Bryn's Anemia from Iron Deficiency

This is the decorative rock in our home she would literally chew all.day.long!

I took Brynlee into see the pediatrician the next morning we got home. I ended up seeing a different doctor than normal, but I think in hindsight I'm glad. She listened to my concerns about her episodes of going limb, and turning colors. She listened to me talk about her eating our decorative rock wall and how I thought it was more than just a kid being a kid, and I how I felt like she was craving it for some odd reason. She just sat there and genuinely listened. She ordered a sample iron test in the office. She said the results came back low, not low enough to go to the hospital but low enough to cause concern and she wanted blood work done. She also explained to me what Breath Holding Spells were, and that she was pretty certain that's what Brynlee was experiencing when she was passing out. She will cry so hard, she forgets to breath and pass out. She explained it's very common and typically happens to kids between the ages of 18mo-6yo, and she should eventually grow out of it. That wasn't really what I wanted to hear, but it was more comforting that nothing more serious is wrong with her. We are still set up to go get additional testing just to be sure. She also put her on a strict reduced daily milk intake. So basically since the moment we left the Dr. office I went cold-turkey with Brynlee and the bottle. (It was long over-due, and we had a rough few days... but we are officially bottle free!)

Later that evening I got a call at home from Dr. Burford that Brynlee tested a 9 in the office, but the diagnostics place called and said she her blood work was at a 5.5, too low for a 2-year-old. We either had to go find liquid iron at a pharmacy or take her to the hospital. It took a few pharmacies but we found liquid iron and started her on the medication late that night. Brynlee was severely anemic due to iron deficiency. Her red blood cell counts were also really low. This is also a contributing factor to the breath holding spells with lack of oxygen in her system. And a definite result of her PICA disorder to eat my decorative rock walls at home. We re-tested her Friday after 7 days on liquid iron 3x a day, and got the results late that night. Her levels have slowly climbed to a 7. We will continue this for 3 more weeks, and are hopeful that will bring her levels to a normal range for her.

She's never wanted me to rock her before. Now, she insists on it.

Going to sleep without a bottle before was rough. She finally passed out. Now she goes down no problem.

Brynlee has always been my jig-saw puzzle. Since birth, I've had to figure her out with different formulas, chronic constipation, sleeping schedules, now iron deficiency. She's not a difficult little girl, but just a little needy one but I'm glad she takes comfort in me. She's my daily reminder of what a blessing it is to not just be a mom, but to be a more loving and caring mom. One that will sit and rock her, or be attentive to her needs. I'm grateful for that reminder, especially since I know the many children that don't get that at home.