Anemia in children and its risks

Pallor, fatigue and bad mood can be obvious signs of anemia in children; Especially if it becomes a permanent problem. Anemia is very common in babies born prematurely or with low birth weight. The dangers of anemia in children are that it can even disrupt their normal growth and leave long-term negative effects. This article will help you to get more comprehensive information about this.

What is anemia?

Anemia occurs in 2 ways:

1- The number of red blood cells is lower than normal.

2- The amount of hemoglobin in red blood cells is very low.

What is hemoglobin? A protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body and removes carbon dioxide. Therefore, low levels of hemoglobin in the body can mean that there is too little oxygen or too much carbon dioxide in the body. Anemia can occur in children and adults.

What are the symptoms of anemia in children?

In many cases, anemia in children can have no symptoms. Therefore, the child’s parents may not know that their child is suffering from anemia. Children with symptoms of anemia usually show the following symptoms:

• paleness
• bad mood
• feeling dizzy
• Fast heartbeat
• Yellow skin or eyes
• dark urine

When anemia worsens in a child, a child who was previously very active may quickly get tired and feel weak.

Types of anemia in children

There are different types of anemia, the most important of which are mentioned below:

• Iron deficiency anemia
• Microcytic anemia
• Macrocytic anemia
• Hemolytic anemia
• Sickle cell anemia
• Thalassemia
• Aplastic anemia

Here we talk more about iron deficiency anemia in children. This type of anemia is very common in both children and adults (especially women).

Why do children get anemia?

Anemia in children and adults can be for the following reasons:

Not enough red blood cells are produced

There are several reasons why the body may not produce enough red blood cells. But it is often because a person does not get enough iron from their diet. Iron is a mineral found in many foods such as red meat, chicken, fish, legumes and dark green vegetables. Without iron, the body cannot produce enough hemoglobin. Also, if the bone marrow does not work properly, it may lead to anemia. This problem may occur due to infection or diseases such as kidney diseases. Also, some drugs, such as those used in the treatment of cancer, can cause the bone marrow to not produce enough red blood cells.

A large number of red blood cells are destroyed

If the red blood cell lifespan is shortened for any reason, the bone marrow may not be able to cope with the increased demand for new blood cells. One of the reasons for the occurrence of anemia in children and the loss of red blood cells is that their shape changes. Red blood cells should be round and smooth like a disc. But if they change their shape, they can be destroyed more easily. In some cases, the body’s immune system can destroy red blood cells. Certain medications, infections, and diseases may also cause anemia.

Many red blood cells are lost due to bleeding

When you bleed due to an injury or, for example, a nosebleed, the bone marrow makes more blood so that you do not become anemic. But if, for example, you suffer severe bleeding in an accident, the bone marrow may not be able to make enough red blood cells and replace them. Losing a large amount of blood over a long period of time can also be a cause of anemia in children and adults.

A person may lose more iron through blood loss than is taken in during meals. Without enough iron in the body, the bone marrow cannot produce enough red blood cells. This problem occurs especially in girls who have a lot of bleeding during the menstrual period and do not use enough iron in their diet. This problem may also be seen in people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Interpretation of anemia test in children

To be sure of the presence of anemia in children, the doctor will write a blood test for your child so that he can perform more tests to be more sure. To test for anemia, a person must be fasting. In the blood sample taken from the child, the amount of red blood cells and hemoglobin are measured. Also, the size and shape of the cells are examined. Pay attention to the following:

• RBC indicates the amount of red blood cells in the blood, which in children is about 4 to 5.5 million cells per microliter.
• WBC indicates white blood cells, which normally range from 1.4 to 10 thousand.
• Hematocrit: In children, it should be between 31 and 43%.
• The standard amount of platelets is between 140,000 and 450,000.

Finally, you should show the test to the doctor so that he can identify and treat anemia in children.

What to do to treat anemia in children?

Treatment of anemia in children directly depends on its cause. In children, the most common cause of anemia is iron deficiency in the diet. Some children may need iron supplements to help make more red blood cells. Anemia caused by infection is treated when the infection is gone. As we said earlier, there are some other types of anemia, each of which should be treated under the supervision of a specialist, considering the cause.

A child or adult with severe anemia may need a blood transfusion. Blood transfusion is the fastest way to deliver blood and oxygen to body cells. Millions of children and adults in the world are rescued from the trap of death every year by blood transfusions and getting rid of the problem of anemia.

Home treatment of anemia in children

In cases where Anemia in children It is very mild, it can be helped to improve the anemia by changing the diet. For this purpose, include the following foods in the blood child’s diet:

• Red Meat
• Seafood
• egg
• Cereals fortified with iron
• Legumes such as lentils and beans
• Dark green vegetables

• What can increase the absorption of iron in your child’s body is vitamin C. So give him sources of iron along with sources rich in vitamin C. Citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, papaya and tomatoes are rich sources of vitamin C.

Does anemia in children cause weight loss?

In a word, yes; Anemia in children may lead to weight loss and emaciation. but how? We said that the most common type of anemia in children is iron deficiency anemia. Lack of iron in the body causes the child’s appetite to decrease. As a result of decreased appetite, it is obvious that the child eats less food and therefore loses weight. This problem can be easily solved by taking syrup or iron drops.

final word

In this article, we examined anemia in children. There are different types of anemia, but since the most common type is iron deficiency anemia, we also mentioned this issue more in this article. To buy the best anemia supplement for children and increase levels hemoglobin You can visit the online pharmacy of Positive Sabz right now and buy all kinds of Iranian and foreign iron drops.