The Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Is Managing Care for a Child

The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is managing care for a child diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia who had an initial hemoglobin of 8.8 g/dL and hematocrit of 32% who has been receiving ferrous sulfate as 3 mg/kg/day of elemental iron for 4 weeks. The child's current lab work reveals elevations in Hgb/Hct and reticulocytes with a hemoglobin of 10.5 g/dL and a hematocrit of 36%. What is the next step in management of this patient?

A) Continue the current dose of ferrous sulfate and recheck labs in 1 to 2 months.
B) Discontinue the supplemental iron and encourage an iron-enriched diet.
C) Increase the ferrous sulfate dose to 4 to 6 mg/kg/day of elemental iron.
D) Refer the child to a pediatric hematologist to further evaluate the anemia.