The child lowered red blood cells

Content

What level of red blood cells is considered reduced
Types of erythropenia
The reasons
Symptoms
What is dangerous erythropenia for a child
What to do

One of the most important results of a child’s blood test is the number of red blood cells. Low levels of these red blood cells are called erythropenia. It is caused by physiological causes, and various diseases. To understand whether a child with reduced red blood cells needs medical care, parents should know why red blood cells become smaller, how the red blood cells manifest themselves in children, and what should be done when such a problem is detected in a blood test.

The level of red blood cells in a child’s blood directly affects their well-being.

What level of red blood cells is considered reduced

The lower limit of the normal number of red blood cells in the blood of a child of different ages is considered:

Have a newborn	5 x 10¹²/ l
Do babies from the 5th day of life	4.5 x 10¹²/ l
A child older than one year	4 x 10¹²/ l

If the child’s blood test is below such figures, this requires a more detailed examination to identify the reasons why red blood cells are not enough, as well as the appointment of the correct treatment.

Types of erythropenia

Relative. Such a decrease in the number of red blood cells is also called false, because the number of cells is not reduced, and an underestimate is associated with blood thinning (for example, due to heavy drinking).
Absolute. This type of erythropenia is due to the lack of red blood cells in the peripheral blood caused by their inadequate formation, accelerated destruction and other causes.

Only clinical blood analysis can determine the type of erythropenia.

The reasons

A lower number of red blood cells than should be normal, is due to:

Violation of the formation of red cells in the bone marrow. The lack of red blood cells in such cases may be associated with a deficiency of vitamins and minerals (this is often found with vitamin deficiencies and vegetarian food) or bone marrow damage with poisons, tumors, medications, radiation, and other factors.
The destruction of red blood cells in the bloodstream. It can be provoked by chronic inflammation, infection, autoimmune reactions, poisoning, medication or other adverse effects on blood cells.
Enhanced removal of red blood cells from the body of the child. The loss of red blood cells can be associated with bleeding from injuries, fractures or surgeries, as well as disorders of the kidneys or intestines, due to which red blood cells fall into the discharge.

Infectious disease can cause a decrease in the level of red blood cells in the baby’s blood

A reduced number of red blood cells is found in such diseases:

Iron-deficiency anemia.
Hemoglobinopathies.
Hereditary erythrocyte pathology.
Leukemia
B12 deficiency anemia.
Hemolytic disease.
Malignant tumors.
Myxedema.
Hemophilia.
Pielo or glomerulonephritis.
Diphtheria, whooping cough and other infections.
Cirrhosis of the liver.
Collagenoses.
Chronic renal failure.
Myeloma
Ulcerative lesion of the digestive tract.

We recommend to watch the recording of the program of the famous doctor Evgeny Komarovsky, dedicated to the analysis of the child’s blood. You will learn in detail what the different indicators mean, including the level of red blood cells.

Symptoms

With a reduced number of red blood cells, the general condition of the child rarely remains normal. More often, the lack of red blood cells is manifested:

Weakness
Lethargy
Drowsiness.
Reduced appetite.
Desire is inedible things (chalk, sand).
The rapid onset of fatigue.
Cool and moist to the touch skin.
Reduced pressure blood.
The temperature rises to 37-37.5 degrees.
Pale skin tone.
Brittle hair and dryness.
Rapid pulse.
Noise in the ears.
Inhibited and slow action.
Dizziness, and sometimes fainting.
Decreased visual acuity.
Frequent colds.

What is dangerous erythropenia for a child

The reduced number of red blood cells causes insufficient oxygen supply to the tissues, as well as a deterioration in the output of carbon dioxide from them.

The result will be a dysfunction of the internal organs, which in childhood is very dangerous and can cause a delay in development. Also, the child's immunity decreases and there may be problems with blood coagulation.

What to do

It does not matter if a reduced level of erythrocytes was detected by chance during a routine examination or erythropenia was found during analysis of a child with complaints of weakness, pallor and other symptoms, in any case, you should consult a doctor.

Since the most common cause of a decrease in the number of red blood cells is anemia, this pathology will be the first to be excluded or confirmed in a child with erythropenia.

A joint assessment of the level of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the child’s blood will help determine the type of anemia.

In the case when a low red blood cell count is a sign of anemia, it is important to determine its shape. To do this, the pediatrician will evaluate other indicators related to erythrocytes, as well as the level of hemoglobin. For example, if the average red blood cell volume is reduced, this is characteristic of anemia caused by iron deficiency.

Anisocytosis (different red blood cell diameter) and anisochromia (different red blood cell color) are also important in assessing the type of anemia.

Taking these and other parameters into account, the doctor will be able to set a diagnosis, after which he will give the child the necessary treatment. If erythropenia is a symptom of another disease, recovery of the number of red blood cells to normal levels is possible only with successful treatment.