09
Dec
Anaemia In Infants. Nearly all infants experience anemia or low red blood cell counts about two months after birth because their red blood cells have a shorter lifespan than adults. With iron deficiency anemia the infant either does not get enough iron or cannot absorb iron. The evaluation of a child with anemia should begin with a. Anemia may occur in newborns and in older babies and can affect older children and adults too.
The most common type in babies under two years of age is iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency anemia occurs when the baby has insufficient dietary iron intake leading to an inadequate formation of hemoglobin protein. Anemia is a common blood disorder in infants affecting normal growth and development. Causes of neonatal anemia. Anemia is a condition that results when the body doesn t have enough healthy red blood cells which are responsible for carrying oxygen to the body s tissues. Anemia defined as a hemoglobin level two standard deviations below the mean for age is prevalent in infants and children worldwide.
This is called physiologic anemia and occurs because increased tissue oxygenation leads to a decrease in the production of rbcs.
Physiologic anemia is typically asymptomatic 1. Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia are typically diagnosed through blood tests. Anemia is defined as hct 45 in a term infant. However doctors may treat symptomatic anemia. The evaluation of a child with anemia should begin with a. The american academy of pediatrics recommends that all infants be tested for iron deficiency anemia starting between ages 9 months and 12 months and for those who have risk factors for iron deficiency again at later ages.