Question

Kathy is a 12-year-old female patient who presents to your clinic with a new diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia.

1.What education regarding diet and supplements should you provide the patient and her parents?

2.What other anticipatory guidance information is necessary for this patient?

3.Discuss your plan for treatment and the clinical guidelines you would use for reference?

Answer 1

Answer - A good iron rich diet includes green leafy vegetables, red meat, fruits, dry fruits , nuts, iron rich fortified cereals, eggs, sea foods. She should also intake vitamin C rich diet which enhance iron absorption such as lemon, citrus fruits like orange, guava, grapefruits, strawberry etc.

Answer 2 - Instruct the kathy and their parents to intake high iron rich diet strictly.

- Give her food choices that high in iron.

- Give iron supplements between meals which enhance iron absorption.

- Teach them to use fruits or multivitamins with iron supplements which increase absorption.

- Donot give iron supplements with Antacid or milk, these factors decrease absorption.

- Instruct her and parents to side effects of iron supplements such as black stool, constipation.

Answer 3 - Administer Iron supplements as prescribed by physicians.

- iron diet therapy should start.

- Administer Intravenous or intramuscular iron in case of severe anemia.

- blood transfusion also best options in case of savere iron deficiency anemia.

Thank you so much