ANEMIA

Anemia is a condition in which red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the body, are not present in sufficient numbers. The vast majority of cases of anemia are due to iron deficiency, although there are other causes, such as sickle cell anemia, hereditary spherocytosis, and thalassemia, to name a few. We routinely check a child for anemia at one year of age with a blood test.

Symptoms of anemia include pallor (pale appearance), lethargy, poor growth, and a tendency to fatigue easily. Other symptoms of anemia exist, which are less common. If your child is diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia, an iron supplement is usually prescribed. This medication is usually given for several months to replenish the iron stores of the body.

At birth, an infant is born with extra iron reserves. By two months of age, these stores have been utilized, and the child requires iron from the diet to prevent anemia. For breastfed infants, no iron supplementation is usually needed for the infant. Infants who are bottle fed should be on formula that is fortified with iron. All infant formulas in the US available for sale are now fortified with iron.



Children over the age of one should have a diet high in iron-containing foods. Examples of foods high in iron are beef, pork, liver, chicken, iron fortified cereal, beans, peas, eggs, tuna, peanut butter, tomatoes, pasta, green vegetables, and prune juice.