The Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Evaluates a 5-Year-Old Child

The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner evaluates a 5-year-old child who presents with pallor and obtains labs revealing a hemoglobin of 8.5 g/dL and a hematocrit of 31%. How will the nurse practitioner manage this patient?

A) Prescribe elemental iron and recheck labs in 1 month.
B) Reassure the parent that this represents mild anemia.
C) Recommend a diet high in iron-rich foods.
D) Refer to a hematologist for further evaluation.