I also responded to your post on RQ, as did at least one other mom with a daughter from China with thal.
Yes, my son takes folic acid daily. However, no diet improvements will enable his bone marrow to produce red blood cells. This is a genetic condition. It is not an iron deficiency form of anemia. As you may already be aware, optimal hemoglobin levels for transfusion depedent patients is to be above hemoglobin of 9. For example, when my son's falls between 9 and 10 we are heading in for a transfusion...
I can imagine it is quite difficult adopting a child with SNs that you were prepared for and then finding out he also has thalassemia (alpha intermedia, HbH Constant Springs). I am sure you are thinking that thank goodness he did not remain in China!! and that he became your son. You know you will get him the medical care he needs! In China, at the SWI, if they did not realize he had Constant Springs, he could have become very ill.
Please keep us posted!
Nicole