Also in this issue: New School Vaccine Requirements in Texas No Mower Injuries Outdoor Activity is Healthy for Asthma Patients A Checklist to Help Spot Hearing Loss ADD Symptoms Could Mean a Sleep Disorder NEWSLETTER HOME PAGE		Anemia Has Many Forms Causes for a low red blood cell level Anemia — a lower-than-normal amount of red blood cells — can result from a variety of causes, particularly in children. Red blood cells bring oxygen to the body's organs and tissues. The most common form is iron deficiency. The leading cause for this is drinking too much cow’s milk. To avoid this form of anemia, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding your child or using commercial formula until he or she is at least six months old. Then introduce cow’s milk sparingly (16-24 oz. per day depending on age). The U.S. Surgeon General, the nation’s top doctor, also recommends breastfeeding exclusively for at least six months. Know the signs If your child is anemic, you might see certain symptoms: Increased fatigue or tiredness, decreased energy Fast heartbeat Paleness or jaundice, dizziness and headache. Not all anemia is caused by iron deficiency. In rare cases, anemia also can be a sign of bone marrow dysfunction. This is when your child’s body produces the wrong kind of blood cells or not enough blood cells. These conditions include: Aplastic anemia or bone marrow failure Congenital or acquired hemolytic anemia such as sickle cell disease or antibody-mediated hemolytic anemia Blood loss (such as from a gastrointestinal bleeding or heavy menstrual periods). Talk with your pediatrician if your child has any of these symptoms. Your primary care provider can diagnose anemia through a simple blood test called a complete blood count, or CBC. However, your child may not have any signs or symptoms even if he or she is anemic. When to contact a specialist “Anemia can be either a very simple problem that is preventable, such as with iron deficiency, or a more severe problem requiring a specialist physician consultation,” says Dr. Zora Rogers, a hematologist-oncologist at Children’s Medical Center and associate professor of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center. If your child has something beyond simple dietary deficiency, or if it re-occurs, your physician should discuss your child’s condition with a pediatric hematologist. The Hematology Program of the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s serves as the major diagnostic and treatment resource in Northeast Texas for children with hematologic disorders. Appointments with blood specialists in the full-service hematology program are available at the Children’s Dallas campus and at Children’s Medical Center at Legacy in Plano. Children’s, through its affiliation with UT Southwestern’s hematology program, participates in hundreds of consultations and referrals from primary care physicians to our specialists every year. Learn more about blood disorders in the Children's Health Library. Last reviewed: July 2009		Find a Doctor Find a Speciality & Service Support Children's About Children's childrens.com
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