Currently, such an issue as anemia in children is very acute. Almost every fifth child undergoes this pathology at the stage of his early age. But what is anemia? This phenomenon is also called anemia. Both of these terms mean low hemoglobin in a child as part of the blood.
What is the danger?
Such a deviation for the time being may not manifest itself in any way. It is usually diagnosed in a child only during a routine physical examination. The main insidiousness of this pathology is that, first of all, the children's nervous system suffers. Small patients who suffer from this ailment significantly lag behind their peers in their development, get tired much faster, with difficulty mastering educational wisdom with school subjects.
Consider the reasons why low hemoglobin occurs in a child.
What it is?
Hemoglobin is a chemical compound that is found in red blood cells - in the so-called red blood cells. It is thanks to him that the blood acquires a red color. This compound consists of the following two parts:
- "Hem" is a part of a compound containing an iron atom.
- Globin is a specific protein.
Functions
Hemoglobin performs transport functions in our body. In human lungs, iron atoms come into contact with oxygen, due to which an unstable compound is formed, which is called oxyhemoglobin. With the flow of arterial blood, this enriched compound enters the tissues, as well as the human organs. It is there that he leaves oxygen, taking the decay product, which is carbon dioxide, which forms carboxyhemoglobin. With the flow of venous blood, hemoglobin enters the lungs, and carbon dioxide, in turn, is split off, after which it is excreted from the body. Then hemoglobin again captures oxygen. It is due to this constant repeating process that our body can regularly breathe.
Now let's try to understand why there is low hemoglobin in a child.
Provocative factors
Children of all ages can suffer from anemia, but more often this pathology affects newborn babies whose mothers suffered from anemia during their pregnancy. In such infants under the age of one year, a reduced level of this compound can be detected, since the mother's body did not allow the child to form an iron depot.
The causes of low hemoglobin in children are of interest to many parents.
Normally, in a newborn, the level of this substance is usually increased, then in the first days of life this indicator decreases to the required value, and sometimes slightly lower. But this should not be scared, since the child’s own blood-forming organs begin to function, after which soon everything will surely return to normal. In one-year-old children, a hemoglobin value of 110 grams per liter of blood is considered normal.
Signs of the disease
In the event that low hemoglobin is detected in an older child, then this is a sign of the development of a disease that should be identified and treated. In children aged one to three years, the hemoglobin index should be equal to 120 grams per liter of blood. In case of malnutrition, and, in addition, an insufficient content of the required vitamins in the food with trace elements such as manganese, copper and iron, anemia can appear even in absolutely healthy children. Inadequate stay in the fresh air also leads to the development of anemia. In this regard, in the event that the child's hemoglobin index decreases, then, first of all, you should pay attention to his daily nutrition and more often send him to fresh air.
Among other things, the cause of low hemoglobin in children can be such a severe congenital pathology as hemophilia, and, in addition, with other systemic diseases, for example, with vasculitis, collagenosis, iron malabsorption, bleeding, Crohn’s disease, and so on.
So, why does low hemoglobin occur in a child up to a year old?
Causes
The reasons for the development of childhood anemia can be divided into the following two large groups:
- Physiological factors suggesting a period of active growth, from birth to three years and adolescence.
- Pathological factors in which low hemoglobin in a child of 1 year can be caused by the appearance of various diseases.
In addition, anemia in an intermediate position is occupied by babies who were born to women suffering from iron deficiency.
Causes of Anemia in Newborns
As for newborns, they may have anemia in a number of the following cases:
- The baby can lose a large amount of blood at the time of delivery, which can happen if premature detachment of the placenta or rupture of the umbilical cord begins.
- A low content of this compound can also be observed in the case of increased decay of red blood cells. Against this background, the bone marrow may not be able to cope with the production of new proteins, due to its underdevelopment. Low hemoglobin in an infant is often observed among premature infants aged one to two months.
- Some pathologies can also lead to increased breakdown of hemoglobin, for example, hemolytic disease in newborns. Against this background, antibodies obtained from the mother function in the child’s body. It is these antibodies that destroy the red blood cells of the fetus.
- The presence of a hereditary disease such as spherocytosis can cause low hemoglobin in a month-old baby. In this case, the substance undergoes rapid decay due to the irregular, and, in addition, spherical shape of red blood cells.
- The reasons for the rapid destruction of red blood cells can also be intrauterine infections received by the child, for example, rubella, herpes or syphilis.
- Against the background of insufficient intake of iron with food in a child, even with initially normal and healthy indices, the level of hemoglobin content may decrease already by the age of six months, since the reserves that were received from the mother will simply be depleted at this point.
Why does a child have low hemoglobin?
Causes of anemia in preschoolers and schoolchildren
As for the children of preschool and also school age, they have other reasons, due to which the level of hemoglobin in the blood is reduced, namely:
- Often at an older age, the main cause is malnutrition. But it’s important to understand that it’s not enough just to feed your child foods that are rich in iron. This substance can be absorbed only if the body has special vitamins with minerals such as copper and manganese. Also, according to indicators of studies conducted by the World Health Organization, ascorbic acid is particularly favorable to this process. When it enters the body, the absorption of organic iron is very fast and almost complete. To iron contained in drugs, this also applies.
- In the event that a child has a deficiency of folic acid with vitamin B12, then the production of red blood cells may be impaired in his body, and therefore, as a result, the development of anemia will not take long. Often this happens because the baby receives few vegetables during its active growth, or they are cooked too long during cooking.
- Various hemorrhages, which occur in a latent form, can also serve as a reason for lowering the level of hemoglobin, so necessary for the body. Explicit bleeding also causes hemoglobin loss - this applies to girls who are in puberty. In the event that the discharge is plentiful, then in most situations the level of hemoglobin can significantly decrease. But subject to the right approach to nutrition, taking additional medications is not required. In addition, with errors in nutrition, hemorrhoids can appear. And because of this, even due to small but constant blood loss, the treasured protein is reduced and doctors diagnose anemia. Of course, due to various injuries and injuries, bleeding also occurs that lowers hemoglobin levels. Regarding hidden bleeding, it is worth noting that such are observed in children with diseases of the digestive system.
- Another factor that leads to the problem described above may be an incorrect lifestyle, namely: if children spend little time on the street, do not move and do not play sports, then their material metabolism is severely impaired. This will inevitably lead to the fact that the iron in the blood is likely to be low. But it should be borne in mind that increased loads can also lead to such a reaction of the body, and on the contrary, when the child regularly engages in excessive labor or too heavy sports.
- Taking certain medications in childhood, especially without a doctor’s control, can also lead to anemia.
Symptoms of low hemoglobin
In the development of this disease, doctors distinguish the following two stages:
- Initial stage. At the initial stage, the disease may not manifest itself in any way. But at the same time, the child will quickly become tired, naughty and will not want to communicate with anyone. In addition, drowsiness will torment him. The appetite of such a child is usually reduced, the skin with mucous membranes have a pale tint. The level of hemoglobin with such symptoms is usually 100 - 80 grams per liter of blood.
- Late stage. Against the background of a late stage, frequent dizziness is usually added to fatigue. The child will look lethargic, apathetic, and his heart will beat at an increased frequency, thus trying to make up for the lack of oxygen. At the same time, a marked lag will be observed not only in physical, but also in psychomotor development, in which frameworks, the child will be difficult to master skills by age.
If a child has low hemoglobin, what should I do?
What should be the treatment?
If there is the slightest suspicion of a health problem, you should show the child to a pediatrician. In the event that a blood test shows low hemoglobin, then a consultation with a hematologist, a specialist in the treatment of blood diseases, is also required.
Iron preparations
As a rule, at the first stage of the development of anemia, an outpatient intake of iron-containing drugs is prescribed, for example, Sorbifer, Fenyuls. The doctor also recommends a full-fledged, and, in addition, balanced diet, saturated with iron, vitamin "C" and other useful trace elements. It is also recommended to walk more often. Three months later, analysis control will be needed. In more severe cases, anemia is treated in a hospital.
The consequences of low hemoglobin in a child
The development of anemia in a child is fraught with various undesirable consequences, which, as a rule, become the following complications:
- Violation of the healthy functioning of internal organs along with their atrophy.
- Failure of the development process and normal growth of the child.
- The appearance of hypoxic coma in the absence of the necessary treatment.
How to prevent low hemoglobin in a child at 1 year old?
Prevention of childhood anemia
Women who suffer from anemia must take vitamins with iron supplements during their pregnancy. Hemoglobin cannot fall below the established norm. For nursing mothers, nutrition should be balanced and contain foods that are rich in iron. The liver is rich in this trace element along with eggs, meat, apples and so on.
In addition, as part of the introduction of complementary foods, all the nuances should be taken into account: the baby should receive the required amount of iron along with food. It is very important to monitor hemoglobin level once a quarter and undergo prophylactic administration of iron-containing drugs.
It is equally important to treat the underlying disease that caused the development of anemia. It is important to keep in mind that low hemoglobin in a child is not just a figure in the analysis, but very often can report a serious illness.