In medicine, anemia refers to a disease in which there is a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood and a decrease in the number of red blood cells. According to experts, this ailment is currently quite common. It can be diagnosed at any age. In this article, we will talk about why anemia in a newborn can develop, as well as how to deal with it.
Causes
Today, experts identify several priority factors leading to the development of the disease. So, anemia in a newborn can be diagnosed for the following reasons:
- hereditary predisposition;
- large loss of blood at the time of birth (the placenta prematurely separated from the walls of the uterus, the umbilical cord ruptured);
- early birth (premature baby) ;
- hemolytic disease ;
- intrauterine infection (e.g. rubella, herpes / syphilis, toxoplasmosis, etc.).
Symptoms
First of all, it should be noted that, as a rule, anemia in a newborn develops slowly, therefore, primary signs appear only with time. Initially, there is a decrease in appetite in the crumbs, then the so-called blueness of the skin is observed. The liver slightly increases in size, the stool becomes clay and dry. It is noteworthy that if anemia was diagnosed in a newborn in severe form, then first of all hemoglobin drops sharply, however, the number of red blood cells may remain normal for a long time. Experts warn that it is very important to identify the disease at the earliest stages. The thing is that with fairly rapid dehydration and diarrhea, the blood begins to thicken rapidly, as a result, the ailment remains unrecognized.
Diagnosis of Anemia
In some cases, mild degrees of the disease may not clinically manifest for a long time, therefore laboratory data play a huge role in the diagnosis. So, if the hemoglobin level is below 110 g / l, and the color index does not exceed 0.8, then we can talk about the presence of the disease in the body.
Anemia in the newborn. Treatment
According to experts, therapy in this case necessarily involves eliminating the causes of the disease, normalizing the diet (reducing the amount of milk and using a variety of complementary foods), individual treatment, as well as the inclusion of iron in the diet. As a rule, in the early stages it is possible to almost completely restore the condition of the baby in literally seven to eight weeks.
If the disease develops rapidly, more serious measures will be required. First of all, stimulation of the body is prescribed. For these purposes, iron preparations are prescribed, liver intake is recommended, and hemo- and enzyme therapy are also performed.
Preventative measures
According to experts, in order to avoid a diagnosis of anemia in a newborn, the disease should be prevented during pregnancy. The expectant mother should take the vitamins recommended by the doctor.