The hematocrit needs to be interpreted carefully.  A low hematocrit may
be due to all sorts of things besides iron deficiency anemia.  Leaving
aside lab error, in an inner city population in the US, sickle cell
trait or thalassemia trait or lead toxicity could do the same thing and
thus a low hematocrit would not represent iron deficiency.

Again what is *appropriate* solids?  Commercial cereal?  No way, as far
as I am concerned.  Too expensive for what you get.  Meat is better and
the iron is far better absorbed.  How about blood sausage?

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC