Get access to over 1,300 articles and reader Q&As
Thoughts on iron supplements for babies? My daughter had her iron levels tested at her 12-month appointment, and we were told that it was on the “low end” of the acceptable spectrum and that we should start iron supplements.
—Anonymous
Most babies in the U.S. are screened for anemia between 9 and 12 months, even though there is a lot of debate over whether it is a good idea. That debate, I would guess, centers on a tradeoff between overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis.
You’re falling into the overdiagnosis end of the spectrum here. There are guidelines for treating anemia in kids — specifically, they define anemia as an iron level less than 11 grams per deciliter (g/dL). For good reason, these guidelines tend to be drawn conservatively.
It sounds like your child is not below this threshold. She isn’t anemic by conservative standards. Her levels are acceptable. And too much iron supplementation can be problematic. This may be a case where being overly conservative actually might make things worse, either by spiking anxiety or by simply adding too much to an already full parent’s plate.
Community Guidelines
Log in