Baby Has Anemia? This Is the Cause and How to Deal With It

Not only adults, babies can also get anemia, you know. This condition must not be allowed because it can inhibit the growth and development. Then, how to know that the baby has anemia, what causes it, and what is the treatment like? Check out the following explanation.

Anemia is a condition in which the levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells are below the normal range. The same understanding also applies to anemia in infants. One type of anemia most often experienced by infants is anemia due to iron deficiency.

Baby Has Anemia? This Is the Cause and How to Deal With It

Some of the symptoms that can occur when anemic baby is pale skin, the baby looks lethargic and lackluster, decreased appetite, and growth and development slowed.

Main Causes of Anemia in Infants

Anemia in babies cannot be considered trivial. If not treated immediately, anemia can interfere with the growth and development of the baby. There are several mechanisms that cause anemia in babies, namely:

Lack of red blood cell production

Most babies develop anemia in the first few months after birth. This is normal and is known as physiological anemia. This type of anemia occurs because the baby is experiencing rapid growth, so the body needs time to pursue the production of red blood cells until the amount is sufficient.

Lose a lot of blood

A lot of blood loss in babies is usually caused by bleeding. Bleeding that is commonly experienced by infants is due to the process of taking blood routinely during the baby's medical treatment or because of damage to internal organs, such as bleeding in the digestive tract.

Blood cells break down quickly

Anemia in infants caused by damage to blood cells generally occurs when the baby has ABO incompatibility, namely the incompatibility of the baby's blood with the mother, or if the baby has sickle cell anemia or thalassemia .

How to Deal with Anemia in Infants

Treatment of anemia in infants will be adjusted to the underlying cause. If anemia is caused by bleeding, then the treatment is to stop the bleeding and replace blood lost through blood transfusions.

If the cause of anemia is iron deficiency, then the treatment is:

Providing high iron foods

The doctor will advise that babies be given a variety of foods that are rich in iron, such as meat, eggs, nuts, broccoli, and cereals that have been fortified with iron. However, this treatment is only given to babies who are over 6 months old or who have consumed MPASI.

Providing iron supplements

If necessary, the doctor will also prescribe iron supplements in the form of drops. Because it tastes bad and smells a little, doctors will usually recommend mixing this supplement into baby food or drinks.

Anemia in babies needs to be recognized as early as possible and should not be allowed to drag on, because it can interfere with the baby's growth and development. To monitor the health condition and growth and development of your child, you need to regularly check with your doctor or at the posyandu.

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