Anaemia is common in patients with malignant neoplastic disease' but is not generally recognised as a complication of brain tumours in the absence of vomiting or anorexia. We report the case of an infant who came to medical attention because of iron deficiency anaemia for which no cause was found until an intracranial neoplasm was diagnosed. The anaemia remained refractory to dietary iron supplements but resolved promptly after excision of the neoplasm