Anemic

During Jake's last doctor appointment that was 3 months ago the Doctor said he is Anemic. That explains all his bruises in his legs and some part of his body. He gets bruises a lot which worries us. I read in the book that toddlers and young children often become anemic because they do not get enough iron. It's odd because Jake consume peas and cereal everyday. I am thinking the reason was because he didn't have enough meat and leafy green vegetables. He is very picky in eating meat, he eats chicken and that's it. We bought him an iron supplements and I noticed the bruises start coming out. He doesn't like the supplements and put a big fight every time we give him some drops. Ask your doctor if your child is getting enough iron.

Make sure your toddler gets foods high in iron like;

* Enriched breads and whole grains
* Dry cereals with added iron
* Leafy green vegetables
* Peas and beans
* Meat

In general, your child should eat at least two or more iron-rich foods each day. Knowing which foods actually have iron in them can be confusing for parents though.
Iron-Rich Foods
Foods that are a good source of iron include:

* liver
* lean red meats, including beef, pork, lamb
* seafood, such as oysters, clams, tuna, salmon, and shrimp, etc.
* beans, including kidney, lima, navy, black, pinto, soy beans, and lentils
* iron fortified whole grains, including cereals, breads, rice, and pasta
* greens, including collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, and turnip greens
* tofu
* vegetables, including broccoli, swiss chard, asparagus, parsley, watercress, brussel sprouts
* chicken and turkey
* blackstrap molasses
* nuts
* egg yolks
* dried fruits, such as raisins, prunes, dates and apricots
Source: pediatrics.about.com
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Anemic: Relating to anemia, the condition of having less than the normal number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. The oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood is, therefore, decreased.

Anemic