Symptoms:

• Blue-tinged or very pale whites of eyes
• Blood in the stools
• Brittle nails
• Decreased appetite (especially in children)
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Irritability
• Pale skin color (pallor)
• Shortness of breath
• Sore tongue
• Unusual food cravings (called pica)
• Weakness

Note: There may be no symptoms if anemia is mild.

Signs and tests:

The health care provider will perform a physical exam. A blood sample is taken and sent to a laboratory for examination. Red blood cells appear small when looked at under a microscope.

Specific tests that may be done include:

• Hematocrit
• Serum ferritin reveals the amount of iron stored in your body
• Serum iron shows how much iron is in your blood
• Total iron binding capacity (TIBC) to measure the ability of a protein called transferrin to carry iron in the blood