crunching on ice alot=anemia/iron deficiency?

[wildernesslodgelover]

I have never heard of this until I was doing some googling. My DD (she is 9) crunches on ice all the time. She gets a big cup of crushed ice (not cubed) and a spoon and adds a little water and just munches on it, maybe once or twice a day maximum. Some days not at all. I always kind of told myself that maybe it was a good thing, because at least she is getting lots of hydration in this hot and muggy SoFla weather.

I decided to google because I was wondering if it was hurting her teeth. That's where I found out that crunching ice is very often a sign of low iron. It is part of that disorder (not sure if disorder is the right word...maybe medical condition is better) called PICA where people chew non food items (althought to me, ice is somewhat of a food item, ya know?)

Anyway, I actually found a message board devoted to ice chewing! There are posts from people who discovered they have low iron, but also some that just love to chew ice. there are some people that do it all day long, and others that have spouses that hate it/find it annoying etc.

Oh, and apparently "Sonic" has the best ice? Who knew???

Anyway, I am digressing...I am most concerned with my DD's iron levels. I guess I will have to take her to the doctor soon, and also find out what other things can signify low iron, to see if she shows any of those signs.

Thanks for any input and experinces!

 

[#1hockeymom]

I'm an ice cruncher. I fill up a cup with all ice and add a bit of water, chewing the ice until it is gone then add more ice. I don't do this in public.

I haven't had my iron levels checked. I probably should.

 

[nannerbadnanner]

When I started crunching ice during my last trimester of prganancy, I told my DH that I bet my iron was low. Sure enough, it was and I had to start taking iron pills. I never chewed ice before, but I was craving it like crazy. If this is a new thing for your daughter, she definitely needs to get checked out.

 

[sorcerormickey]

I just got over this pica - I chewed ice for about a year or so until I figured out it was an iron issue. I was sending my boyfriend out at least once a day to get me a beverage somewhere with TONS of ice. Publix and Sonic were the best!! It was like an addiction - I just had to have it.

I added an iron supplement to my daily vitamin and haven't craved ice in awhile.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Wow, thanks for the quick responses!

This is the message board I was talking about...

http://icechewing.iswhaticrave.com/

Looking forward to hearing more responses, and I will update this thread after our doctor visit.

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

I never knew that ice crunching meant you have low iron. Interesting, since I eat ice all the time.

 

[Belle1962]

SONIC RULES!!!! I love SONIC ice!!!! I try to get a 44 oz cup on the weekends. And it's not as hard on my teeth as other ice (which I am sure pleases my dentist--he has told for years that the reason I keep needing crowns and such is because I am cracking teeth on ice).

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I think there is liking to crunch ice...then there is CRAVING ice.

Belle-Have you had your iron levels checked? I am going to have to try this Sonic ice! I just hear too much about it now.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

I crunch on ice all of the time. I have been doing it since I got teeth. I'm chomping on some right now, as a matter of fact. My iron levels are fine and always have been.

It's a habit, not a medical condition (for me).

 

[PrincessKitty1]

A former co-worker of mine was an ice-cruncher, and she did indeed have low iron levels. She said she had a prescribed iron supplement but was always forgetting to take it. She was very particular about her ice and, even though we had an ice machine in our unit, she would go to a different unit and stock up on "softer" ice every morning.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I honestly have never heard of this. I had a blood test last month; I'm very anemic, and I don't crunch ice, nor do I crave it

 

[HsvTeacher]

Last year, I went through a long phase of craving ice. I would send my poor DH to Sonic every few days to get me a bag of ice. (By far the best ice around!) Then some routine blood work came back and sure enough I was anemic. Once I got that straightened out, the cravings disappeared.

 

[LadyyRedd]

I honestly have never heard of this. I had a blood test last month; I'm very anemic, and I don't crunch ice, nor do I crave it

I've heard of it before, but I've never done it even though I'm anemic. I actually don't use ice at all, even in drinks. I keep drinks in the fridge. I don't even keep ice cube trays in the freezer!

Kimya

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Already knew all of that. It is not good for your teeth.

 

[bsnyder]

I was an ice-addict starting as a child. The "addiction" got worse and worse over the years. I was always embarassed about it, and just thought I didn't have any self-control over a bad habit.

I had a hysterectomy at age 37, because my iron level was extremely low and iron supplements didn't help - I even had to have a couple of hemoglobin transfusions, and that didn't help.

The cravings completely went away, after the hysterectomy. 100% gone.

 

[JessicaR]

My SIL used to crave ice. It was crazy! She would walk around with a cup of ice ALL the time. Thankfully after about a year or maybe longer her iron stores came back depleted in a rountine blood work up. As soon as her iron levels climbed the ice craving stopped.

 

[HelenePA]

Me but only when pregnant. Actually its one of my first "signs" that I am pregnant.. my iron is fine, I just like ice when pregnant which probably helps me stay hydrated thru ALL of my pregnancies since they are all summer/fall babies

 

[pfishgirl]

DH chews ice All The Time!!! He hasn't been to a DR in years. Maybe it's time I send him for a check up..

 

[RadioNate]

LOVE chewing ice, yes Sonic ice rules and yes I am anemic.

 

[heart4pooh]

Just a PSA, there is not a positive correlation between low iron and anemia. There are several different reasons for anemia, and you can have low iron and not be anemic. We learned the hard way. My son has had an iron absorption problem all of his life. His iron was never checked since he wasn't anemic. We spent thousands of dollars running every test known to mankind at Duke to find out why he wasn't growing. My endocrinologist told me about the iron/anemia thing, so I had his pediatrician follow up with more specific tests. It came back that he doesn't absorb iron!! He had all the symptoms, but it never, in 9 yrs, got past the test for anemia. And, he never chews ice. He even prefers not to have it in his drinks. BTW, last year when he was nine, he weighed 46 pounds. Twelve months later after starting on iron, he weighs 63 pounds!! It makes me sad/mad that a $24 test was never done. OK, I'll get down off my soap box...