After Taking Too Much Iron: How to Care for Your Child

Taking too much iron can cause problems, like an upset stomach, belly pain or diarrhea. A very large amount can cause more serious problems, like severe vomiting with dehydration or stomach bleeding. Testing showed that your child did not have a dangerous level of iron in the body. This is a good time to review medicine and supplement safety in your home.

• Ask your health care provider if and when it's OK for your child to use iron supplements or multivitamins again.

• These medicine safety tips can help prevent your child from getting too much iron:

  • Keep iron — and all medicines and supplements — in a locked cabinet, out of the reach of children.

  • Always keep supplements and medicines in their original containers.

  • Put supplements and medicines away with their lids tightly closed after giving a dose.

  • Keep purses and handbags that might contain supplements or medicines away from kids.

  • Never refer to supplements or medicine as candy when giving them to your kids. 

• Avoid taking medicines or supplements in front of young children. They may try to imitate you.

Your child:

• has belly pain

• doesn't want to drink

• is vomiting or has repeated diarrhea

• seems to be getting sicker

Your child:

• has bloody or black poop

• has vomit that is bloody or that looks like coffee grounds

• is unusually tired or hard to wake up

• is breathing heavy or fast

• develops a yellow color to the eyes or skin

What are iron supplements? Iron is a mineral that's an important part of a healthy diet. Sometimes people don't get enough iron in their food, so they need to take extra iron in the form of a pill or liquid. This is called an iron supplement. 

How can a child get too much iron? A child might take iron supplements or multivitamins that have been left out or stored in a bottle with a loose cap. Sometimes, a caregiver might accidentally give an incorrect dose of a children's multivitamin or iron supplement.

What should I do if my child accidentally gets a medicine or supplement again?  Be prepared:

• Keep the phone number for Poison Control handy. Calling (800) 222-1222 anywhere in the country will connect you to the closest center.

• Know what supplements and medicines you have in your home.

• Try to keep track of how many pills are left in medicine bottles.