have the nutrition in them that they did a generation ago. For example, a peach in 1950 gave a woman 1/2 of all the vitamin A she needed (even if she ate nothing else). Now, a woman needs 26 of those peaches to get the same amount of Vitamin A. Ridiculous, right? But it's true. That oatmeal he eats is not from high quality oats - the soils are depleted and the big producers throw a bunch of fertilizer in there but it doesn't make up for the lack of balanced nutrients.

So your child is missing something that is required to get balanced nutrition - for whatever reason, his weakness is iron. He doesn't just need more iron - which is fine because you're tying him down anyway. He needs balanced supplementation so that the iron he gets is in conjunction with the other 70 nutrients needed to make everything get absorbed.

Your 3 year old might not be anemic, but could have some other deficiency brewing even if it's not evident yet. The American Medical Association says that everyone needs a balanced supplement but it shouldn't be in a pill form because they aren't absorbed. Kids can't take pills very well anyway, but try putting a gummy vitamin in a dish of white vinegar and see how long it takes to dissolve! Probably well over 2 hours - and it only has 15 minutes in the stomach or so! (The vinegar mimics the stomach acid. If it doesn't dissolve in vinegar, it doesn't dissolve in the stomach.)

I work with a ton of families who give their kids a supplement made here in the US (not outsourced to who knows where) and has over a 90% absorption rate. I just came from a conference and listened to food scientists and Medical Doctors talk about what this does for kids and the amazing results they see. Happy to help you more if you want more info.

The point is, you are doing everything "right" - and it's still not enough. There is a way to have happier, fully nourished kids and make up the difference between even the great food you give them and what they truly need. We have fruits and veggies available year round, but that doesn't mean they are nutrient rich. I work with organic farmers who even grind their own grain, but they still had health issues until they supplemented responsibly with an absorbable product.

i gave my 18 month old floradix after taking polyvisol for a few months (yuck). it didn't seem to help that much. after taking floradix for just a couple months his iron went up and we never had a problem again. it tastes and smells much better. also we gave him prune juice which is a viable source of iron and vitamin c. his diet looks like what my kids have all eaten at that age. good luck!