Young anemia and identification signs

Children with anemia are difficult to recognize because the disease does not cause any symptoms. However, if your child appears to be inactive, tired or fussy, irritable and blue skin . it is very likely that he is suffering from anemia.

What is anemia in children?

Anemia in young children is an abnormal condition of red blood cells (or red blood cells) or children with lower hemoglobin than normal (hemoglobin is the material that makes red blood cells).

Red blood cells act as 'trucks', used to carry oxygen in the blood . When we inhale, oxygen-containing air enters the lungs, oxygen is diffused from the lungs into the blood, where oxygen is attached to the surface of red blood cells and red blood cells carry oxygen to organs throughout the body.

Causes of anemia in young children

Hemoglobin abnormalities : The structure and function of red blood cells depends on the quality and quantity of the blood cells present in the body. Some genetic diseases can cause hemoglobin abnormalities. This will make red blood cells fall. When bone marrow cannot catch up with dead cells causing anemia.

Lack of proper nutrition: To make your baby's red blood cells need enough iron, B12 and vitamins. When the body lacks iron and vitamins, the production of insufficient red blood cells in the body leads to anemia. This usually occurs in children over 1 year old and premature babies.

Deformations in bone marrow: Bone marrow plays an important role in red blood cell production. So leukemia or bone marrow cancer will lead to a decrease in red blood cell production.

Signs and symptoms of anemia

Usually children with iron deficiency do not have any signs and symptoms because the amount of iron reserves in the body decreases slowly. When the disease has turned into anemia, you may notice the following signs of your child.

Children become weak, inactive, tired or fussy, irritable.Young appearance also changes : blue skin and pale mucosa. In addition, children also become anorexic, dizzy or feel light spots in front of them.

Tachycardia is also a symptom of anemia , because anemia is a lack of red blood cells that carry oxygen, causing lack of oxygen to organs. Therefore, the body compensates by increasing the heart rate to push blood at a faster rate, or as an increase in the speed of the 'vehicle' carrying oxygen up to carry enough oxygen to the tissue.

Iron-induced anemia if severe will make children slow to develop physically and ability to move (slow to sit, stand, walk), thinning hair is easy to break, easily fall off, nails, deformed toenails, splenomegaly .

Children also have reduced resistance , susceptible to infections but the most important is to reduce intelligence index, reduce thinking ability, creativity, poor learning results.

Treatment of anemia for children

What do children do with anemia? Treatment of anemia depends on the cause. In children, the most common cause of anemia is iron deficiency in the diet. Therefore, it is necessary to give children a diet rich in iron such as meat, eggs, legumes, green vegetables.

Some children need iron supplements to help their bodies make more blood. In other cases, doctors find that there are special causes and need to have screening tests before treatment. Whatever the cause, severe anemia requires blood transfusions.

Children with anemia can easily regain health if treated properly. When red blood cells are produced a lot, oxygen will move to full tissue, the body will be healthy again.

Some of the best sources of iron for babies:

You can add iron to your baby by feeding your baby a lot of iron-containing foods in animals such as meat, fish, shrimp, crabs, clams, oysters, poultry meat . very easily absorbed. body. Or foods high in vitamin C like orange, orange, strawberry, red pepper, papaya, broccoli, grape, melon, mango, tomato and potato can also help Enhance vegetable quality . For example:

1. 1/4 cup of sea vegetables (including algae, seaweed)
2. 1/3 cup of ready-mixed cereal powder: 4.5mg
3. 1/3 cup of ready-made oatmeal: 4mg
4. 1/4 cup of soy milk: 2.2mg
5. 1/4 cup of pork, baked beans and tomato sauce: 2mg
6. 1/4 cup of green beans
7. 28g sliced ​​meat: 1mg
8. 28g shrimp: 9mg
9. 1/2 medium-sized hamburger (about 43g): 9mg
10. 1/4 cup of black beans: 9mg
11. 1 tablespoon of wheat germ: 5mg
12. 1/4 cup of tofu: 9mg (the amount of nutrients will vary depending on the type of tofu.)
13. 1/2 big egg: 3mg
14. 28g chicken breast meat: 2mg

Note : The number of mg will vary depending on the measuring device, food quality and brand .