Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
I must have been about eight or nine years old when I had an MRI scan for my head as I often came home from school with a headache. I’d take a junior Panadol (or whatever the equivalent was at the time) and just sleep it off.
The MRI came back clear and everyone was happy. But I would still get headaches and I would often be tired. In fact, the joke in the house was always about how I loved to sleep.
Then, at age 13, a routine blood test showed that I was severely iron-deficient.
That explained everything.
I clearly remember how taking extra iron brought ‘life’ into my days. I was more energetic and got into more sports, my brain stopped being foggy, and even my overall demeanour improved.
I always think about how interesting it is that my doctor at the time thought about doing an MRI scan before checking my diet or my iron levels. Fatigue and headaches are the most common symptoms of iron deficiency in children. And so is hair loss.
When a mother comes to me asking me to find out what’s wrong with her child, I let her do all the talking. I don’t live with the child, but she does, and mothers are great at spotting a problem. Unfortunately, care-givers seldom ask mothers for signs that they’ve spotted.
If you are a parent, start looking at your child’s symptoms for indications of anything going out of balance. Ask your child about regularity of bowel movements, look at mannerisms, energy levels, and even skin colour. By being alert, you might be able to help your child more than anyone-else.
It is for this very reason that I created a HEALTHY PARENTING crash course. I can teach you what to look for in your child, what it means, and how to address it. Naturally.
*To join Alia’s Healthy Parenting Crash Course on March 2, email alia@aliaalmoayed.com or call Atik on 33252854. But you must hurry as slots are limited. For more info: https://aliaalmoayed.wordpress.com/events/
