How to tell if your child has iron deficiency [Video]

Guelph resident Sasha Burnison was in Grade 6 when she was diagnosed with iron deficiency. 

“So I would [feel] like I want to do sports, but just … want to go home and sleep,” said Burnison, now 18 years old. 

“[I couldn’t] run around too much, I’d get dizzy.”

After consulting with her family doctor and conducting a blood test, Burnison’s ferritin test to determine her body’s iron stores confirmed that she had below normal levels. 

Ferritin is a blood protein that stores iron, and it’s what lab technicians measure when they test for iron deficiency.

Burnison now takes iron supplements to maintain her body’s iron levels. Though she still struggles with bouts of fatigue and dizziness, she says she’s able to maintain a more active lifestyle. 

Menstruating and pregnant women and girls have the highest risk for iron deficiency. Children between 18 and 24 months oldare another group …