How to Treat Iron Toxicity

Iron toxicity usually occurs in children under age 6, after they swallow too many pediatric or adult vitamins that contain iron. An average 8-year-old might not have symptoms after ingesting a specific amount of iron. But, that same amount could kill a 3-year-old. Children often lie about the number of vitamins or capsules they've swallowed, so you will need to look for specific symptoms. If you suspect a child has swallowed too much iron, get to an emergency room immediately.

Physical Symptoms

• Signs of iron poisoning include diarrhea, pain in the abdomen, lethargy, dehydration, vomiting or a bloody stool. Excessive iron is an irritant to the lining of the intestines. Complaints of stomach pains or nausea coming from a child or adult can signal iron toxicity. Elderly adults may forget how many doses they have ingested in a 24-hour period. That's why it's important to monitor use of elixirs containing iron or use of any vitamins by the elderly.

Failure to Treat

• Shock and death can occur in iron toxicity. There is a short window when treatment can save someone's life. It's best to err on the side of taking someone to a doctor immediately than to wait. It's a sad fact that alcoholics can be tempted to swallow large amounts of a liquid iron elixir. Alcohol is present in those liquid vitamin supplements similar to the alcohol content in cough syrup.

Options Available

• The stomach can be pumped if ingestion of too much iron occurred within the hour. If it's been longer than an hour, other measures must be used. A doctor who is suspicious of iron poisoning will make sure the patient is breathing properly. Next, the patient will need to drink a strong laxative solution to clean out his entire bowel. Severe poisonings will require IV therapy chelation therapy. This is a series of IVs containing deferoxamine mesylate (Desferal), a chemical that binds to iron in a cell and is then excreted in urine.

Other Alternatives

• Deferoxamine can be administered by IV or shot, but the IV method is preferred for easier dosage adjustment. Common side effects with deferoxamine treatment will include a change in urine color (to a red-orange) and low blood pressure. If a physician suspects ingestion of other medications, she may give a child or adult activated charcoal to drink. Activated charcoal does not bind to iron but may be useful in adsorbing other medications.

Prognosis and Recovery

• The worst symptoms of treatment should be over in six to 24 hours. Excreting the iron and any medications given to correct it should rebalance the system within a full day. The low blood pressure caused by deferoxamine treatment will make a patient tired, but full recovery should occur within 48 hours.