Anemia and your young child
Guidelines for Parents
Adapted from Caring
for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5.
Anemia is a condition that is sometimes
found in young children. It can make your child feel
cranky, tired, and weak. Though these symptoms may
worry you, most cases of anemia are easily treated.
This brochure explains the different types of anemia
and its causes, symptoms, and treatments.
What is anemia?
Anemia is a condition that occurs when
there are not enough red blood cells or hemoglobin
to carry oxygen to the other cells in the body. The
body’s cells need oxygen to survive. Your child
may become anemic for any of the following reasons:
• Her body does not produce
enough red blood cells.
• Her body destroys or loses (through bleeding)
too many red blood cells.
• There is not enough hemoglobin in her red
blood cells. Hemoglobin is
a special pigment that makes it possible for the
red blood cells to carry oxygen to all the cells
of the body, and to carry waste material (carbon
dioxide) away.
Types of anemia
Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common
type of anemia in young children.
It is caused by a lack of iron in the diet. The body
needs iron to produce hemoglobin.
If there is too little iron, there will not be enough
hemoglobin in the red blood cells. Infants who are
given cow’s milk too early (before 1 year of
age) often develop anemia because there is very little
iron in cow’s milk. Also, it is hard for young
infants to digest cow’s milk. Cow’s milk
can irritate a young infant’s bowel and cause
slight bleeding. This bleeding lowers the number of
red blood cells, and can result in anemia.
A lack of other nutrients in the diet
can also cause anemia. Too little folic acid can lead
to anemia, though this is very rare. It is most often
seen in children fed on goat’s milk, which contains
very little folic acid. Rarely, too little vitamin
B12, vitamin E, or copper can also cause anemia.
Blood loss can also cause anemia. Blood
loss can be caused by illness or injury. In rare cases,
the blood does not clot properly. This can cause a
newborn infant to bleed heavily from his circumcision
or a minor injury. Because newborns often lack vitamin
K, which helps the blood clot, infants generally get
a vitamin K injection right after birth.
Hemolytic anemia occurs when the red
blood cells are easily destroyed.
Sickle-cell anemia, a very severe hemolytic anemia,
is most common in children of African heritage. Sickle-cell
anemia is caused by an abnormal hemoglobin. Children
with sickle-cell anemia may suffer many “crises”
or periods of great pain, and need to be hospitalized.
Thalassemia, another hemolytic anemia, is most common
in children of Mediterranean or East Asian origin.
If you have a history of sickle-cell anemia or thalassemia
in your family, make sure you tell your pediatrician
so that your child is tested for it.
Signs and symptoms of anemia
Anemia causes the following
signs and symptoms:
• Pale, gray, or “ashy”
skin (also, the lining of the eyelids and the nail
beds may look less pink than normal)
• Irritability
• Mild weakness
• Tiring easily
Children with severe anemia
may have the following additional signs
and symptoms:
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid heart rate
• Swollen hands and feet
Also, a newborn with hemolytic anemia
may become jaundiced (turn
yellow), although many newborns are mildly jaundiced
and do not become anemic.
Children who lack iron in their diets may also eat
strange things such as ice, dirt, clay, and cornstarch.
This behavior is called “pica.” It is
not harmful unless your child eats something toxic,
such as lead paint chips. Usually the pica stops after
the anemia is treated and as the child grows older.
If your child shows any of these symptoms or signs,
see your pediatrician.
A simple blood count can diagnose anemia in most cases.
Treatment for anemia
Since there are so many different types
of anemia, it is very important to identify the cause
before beginning any treatment. Do not try to treat
your child with vitamins, iron, or other nutrients
or over-the-counter medications unless your pediatrician
recommends it. This is important because such treatment
may mask the real cause of the problem. This could
delay a proper diagnosis.
If the anemia is due to a lack of iron,
your child will be given an ironcontaining medication.
This comes in a drop form for infants, and liquid
or tablet forms for older children. Your pediatrician
will determine how long your child should take the
iron medication by checking her blood regularly.
Do not stop giving the medication until your pediatrician
tells you it is no longer needed.
Iron medications are extremely poisonous
if too much is taken.
Iron is one of the most common causes of poisoning
in children
under 5 years of age. Keep this and all medication
out of the
reach of small children.
Following are a few tips concerning
iron medication:
• Do not give iron with milk.
Milk blocks the absorption of iron.
• Vitamin C increases iron absorption. You
might want to follow the dose
of iron with a glass of orange juice.
• Liquid iron can turn the teeth a grayish-black
color. Have your child swallow
it quickly and then rinse her mouth with water.
You also may want to
brush your child’s teeth after every dose
of iron. Tooth-staining by iron
looks bad, but it is not permanent.
• Iron can cause the stools to become a dark
black color. Do not be worried by this change.
Preventing anemia
Iron-deficiency anemia and other nutritional
anemias can be prevented easily.
Make sure your child is eating a well-balanced diet
by following these
suggestions:
• Do not give your baby cow’s
milk until he is over 12 months old.
• If your child is breast-fed, give him foods
with added iron, such as cereal, when you begin
feeding him solid foods. Before then, he will get
enough iron from the breast milk. However, feeding
him solid foods with too little iron will decrease
the amount of iron he gets from the milk.
• If you formula-feed your baby, give him
formula with added iron.
• Make sure your older child eats a well-balanced
diet with foods that contain iron. Many grains and
cereals have added iron (check labels to be sure).
Other good sources of iron include
egg yolks, red meat, potatoes, tomatoes, molasses,
and raisins. Also, to increase the iron in your family’s
diet, use the fruit pulp in juices, and cook potatoes
with the skins on.
With proper treatment, your child’s anemia should
improve quickly. Be sure to contact your pediatrician
if you think your child might be anemic.
The information contained in this
publication should not be used as a substitute for
the medical care and advice of your pediatrician.
There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician
may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
For more information contact
your local health department or physician.
* This information is not a substitute
for professional medical care. Diagnosis and treatment
should be done only by your health care provider.
For more information contact your local health department
or physician.
To the top >>
