Raise hemoglobin in a child 2. Hemoglobin in children

The baby was diagnosed with anemia, and parents begin to look for how to increase hemoglobin in a child. Correction of this indicator is necessary, because a decrease in hemoglobin level leads to a deterioration in the supply of tissues and organs with oxygen. The resulting condition is dangerous for the child's body and, without treatment, causes a developmental delay.

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If the decrease in hemoglobin is not caused by diseases that disrupt the production of red blood cells, then you can raise it at home, following medical prescriptions.

In children with a moderate decrease in hemoglobin, iron-containing foods can be tried to raise the hemoglobin protein in the blood. Your child's diet should include:

turkey and rabbit meat;
offal;
beef;
chicken yolks;
seafood;
legumes;
buckwheat porridge;
vegetables and fruits;
nuts.

Dried apricot compote will also help to raise hemoglobin in the blood of a child.
The consumption of muffins, chocolate, condensed milk and sweet sodas should be limited, and it is better to completely exclude these products from the diet that reduce the level of hemoglobin protein.

Dairy products slow down the absorption of iron, but it is impossible to completely exclude milk from the child's diet - calcium is necessary for growth. During treatment, it is recommended not to mix dairy products with iron-containing foods.

With anemia, even in a mild form, since it is impossible to raise the hemoglobin level with food alone, the child is prescribed medications with iron. There are quite a few a large number of, dozens of titles. Preparations in syrups and solutions can be used for children, with virtually no age limit:

Ferrum-lek;
Ferlatum;
Totem (from 3 months).

For children, an accurate dose calculation is required, which is based on the weight of the child.

Children's iron-containing preparations are well absorbed in the intestines, have a pleasant taste and help to quickly raise hemoglobin. Iron injections to raise hemoglobin are rarely given. The indication for injections is a significant decrease in the level, which poses a threat to life.

What if there is a low level of Hb in the blood of an infant?

Starting to raise hemoglobin in a breastfed baby should be with a correction in the menu of a nursing mother. A woman needs to eat:

beef;
liver and other offal;
vegetables;
fruits and berries;
legumes;
seafood.

But, trying to raise hemoglobin in the baby, you can not eat a lot of recommended foods - this will cause indigestion in the child. new food it is necessary to add to the diet in small portions and monitor the baby's stool. If the baby feels well, then the next day you can add another healthy dish.

The diet of an older child must be healthy and balanced.

Adapted iron-containing mixtures will help to raise the baby, who is bottle-fed, hemoglobin. Health food selected by the pediatrician, taking into account the characteristics of the disease.

Anemia in pregnant women is often detected due to the fact that a growing child actively consumes iron, depleting the reserves of the mother's body. Women are interested in: how can hemoglobin be raised so as not to harm the fetus and improve their well-being. Doctors recommend:

include food enriched with iron in the menu;
take iron-containing drugs (with a strong decrease in hemoglobin index).

If anemia is detected, it should be treated immediately. A pathological decrease in hemoglobin causes fetal hypoxia and causes intrauterine growth retardation.

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Practical tips on how to increase hemoglobin in a child:

Conclusion

Low hemoglobin in a child is a serious problem, as long-term preservation affects physical and mental development.
Iron-rich nutrition without the use of iron-containing drugs is not able to increase hemoglobin in a child.
Medicines are the same as for adults, but in a reduced dose. Children under 6 years of age can only be given syrups and solutions. Chewable tablets are also an acceptable option. All three forms of release have a pleasant smell and sweet taste, which is why they are well received by children.

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Iron is an essential micronutrient for the child's body. Without it, the process of hematopoiesis and the synthesis of hemoglobin, a complex blood protein that supplies oxygen to cells and tissues, is impossible.

A child's need for iron depends on his age. Insufficient intake of this microelement with food can lead to a deterioration in the baby's well-being, metabolic disorders and iron deficiency anemia.

To determine the current level of hemoglobin in a child, it is enough to pass a general blood test.

What level of hemoglobin in children is considered normal?

First of all, you need to understand that comparing the performance indicators of a newborn and a child who is one year old is a useless exercise. The norm of hemoglobin, which ranges from 90 to 225 g / l, directly depends on the age of a particular crumb.

For example, in a newborn baby, the hemoglobin index ranges from 145 to 225 g / l. Further, it gradually begins to decline.

How does the amount of iron in a child's body change with age?

At the end of the first week of life, hemoglobin falls, declining to its lowest value by 2 months of age.

Medicine explains this by the fact that the “reserves” accumulated during intrauterine iron are almost completely wasted, and the only source of the most important chemical element becomes mother's breast milk or its artificial substitutes (milk mixtures).

For full-fledged active growth, the child's body needs an additional portion of this trace element. Therefore, a nursing mother should follow the rules of the diet, rich in products vegetable and animal origin with a high iron content.

Features of the introduction of complementary foods for infants

The first complementary foods for breastfed babies can be introduced at the age of six to seven months. It is possible to expand the diet of artificial babies who ate mixtures a little earlier, from five to six months.

Since the introduction of complementary foods to an infant you have to replenish depleted iron stores from "adult" products.

The child's body will learn to independently synthesize hemoglobin in the required amount by the year when all the necessary biochemical processes are activated.

Particular care and vigilance must be shown to mothers of babies who are bottle-fed, since it is in this case that iron deficiency anemia is most common.

The risk group also includes breastfeeding mothers who, during pregnancy, had a hemoglobin level that was not up to normal.

What is iron deficiency anemia?

Iron deficiency anemia is a laboratory and clinical syndrome that develops in a child's body in case of a lack of iron, as well as failures in the processes of its absorption, intake or expenditure.

As statistics show, the prevalence of the disease among children under three years of age is approximately forty percent, and thirty percent - if we are talking about adolescents.

Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia in children

The main sign of the development of iron deficiency anemia is the pallor of the mucous membranes and skin. However, the range of symptoms in this disease can be much wider.

So, for example, with a lack of iron, in addition to pallor, a child may experience:

excessive dryness skin, their peeling and cracking;
violation of taste and smell;
fragility and curvature of the nail plates;
hair loss and weak hair growth;
decreased appetite;
development of caries;
diseases of the digestive organs;
excessive fatigue. The child often experiences headaches, he is emotionally unbalanced, complains of tinnitus. In some cases, delayed psychomotor development is possible;
delayed physical development. May present with urinary incontinence or sphincter weakness;
decline blood pressure and shortness of breath. Auscultation of the child's heart often ends with the identification of functional systolic murmurs;
frequent respiratory diseases that are quite acute. This is due to damage to the barrier tissues.

There are a lot of characteristic symptoms, however, it is possible to diagnose iron deficiency anemia only after a general blood test, as a result of which the level of erythrocytes, hemoglobin, and a change in color index will be established.

Causes of low hemoglobin levels

In infants

The following factors can provoke a decrease in hemoglobin in infants:

Insufficient amount of vitamin B12, as well as folic acid.
Delayed introduction of complementary foods.
Incorrectly constructed menu for a nursing mother. Often the reason for the development of iron deficiency in an infant is the mother's vegetarian diet. Greens, of course, contain a large amount of iron, but it is absorbed much worse in comparison with meat products;
Low motor activity of the child.
Pathologies that occurred during childbirth or pregnancy.

Teenagers

If we talk about the teenage hemoglobin crisis, it is worth noting that it can occur at nine and at fifteen. Most often it coincides with a psychological crisis and is considered inevitable. The rapidly flowing process of physical maturation provokes the development of iron deficiency.

Even a teenager who seems absolutely healthy can become whiny, aggressive. Depression and apathy overtake him. These symptoms coincide with signs of anemia. Therefore, you can not blame the child for this, it is worth checking his blood. If the anemia is confirmed, the teenager will be given treatment.

For babies of all ages

In addition, the common causes of low hemoglobin in children of any age can also include:

worm infection,
the occurrence of allergic reactions,
frequent use of medications
lack of fresh air in winter.

Why is iron deficiency dangerous for a child?

The main function of hemoglobin can be called the transportation of oxygen directly from the lungs to each cell of the body, as well as the removal of carbon dioxide from them.

A decrease in hemoglobin entails a deterioration in the functioning of the oxygen supply system of the whole organism, as a result of which tissues and organs fade faster, grow old, and cease to cope with their functions.

The lack of a substance provokes a weakening of the protective forces of the immune system. Reduced protective barriers do not prevent the penetration of bacteria and infections into the body. The immune system works with serious interruptions. As a result of even a banal cold, the baby may experience complications.

How is iron deficiency anemia treated?

How to increase hemoglobin? To quickly bring a child's hemoglobin to normal, doctors usually prescribe special medical preparations containing iron. However, this is not the only way to increase iron levels in the body.

If the hemoglobin level is only slightly behind the norm, doctors recommend replenishing iron deficiency by including iron-rich foods in the diet. And even though they restore the balance of trace elements much more slowly, they have fewer contraindications and side effects than drugs.

And remember, self-treatment of iron deficiency in a child, and even more so, it is impossible to give the baby iron preparations without a doctor's prescription! Such a diagnosis should be made solely on the basis of test results and only by a medical specialist!

Optimal conditions for the production of hemoglobin

Balanced Diet

In order for the hemoglobin indicator not to leave the normal range, the child must eat right. His diet should include foods that contain iron, for example: beef, turkey, buckwheat, pomegranate, liver, legumes, veal, eggs, dried apricots.

Still, food of animal origin is preferable, since the iron contained in it is absorbed better. In addition, in order for the absorption of the microelement to be fast and efficient, the baby should eat more fruits and vegetables in fresh.

Particular preference is given to those fruits that contain vitamin C.

Healthy lifestyle

Not less than significant condition for supporting normal level macro- and microelements in the child's body also becomes healthy lifestyle life.

Hemoglobin will be kept normal if the child spends more time outdoors, playing active, outdoor games, playing sports, or at least doing morning exercises.

However, it should be understood that high activity and malnutrition will adversely affect the level of hemoglobin.

Diet to increase hemoglobin in children

Meat, offal, seafood

A nursing mother and a child whose hemoglobin is below the level must follow a specific diet. The main product, which contains a sufficient amount of easily digestible iron, is beef, preferably boiled or steamed.

The diet should also include various by-products: kidneys, lung, liver.

If we talk about fish, then the content of iron in it is low. Instead, it is better to prefer other seafood: caviar, shellfish and shrimp.

Buckwheat and beans

We must also not forget about plant foods. On the table there should always be soybeans, beans, peas or lentils, bread products made from wheat or rye flour, and buckwheat. Remember, a diet aimed at raising hemoglobin implies the regular use of a side dish.

Fruits, vegetables and berries

Vegetables and fruits will also help to cope with iron deficiency. The child must be taught to eat beets, apples, bananas, spinach, carrots. Pomegranate will bring the greatest benefit. If we talk about berries, preference should be given to rose hips, strawberries, currants or raspberries.

Dairy and tea restriction

At the time of the diet, the child needs to reduce the intake of foods rich in calcium (the exception is mother's breast milk). Yogurt, sour cream and cottage cheese should also be removed from the menu for a while.

To raise hemoglobin levels faster, black and green tea, cola and other caffeinated drinks should be replaced with herbal or drinking water.

Folk remedies to increase iron levels

The following folk remedies are also capable of helping to increase hemoglobin in a baby:

Vegetable juice from carrots, radishes and beets

In separate containers, it is necessary to prepare juices from beets, radishes and carrots. Then mix them in a ratio of 1:1:1 juices. The resulting composition should be taken before meals in the amount of one spoonful before meals. The course of treatment is three months.

Herbal infusion

Grind three tablespoons of St. John's wort, two nettles, three tablespoons of chamomile and blackberries, then brew the composition with three glasses of boiling water and leave to infuse in a thermos. The resulting infusion should be given to the child in a heated form three times a day, 250 milligrams each.

Rosehip tea

Grind four to five tablespoons of rose hips per liter of water. The broth is boiled for ten minutes, after which it is infused for about twelve hours. The resulting composition should be used by the baby instead of tea at any time of the day, regardless of meals.

Drugs for the treatment of childhood anemia

Once again, iron-containing preparations can be prescribed to a child only by the attending pediatrician after the appropriate blood tests have been carried out!

Remember, even the most expensive iron supplements have their drawbacks. side effects. Only a doctor is able to choose the right drug and treatment regimen. In the future, therapy will be accompanied by repeated blood tests.

A specific drug is selected for each small patient individually. For children from zero to three years old, iron-containing preparations are usually prescribed in the form of syrups, drops or suspensions. Older children may be offered medicine in tablets.

A properly selected iron-containing drug is able to quickly increase the level of hemoglobin in a child to normal.

As a rule, a woman learns about the phrase “low hemoglobin” during pregnancy. It is thanks to the mother that normal indicators of its level are laid in the baby's body. During pregnancy, the baby receives the necessary iron reserves and they are enough until the baby is six months old. In some cases, it happens that the hemoglobin in children is low. What to do?

What are iron-containing blood cells and what is their function

Hemoglobin is a protein found in the blood of animals that have circulatory system. Its main function is to transport oxygen to the organs and tissues of the body.

This substance carries the functions of a kind of postman who receives the “goods” in the lungs and carries oxygen through human cells. However, it does not come back empty, but with carbon dioxide.

How is hemoglobin level determined?

A clinical blood test using a special analysis helps to identify at a certain point. It is carried out in the laboratory and in the process the number of blood cells is determined, as well as their content per liter of blood in grams.

How is the analysis done?

A health worker seeking to find out why a child has low hemoglobin takes blood from a finger for analysis. At the same time, the indicators vary and depend on the time of the procedure, as well as on the food consumed before. To get reliable results, it is advisable to take such an analysis in the morning, on an empty stomach.
Sometimes, to identify the causes of low hemoglobin in children, it is necessary to compare data from several blood tests. Here it is important to do everything necessary so that the conditions for blood sampling are as identical as possible.

Based on the data obtained, the doctor prescribes treatment.

Table of norms of hemoglobin indicators in babies of different ages

Before you figure out what to do with low hemoglobin in children, you need to understand that its level fluctuates and, above all, depends on the age of the crumbs. So, tests will reveal crumbs in the blood of a newborn large quantity hemoglobin and red blood cells than in older children. In the first 12 months of a child's life, a natural decrease in the level of iron-containing protein in the blood is observed, and this is acceptable for infants.

The level of hemoglobin in the blood of children under the age of one year:

Baby's age	Ideal value g/l	Permissible rate g/l
1st 24 hours of life	220	180-240
Fifth day	190	160-200
tenth day of life	180	160-190
First month	175	160-190
Two month	150	120-160
Three months	140	120-160
120 days	135	120-140
Five months	135	120-140
Six months of life	130	120-140
Seven months	130	120-140
Eight months	130	120-140
Nine month	130	120-140
ten months	125	110-140
eleven months	125	110-140
Year of life	120	110-140

What level is acceptable in premature babies?

Mothers are concerned about the causes of low hemoglobin in children who were born prematurely. In such crumbs, the indicators are lower than those of those babies who were born on time.

So, the lower limit is 160 g/l. At the same time, by the thirtieth day of life of a premature baby, the hemoglobin level drops, and the lower norm is 100 g / l. If the indicator reaches 85 g / l or less, then this condition is very dangerous, it requires an immediate blood transfusion.

The average level of hemoglobin in children from 1 to 7 years

Upon reaching the year, the baby actively eats meat and vegetable products, which replenishes the reserves of various trace elements, including iron. If the necessary amount of iron enters the child's body, after 14-18 months of his life, an independent synthesis of blood cells in the body begins.

Several factors that affect hemoglobin levels

Trying to figure out what to do with low hemoglobin in children, you should understand that its content in the blood depends on some points:

age features. In infants who have just been born, the greatest is observed. Then it decreases. So, an indicator of 120 g / l indicates a low hemoglobin in a child at 3 months old, and for a one-year-old baby this is the norm.
Mother's pregnancy. If a woman had hematopoietic diseases during gestation or suffered global blood loss during childbirth, this will affect the baby's hemoglobin level. As well as having a history of childbirth ahead of schedule and multiple pregnancies.
Nutrition. If a child is breastfeeding, then he will have low hemoglobin occasionally. Artificial children suffer from deficiency more often. Also, a violation in the nutrition of a baby who is older than six months can affect the level of hemoglobin indicators. For example, if the mother does not introduce complementary foods for a long time, does not give the baby meat, etc.
Health. Reduced hemoglobin in a child can be observed if the crumbs have hidden diseases.
Heredity. If the parents of a child have prolonged anemia, it is not surprising that such a condition will be transmitted to the baby.
Seasons. The greatest drop in the level of hemoglobin in the blood of children is observed in autumn and winter.

What can low hemoglobin in a child indicate?

A low level indicates that the baby has iron deficiency anemia. However low level can also talk about:

Anemia of the hemolytic type, which leads to the destruction of red blood cells.
A condition provoked by a deficiency of vitamins B12 and B9 and others belonging to this group.
Acute bleeding after injury or surgical intervention.
Crohn's disease and hemophilia, as well as other diseases of the intestines and blood.
Worm infestation.
Chronic bleeding.
infectious diseases.
The presence of allergic reactions and tumors.

Also, anemia can occur after taking certain medications.

Condition signs

Before you understand what to do with low hemoglobin in children, you need to figure out what are the signs of the disease. So, the manifestations are as follows:

The skin is pale.
The child is lethargic and gets tired quickly.
The baby has weakness, dizziness and circles under the eyes.
The baby wants to sleep.
The child's temperature rises and the structure of the nail plates changes.
The baby does not eat and sleep well, is in a predominantly bad mood.
The baby often picks up viral infections, his skin is flaky and its dryness is observed.

If the described symptoms appear, you need to consult a doctor, otherwise the crumbs will experience tachycardia, shortness of breath and it will lag behind in development.

How to increase hemoglobin?

How to quickly increase hemoglobin in a child's blood? First of all, you need to understand that you can’t engage in self-treatment and you can’t do without consulting a pediatrician. Only a specialist is able to determine the cause of the disease and prescribe the correct therapy.

In a baby, hemoglobin rises in the following ways, depending on the indicators:

With a value of 100 to 110 g / l, you can adjust the diet and try to do without drugs. Meat is introduced into the baby's diet, which must be eaten with vegetables for better absorption of iron. Milk, coffee and tea are excluded from the child's diet. It is necessary to observe the gums of the child. If they bleed, see a dentist. A month later, blood is given again to reveal a positive trend.
At a level of 90-100 g / l, you don’t need to think whether hemoglobin increases the hematogen or not, because you can’t do without additional iron preparations. You need to select them carefully. It is better to give preference to ferric iron tablets, which are well absorbed. The drug should be taken for a month, and then again you need to repeat the blood test.
The indicator is 60-90 g / l. With this value, iron solutions are prescribed orally or in the form of injections. In this case, only a doctor knows how to quickly increase hemoglobin in the blood. The situation is controlled by blood sampling, which is carried out every 10 days.
The level is below 60 g / l - in this case, an urgent blood transfusion is required, otherwise the child's life will be in danger. Treatment is carried out in a hospital.

Product List

Hematogen raises hemoglobin or not? Definitely yes!

However, the child's diet should include following products:

chicken, pork and beef liver;
heart;
poultry meat (turkey, chicken), as well as pork, beef and lamb;
sardines;
quail yolk and chicken eggs;
boar and cow language.

What do you eat to increase hemoglobin from plant products?

pistachios, lentils and spinach;
oatmeal;
peas;
buckwheat and barley groats;
wheat
peanuts and cashews;
corn and dogwood;
Pine nuts.

Products of plant and animal origin must be combined. Doctors answer the question "Hematogen increases hemoglobin or not?" positive, but it is an excipient. The diet will need to be reviewed.

Complications and consequences

Why is low hemoglobin dangerous in a child? The consequences of the disease are different, especially with a long course. They negatively affect the quality of life of the baby and can affect his fate. The most dangerous consequences are as follows:

Reduced immunity and growth retardation.
Heart failure caused by anemia, namely increased stress on the heart.
mental delay and physical development.
Leukemia.
Bone marrow dysplasia.
Death due to genetic defects and large blood loss.
Transition to the stage of chronic disease.

If we are talking about the iron-deficiency form of the disease, unpleasant consequences can be avoided if you turn to a pediatrician for help in time and strictly follow the prescribed therapy. But in some cases, with serious violations of the functions of hematopoiesis, medicine may be powerless.

Prevention of anemia in children

Preventive measures reduce the risk of disease and contribute to the fact that when it occurs, it will be possible to avoid negative consequences.

It is necessary to think about prevention from the first week of a baby's life. Here will come to the rescue:

Periodic studies of the blood composition.
Timely appointment of appropriate medications for babies born prematurely, in the period from three months to two years of age.
A varied menu and sufficient, nutritious food.
Walks on the street.
Sports and movement.
hardening.
Right image life and trips to the mountains.

Iron deficiency for the health of the crumbs is quite dangerous. Because of it, many diseases occur with complications that are the result of such a violation. Parents will have to be patient while specialists restore the functioning of the baby's hematopoietic organs.

Go to the doctor for routine checkups to identify the problem in time.

Hemoglobin is a special iron-containing protein that forms the basis of red blood cells (erythrocytes). It is this protein that is able to attach oxygen to its molecule and carbon dioxide, due to which these gases are transported by the blood and gas exchange.

In the alveoli of the lungs, oxygen is added to the protein and transferred to the tissues of the whole organism, and carbon dioxide is transported from the tissues. This is the main function of hemoglobin. For several reasons, the hemoglobin in a child can be low. Let's talk about how to increase the content of this substance in the baby's blood.

Hemoglobin norm

The normal level of hemoglobin is the range of its quantitative content sufficient to perform the main function. The norm of hemoglobin content differs depending on the age of the child. The hemoglobin level is determined using a clinical study of peripheral blood (blood is taken for analysis from a finger).

Hemoglobin norms in children (in g / l):

At birth - 180-240;

the first 3 days of life - 145-225;

2 weeks old - 125-205;

1 month - 100-180;

2 months - 90-140;

3-6 months - 95-135;

6-12 months - 100-140;

1-2mg. - 105-145;

3-6 l. - 110-150;

7-12 years old - 115-150;

13-15 l. - 115-155;

16-18 years - 120-160.

A decrease in the level of hemoglobin and red blood cells is characteristic for (popularly this disease is called "anemia"). But the amount of blood in anemia does not decrease (if there is no acute blood loss as a result of bleeding). Only the provision of tissues with oxygen is disturbed and oxygen starvation develops in the organs.

Causes of a decrease in hemoglobin levels

The reasons for low hemoglobin in children can be:

insufficient synthesis of it due to iron deficiency ();
acute blood loss (for example, due to trauma) or chronic (frequent or heavy periods in girls) - posthemorrhagic anemia;
increased destruction of red blood cells () due to exposure to toxic substances or in connection with the disease.

Children most often develop iron deficiency anemia.

Iron deficiency can occur for several reasons.

During fetal development, the child's body accumulates a supply of iron (from the mother's body), which is used to synthesize hemoglobin after the birth of the baby, and these reserves are sufficient for about six months.

If a pregnant woman had anemia, then the iron supply in the child will be insufficient, and anemia in the baby will develop already in the first six months of life. An unhealthy diet can contribute to the development of anemia in a future mother, infectious diseases, bad habits.

In the second half normal rate hemoglobin in infants is entirely dependent on the ongoing breastfeeding and proper maternal diet. Despite the fact that the iron content in mother's milk is low, the ferritin protein contained in it contributes to good absorption (50%) of iron.

Insufficient intake from food is one of the causes of anemia. Since about 5% of iron is excreted daily in the feces, they must be replenished through nutrition. The intensive weight gain of the baby's body during the first year of life increases the body's needs for red blood cells (and, therefore, for iron), but these needs are not met.

Digestive diseases (gastritis, peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum, enteritis) and a lack of vitamin B 12 can adversely affect the absorption of iron from the diet.

With artificial feeding, the use of cow's and goat's milk and semolina instead of an adapted milk mixture leads to the fact that iron is no longer absorbed due to its transformation into an insoluble complex. At the same time, the cause of anemia lies not only in the low content of iron in cow's milk and its insufficient absorption, but also in intestinal bleeding caused by the use of unadapted dairy products (due to microscopic seepage of blood from the vessels).

The exact cause of these bleedings has not been clarified. It is believed that intolerance to cow's milk protein by the child's body is important. As the baby grows, these manifestations decrease, and after 2 years they are not observed.

Early introduction of complementary foods and violation of its rules also contribute to the development of anemia.

Symptoms

An anemic child becomes lethargic, pale, has poor appetite.

The manifestation of anemia in a child may be such non-specific signs:

loss of appetite;
increased fatigue;
lethargy, reduced activity;
increased fragility of nails and hair;
thinning, dull hair;
drowsiness;
painful cracks in the corners of the lips.

On examination, paleness of the skin (with an icteric tint in some cases) and mucous membranes, dryness and flaking of the skin, dark circles around the eyes, and rapid heartbeat are found.

Against the background of anemia, there is a decrease in immunity, the child often gets sick. Moreover, the disease can be severe, with complications. If left untreated, the child will lag behind in both physical and mental development.

Treatment

If the hemoglobin in the blood of a child is low, then the situation should be corrected immediately. It is necessary to contact a pediatrician to determine the cause of anemia and get recommendations. In the case of iron deficiency anemia, nutritional correction alone is not enough, treatment with iron preparations as prescribed by a pediatrician is necessary.

Medical therapy

The goal of treatment for iron deficiency anemia is not only to eliminate iron deficiency, but also to restore the reserves of this microelement in the liver. Therefore, even with complete normalization of hemoglobin, treatment should not be interrupted: the course of therapy with iron preparations should be 3 months, so that a supply of iron is created in the child's body and anemia does not develop again.

Iron preparation

In the treatment of children with iron-containing drugs, their internal intake should be a priority. At internal application the effect is noted 3-4 days later than with injection. But when taking drugs orally, severe side effects rarely develop.

There are strict indications for the appointment of iron preparations in injections:

extensive removal of the small intestine;
impaired absorption in the small intestine;
chronic inflammation of the small and large intestines.

Injectable drugs can be administered every other day, and the first 3 times at half the dose.

Iron preparations used to treat children have the following qualities:

sufficient bioavailability;
safety for children;
pleasant taste properties;
good drug tolerance;
convenient forms of release for children of any age.

Babies in early age medicines are usually used in the form of drops or syrup: Maltofer (syrup, drops), Aktiferrin (syrup, drops), Hemofer (drops), Ferrum Lek (syrup).

Adolescents are mainly prescribed Ferrum Lek (chewable tablets), Ferrogradum and Tardiferon, which have a long-term uniform absorption in the intestine and are well tolerated by children.

Preparations with 2-valent iron (salt) should be taken 1 hour before meals, as food may impair the absorption of the drug. The intake of preparations containing 3-valent iron does not depend on food intake.

The result of the use of these drugs will appear only after a month, which will be confirmed by the hemoglobin level in general analysis blood. The lack of effect from the course of drugs may be due to inadequate dosage of the drug, or if the diagnosis is incorrect, and the anemia in the child is not iron deficiency.

Side effects with the internal intake of iron-containing agents are more often associated with an overdose and manifest themselves in the form of dyspepsia: this is a violation of the consistency of the stool and its color, nausea and vomiting, and a decrease in appetite. Allergic manifestations and dermatitis may also develop.

Many parents consider the use of hematogen sufficient to raise the hemoglobin level in a child. It is made from bovine blood, which is processed in various ways to ensure safety. Currently, hematogen is produced both without iron and enriched with iron.

Attention! Hematogen is not medicine for the treatment of anemia: it's just a delicious dietary supplement!

Transfusion of blood products to children with anemia is carried out only for health reasons.

Power correction

Iron is absorbed from foods in 2 forms - non-heme (found in plant foods: cereals, fruits and vegetables) and heme (available in food products animal origin: liver, fish, meat).

Iron is better absorbed in the heme form, the bioavailability of which is about 30%. In turn, products with a heme form of iron contribute to better absorption of iron from plant products, provided that they are consumed simultaneously. Ascorbic acid also contributes to the increase in the absorption of non-heme iron.

The total amount of (heme and non-heme) iron supplied with food should be 10-12 mg per day. But only 1/10 of it is absorbed.

Iron-rich animal products:

liver;
beef tongue;
kidneys;
rabbit meat;
turkey;
white chicken meat;
heart;
beef;
fish of all varieties, but especially carp, mackerel, burbot, black caviar;
egg yolk.

These products can be consumed boiled, baked, cooked from them pates, casseroles.

Vegetable products also have a significant iron content:

mushrooms (especially dried);
seaweed;
rose hip;
cereals: buckwheat, hercules;
fruits and berries: peaches, apples, plums, pears, pomegranates, apricots and dried apricots, bananas, black currants, gooseberries, raspberries, cherries, persimmons, quince, cranberries, strawberries, blueberries;
vegetables: cauliflower, beets, carrots, potatoes (especially boiled "in uniform" and baked), tomatoes, onions, pumpkin, herbs (dill, parsley, spinach, watercress);
legumes: beans, lentils, peas.

From berries and fruits, you can cook jelly, fruit drink, compote (from fresh fruits and dried fruits), or you can give the child fresh (depending on age).

Cause a decrease in the absorption of non-heme iron: soy protein, dietary fiber (from cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables), calcium, polyphenols (from legumes, nuts, tea, coffee).

In addition, some substances (phytins, tannins, phosphates) contained in plant products bind with iron and form insoluble compounds with it, which are not absorbed, but are excreted from the intestines with feces. Therefore, it is impossible to meet the needs of the child's body in iron with plant foods.

From breast milk(which contains 0.2-0.4 mg / l) 50% of iron is absorbed, which is enough to provide (together with reserves) the needs of the child's body. By the age of six months, when the baby's body weight doubles, the accumulated iron reserves are also consumed, the increased needs should be covered by complementary foods (vegetable and fruit purees, juices, cereals).

When introducing complementary foods to a baby with a low hemoglobin level, you should start with iron-rich vegetables. It could be Brussels sprouts, for example. You can choose buckwheat for the first porridge, and prepare the first meat food from beef (turkey or chicken). It is advisable to offer such a child a compote of dried fruits and a rosehip broth.

Pomegranate juice for kids should be diluted 1:1 with boiled water to prevent dyspeptic manifestations.

With artificial feeding, children are prescribed mixtures with a high iron content: up to 6 months. - from 3 to 8 mg / l, and after 6 months. - 10-14 mg / l. The pediatrician selects the necessary mixture. For children at risk for the occurrence of iron deficiency anemia (born from twins or triplets, with a large increase in body weight), such a mixture is prescribed from 5 or even from 3 months, and premature babies from 2 months. age.

We should not forget about correct mode day. Outdoor walks should be daily and take at least 5-6 hours. Before going to bed, do not forget to ventilate the room well.

These alternative advice can be used in children after 2 years of age in the absence of allergies.

Prevention

Prevention of anemia in children includes:

Antenatal prophylaxis: it is advisable for expectant mothers in the second half of pregnancy to take ferropreparations or multivitamins enriched with iron for prophylactic purposes.

Postnatal prophylaxis:

breastfeeding the baby to save the maximum possible time;
timely and correctly introduce complementary foods;
to ensure a balanced diet for a nursing mother;
children receiving artificial feeding, from the age of 2 months, introduce (only as directed by a pediatrician) adapted mixtures enriched with iron;
from the 2nd half of the year, breastfed babies and formula-fed children who do not receive iron-fortified mixtures should take a prophylactic dose of iron preparations up to 1.5 years.
children from the risk group, which includes babies from multiple pregnancies, premature babies, children with intensive weight gain, preventive intake of iron-containing drugs begins from 3 months.

Summary for parents

Often parents are faced with the problem of low hemoglobin or anemia in a child already in infancy. Before taking measures to increase hemoglobin, you should consult a pediatrician and clarify the type and degree of anemia.

Hemoglobin is a complex protein found in red blood cells. The main purpose of hemoglobin is to carry oxygen from the lungs to all tissues. human body. If the body lacks this oxygen, the child quickly gets tired, becomes lethargic, and often gets sick. Normally, the hemoglobin level can vary from 110 to 150 g per liter of blood, depending on the age of the child.

Hemoglobin is most often reduced due to an unbalanced diet, when the body lacks minerals and vitamins. However, a decrease in hemoglobin can be the result of serious blood loss, autoimmune diseases, long-term infectious diseases (pneumonia, tuberculosis, hepatitis).

How to understand that a child has low hemoglobin

Usually, parents learn about a reduced hemoglobin from blood tests. However, sometimes low hemoglobin can be determined by the condition and behavior of the baby. Often a child comes home from school very tired, sleeps a lot, gets tired quickly after physical or mental stress. Your son or daughter may feel dizzy, the child often gets colds. Among external signs cyanosis of the lips, fragility of nails and hair can be noted, shortness of breath appears even with mild exercise. The skin of a child with low hemoglobin becomes pale and flaky. If you notice this condition in your child, immediately donate blood for analysis to find out the level of hemoglobin. If this figure is below normal, you need to urgently change the diet.

What is a balanced diet

Most publications say " balanced diet". What is this balance? What should be the diet of a child so that every day he gets the right amount of vitamins and minerals? In fact, everything is very simple. Every day, a person (adult or child) should consume five types of different foods so that his body does not need anything.

Cereals. Most often we use them in the morning - in various cereals. If every day a child eats porridge (different every day), then there can be no talk of any imbalance in nutrition. Buckwheat, pearl barley, lentils, rye are the best help to increase hemoglobin.
Dairy products. In the child's diet should be milk porridge, yogurt, kefir, sour cream, fermented baked milk - what he loves. Every day, one dairy. However, remember that calcium interferes with the absorption of iron, which is so necessary to increase hemoglobin. Therefore, milk should be eaten separately from iron-containing foods.
Meat. Hemoglobin is very difficult to increase if you do not eat meat. That is why many vegetarians suffer from low hemoglobin. Red meat is a valuable storehouse of iron. Every day in the child's diet should be a piece of meat, at least 100-150 grams. In addition, hemoglobin in a short time will help raise beef offal - liver, heart, tongue. Fish is required once a week.
Vegetables. Eating raw and boiled vegetables is a must. Especially young potatoes, tomatoes, beets, pumpkins, turnips. You can also raise hemoglobin with the help of greens - spinach, parsley, dandelion leaves, turnip tops.
Fruits. Every day the baby should eat some kind of fruit. For hemoglobin, apples, apricots, bananas, plums, pears, peaches, quinces and persimmons are best suited. Pomegranate is especially rich in iron, but it should not be eaten by children with a tendency to constipation.

In addition to these mandatory items, walnuts, eggs, mushrooms, dried fruits, red and black caviar, currants, cranberries, hematogen, dark chocolate will help restore immunity. When compiling a diet, remember that good nutrition can raise hemoglobin better than any medicine and improve your child's health.

How to raise hemoglobin in a child

Here are some more tips to help you raise your hemoglobin levels in your blood.

Since your child does not have enough oxygen in the blood, you need to do physical education more often, walk in forested areas. In nature, the child will be able to saturate the body with oxygen and properly relax.
If the child is small and rather capricious in food, you need to prepare special sweets for him. Scroll dried apricots, raisins and walnuts through a meat grinder. Pour honey into the mass and mix thoroughly. Roll up small balls from the resulting porridge. Your child will certainly like such a delicacy, because the balls are tasty and sweet.
Prepare a healing remedy that will raise hemoglobin in a few days. Grate the radish, beets and carrots. Add a tablespoon to the mass vegetable oil. Carefully wring out all this porridge. Let the child drink the resulting juice, one tablespoon in the morning and evening. Very soon, his health will improve significantly.
Various berries, especially mountain ash, cranberries and black currants, help to fight very well with low hemoglobin. Berries can be eaten fresh, in the form of jam, frozen, grated with sugar. Your child will definitely like this treatment.
Many traditional healers advise raising hemoglobin with dandelion jam. It is very easy to cook it. Gather dandelion flowers early in the morning and add them to the pot. Add a liter of water so that the liquid covers half of the flowers. Put half a lemon without peel into the mass and cook over low heat for about an hour. After this, the broth should be filtered and add three glasses of sugar to it. Not only is jam very useful, it is also incredibly tasty.
Lungwort will help raise hemoglobin and immunity. Its decoction is able to stimulate the production of new blood cells. The flowers and stems of a young plant can be eaten without any processing, but most often a decoction is prepared from the lungwort. Pour boiling water over the stems and leaves, let it brew for about an hour, and then strain. Drink the resulting decoction in half a glass in the morning and evening.
Among the recipes traditional medicine There is one indispensable remedy for low hemoglobin. This recipe is also used for diseases thyroid gland- with a lack of iodine in the body. Take unripe green nuts and grind their kernels. Pour two glasses of kernels with a liter of natural honey. The tincture should be infused for three months in a dark place. Every day, the composition must be thoroughly mixed. When the medicine is ready, take a tablespoon before each meal, 3-5 times a day. Full course treatment - until the entire container runs out. After such a medicine, you can forget about the problem of low hemoglobin, at least for the next six months.

Poor health, depression and high fatigue are common companions of the autumn-winter period. But you do not need to take it for granted and put up with this state of affairs. Improve your child's hemoglobin so that school lessons have not been in vain. Good mood a child is your merit, and autumn is not a reason for the blues!

Video: how to increase hemoglobin at home