No thanks Mum

Elle has decided that not only does she not need food or drink but she will also not take anything out of a syringe, medicine cup, dropper (kids calm), or spray bottle (teething spray). So now I can't get anything into her! The doc said to give her Incremin iron stuff until her test results come back but I've been trying for a couple of weeks and she isn't interested. She has learnt the art of spitting it out.

I'm very frustrated! At least we've had the bloods taken now...just have to wait 2 days for the results. The doc is also testing for something (can't remember the name) that will indicate whether there is something medical (in her words leukaemia) going on.

Gah! I've got sore shoulders from carrying her around for the past 3 weeks too. At least she is sleeping heaps...3 hours for her first nap and onto her second already.

Can you tell I'm grumpy today.
Grump.
Grump.
Huff
Puff.

Thanks Becca. And OT but sorry I didn't chat with you at the mega meet-up! I had no idea who anyone was      

Big hugs Fiona, come hang out with me and the grotty gremlins, I'm having a 'poor me' day today too, and that's without the kids being grumpy. They're happy, it's me that's a grouch!
Best of luck with the blood test results!

busymum wrote: How many teeth does Elle have? Can you lay her back on a 45deg angle (e.g. over your lap when you sit on the floor), put your finger in between her gums, squirt a syringe right to the back of her throat and hold her tilted back until she swallows? (Now you probably think I'm a mean mummy LOL!)

I'd do the same Theresa We can be bad Mummys together

Not sure about my own iron actually, guess I should get test. Only ever had low iron during pregnancy and even then it wasn't that low. Does kinda feel low now though!

I think the test is for cell counts etc. They are just concerned as she has always been so irritable and is now tired all the time, pale and not interested in food. Could very well all just be little things like growing but my doc wants to cover all the bases with the blood tests. My doc thinks there is something going on and just wants to make sure we've done everything we can to ensure it's not serious. My doc acknowledges that there is a huge range of normal for kids but after monitoring Gabrielle for the past 14mths feels she falls outside of the realms of normal in some areas (irritability particularly).

Fiona and sending healthy vibes to Elle!

when do u get the test results back?

glad to hear today was a better day....

Elle's test results came back and her iron is so low it barely registered! It was about a 3 and should be between 15 and 120! No wonder she has been so out of sorts! I feel dreadful as I had a form for an iron test a couple of months ago but as she was breastfed & eating plenty of iron rich foods I was sure it wasn't an issue and then when my DH lost the form I didn't worry about getting a new one. I hope there isn't any long term damage done. :cry:

Thank goodness we've found the problem though!

An iron supplement. I would like to stop breastfeeding as she is 14mths now so I may give a bottle of formula once a day too to ensure she is getting a good dose of nutrients.

Apparently the test also showed signs of a viral infection...I don't know what that means though! Naturally I googled it and came up with all kinds of scary things about chronic diseases and low iron. Argh. Google is baaaaad.

Everything I've read in the past seemed to suggest irreversable developmental / behavioural problems from low iron at this age so I'm going to stop reading now