A Case of School Refusal and Suicidal Ideation in Adolescent Depression with Severe Iron Deficiency
2026 Volume 2 Issue 1 Pages 324-329
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2026 Volume 2 Issue 1 Pages 324-329
Background: Nutritional factors may contribute to school refusal and suicidal ideation in adolescents.
Case: A 17-year-old girl presented with school refusal, depressed mood, agitation, fatigue, and suicidal ide ation. Her diet showed breakfast skipping, carbohydrate predominance, and pagophagia. Medical evaluatio n found height 157 cm, weight 39 kg, body mass index 15.8, hemoglobin 11.6 g/dL, ferritin <4.9 ng/mL, zi nc 75 μg/dL, AST 19 U/L, ALT 9 U/L, and triglycerides 79 mg/dL, and iron deficiency anemia was diagno sed. Ferrous citrate 100 mg/day, vitamin C 600 mg/day, multivitamins, niacinamide, and branched-chain a mino acids were started with dietary guidance to increase animal protein intake. Symptoms improved withi n 2 weeks; after 4.5 months, symptoms and pagophagia resolved, school attendance resumed, hemoglobin i mproved to 14.5 g/dL, and ferritin to 9.5 ng/mL.
Conclusion: Early suspicion of iron deficiency and prompt medical collaboration may be useful in adolesc ents with school refusal or suicidal ideation.
