Vit C for a Toddler for better chelation with Desferal

Hi!

You all probably know that my 2.5 yr old daughter is on desferal for iron chelation. we could not get her to drink any juice or water in the early morning to try using Exjade. ANyway, in last four months her ferritin dropped from 1800+ to ~ 1300. I have read in various places that Vit.C increases chelation efficinency of desferal. Can anyone suggest a brand I can use for my toddler. she takes gummy bears for her multvitamin and 1 capsule of IP6 with milk. The gummy bears have only 20mg of VitC in the form of ascorbic acid. What other brand is available for toddlers that will give her higher Vit. C?

Also, Andy, when is a good time to start her on any other supplements? Apart from the multi vitamins & IP6, what other supplements can I give a 2.5 year toddler who is very picky about eating (and drinking).

Bostonian,

My 10 year old son was advised to take 250mg of vitamin C 1/2 hour after starting desferal infusion. 
IP6 is best given on an empty stomach with water, milk may interfere with the absorption of IP6. 

You can see the following thread for a list of supplements that you may wish to slowly begin using as your child grows:

http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php?topic=2240.0

You should begin giving your daughter Osteocare and make sure that she is involved in physical activity as much as possible to keep her bones strong.  Osteocare can be ordered from this site: 

http://www.vitabiotics.com/osteocare/osteocare_liq_formula.aspx?ID=15&sm=3

Best of luck and please keep us posted,

Sharmin

For vitamin C, look for something like this. http://www.country-life.com/moreinfo.cfm?Category=16&Product_ID=243

I would also agree with Sharmin and recommend that you start her on Osteocare chewables. I think this is probably good advice for anyone who has a picky eater child, as the demands for calcium and other minerals are very high with thal.

Sharmin, Andy,

Thanks a lot for the links....We got the country life brand Vit.C from Whole Foods. Got into trouble while ordering the osteocare. They didnot approve and got an error saying it needs further approval. Not sure what it means. I plan to call them today. Thanks again.

Andy, I hope you can come to the symposium. You have been a great source of strength for us in coping with Thal.

Sharmin, close to the symposium, I will get in touch with you to make sure me and my wife can meet you.

- Bostonian

Bostonian,

I am hoping to attend the symposium, I want to register as soon as registration opens.  I look forward to meeting you at the symposium.  We can PM each other beforehand. 

Sharmin

Sharmin,

yes, we are looking forward to the symposium too....Please share it online when the registration opens up.

My daughter's hemo talked about another chelation coming on trial. She did not divulge any details - it is not exjade or l1. Not sure what the secrecy is all about. Hope in NY, we will hear more about it.

Bostonian,

I emailed them last week, registration wasn't open yet but I am hoping that it will soon.  It will be really nice to meet you at the conference - I haven't met anyone form this site yet. 

How is your daughter?  Have you received Osteocare?   Also, have you started vitamin C? 

I will let you know as soon as I hear something about the symposium.

Sharmin

Sharmin,

We got Vit.C in the form of gummy bear from WholeFoods store. The brand is country-life, as recommended by Andy. Thanks Andy....

We got the osteocare finally ! ...we ordered the liquid formula....as I was not sure my daughrer will take the chewable tablets. a Big mistake...she just did not like the taste of the liquid....she will just not take it. She wouldn't take anything liquid except plain water or milk. In any other circumstances that is probably a good thing. But for her, it means we cannot start exjade and now we cannot give her the osteocare.

Andy/Sharmin: do you guys know of any brand of calcium/magnesium/Vit.D suppliment that is in gummy-bear form? may be I can buy that. In Whole Food store, I saw few brands that were Ca/Vit.D suppliments, but none of them have Magnesium in it. Please let me know if you guys know of any gummy-bear type of Ca suppliment that I can use for my toddler.

Dear Bostonian, 

I hope that your doctor is doing well, I am glad to know that she is taking vitamin C gummies. 

I wonder if it is okay to mix the Osteocare into her milk?  I am not sure - perhaps we can ask vitabiotics (the company that makes Osteocare).  Otherwise, there are chewable forms of Osteocare available as well.  Osteocare is a great product because it contains cal/mag/vit D and zince - all of which the doctors in Oakland highly recommend. 

I am in a rush right now - I will write more later,  best,

Sharmin

My daughter did not like Osteocare taste (liquid or chewable tablets) the chewable tablets were 'hot' for her and they actually taste like orange peel, given your requirement of calcium/magnesium/vit D, the best that works for us was 'Caltrate Plus with essential minerals, fruit flavour' they are chewable tablets and provides all essential minerals for bone health including zinc, magnesium, vit D, copper, maganese.......

My daughter loves the taste. Hope the site below helps. (PS this was recommended by Andy as well).

http://www.caltrate.ca/Content/Products/caltrateChewables.asp

Online forums=no value? This thread is just one example of how people can benefit from the experience of each other by sharing info in an online forum. Try asking a doctor for a supplement recommendation. You will in most cases be given a prescription for an over-priced poor quality product. Ask here and you will find advice from real people who have found good products for their children and themselves. These current posts are such a good example of group thinking. When a child just won't take a supplement, it is wonderful to have someone speak up and say "try this. My kid is also fussy but will take this one."

 :exactaly,  , but in all this i dont think that there isn't docotr's fault , you can't remember all product's name but a few of them & if you keep searching ahhh your head will blow-up .... its our ( patient's ) responsibility to search for good products and talk about that to our doctors .... and it is possible only to discuss like we are doing . as i said a little ago , Debate is a key to knowledge ... and that is wat we are doing up here ... soo , its our responsibility to search and ask about new and good product and ask to our doctors about the reliability of that producer ( company ) of that product ....

I hope i m right , tell me if i m wrong

Best Regards
Take cAre
Umair

Hey buddy, 

you are right.  I think that we supplement what the average doctor does not know about.  People like Andy, who finds out what the best doctors in the world recommend can bring knowledge back to all of us - otherwise we would never have known. 

With this knowledge and constant support - I think our members can accomplish a lot more than they would have without the help of this forum. 

I don't know where I would be without this forum - Andy and this forum changed our lives for the better.  Thank god for this place!

Sharmin

Yeah Thanx for andy to make this platform for thals , and Thanx to my destiny that took me here and gave a thought to stop search and register on this site after visit a year  .....  :thannkyou2 for all ...

Umair