Ive just found out my 5yr old is iron deficient& he is now taking supplements.he has a v. varied, healthy, iron rich dietis there anything else that could cause this? he has also recently suffered with night terrors-could the two be related?

The cause of iron deficiency needs to be worked up. Chronic blood loss is the most common cause of iron deficiency but anemia should be present. For true iron deficiency without blood lost, iron malabsorption is the culprit so your child should be evaluated by a pediatric gastroenterologist. I wonder if night terror has anything to do with the primary disease which causes iron deficiency.

Mild iron deficiency is often just a kid growing faster than his dietary intake has kept up with. Supplements for a few months would fix this. There is a long list of possibilities with moderate or prolonged deficiency that the doc would usually only pursue if simple supplements don't fix it. There is no reason to pair anemia with night terrors.

Iron deficiency increases the likelihood of insomnia which is a risk factor for night terrors. Maintain a sleep log of your child's bedtime, number of hours of sleep, night terrors and snoring. Maintain a regular sleep schedule, avoid electronic devices two hours prior to bedtime. Keep the bedroom clean and quiet. A bath and reading time prior to sleep time is recommended. Please follow up.