iron deficiency anemia in childreniron deficiency anemia in children, means low blood percentage, or more precisely too little hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is the dye in the red blood cells that binds and releases oxygen and transports it around the body.What is iron deficiency anemia in children?iron deficiency anemia in children means a low blood percentage , or more precisely too little hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is the dye in the red blood cells. This dye has the ability to bind oxygen (oxygen), and to release oxygen into the body's cells. That is, the vital function of transporting oxygen from the lungs to the body's cells depends on hemoglobin. In iron deficiency anemia in children, the amount of hemoglobin is reduced, and with it the body's access to oxygen is reduced. The amount of hemoglobin in the body may be reduced by the fact that there is little hemoglobin in the red blood cells, or by the fact that there are too few or abnormal / diseased red blood cells.Typical symptoms when the blood percentage becomes low, and thereby reduced oxygen supply to the body's cells, are pallor in the skin, decreased condition, shortness of breath on exertion, lethargy, fatigue, increased need for sleep. Such symptoms can also have many other explanations.Age-dependent normal values for hemoglobinNormal children 51-7 days12.5-20 g / dL8-14 days11.9-15.7 g / dL15-30 days11.6-14.3 g / dL31-60 days10.2-13.7 g / dL61-180 days10.5-13.4 g / dL0.5 years to <2 years10.4-12.6 g / dL2 years to <12 years11.0-13.4 g / dL Causes iron deficiency anemia in childrenاعراض نقص الحديد عند الاطفالIf you suspect that your child has anemia, you should be quick to see a doctor to check this with a blood test. The most common forms of anemia in the Nordic countries are iron deficiency anemia and infectious anemia - that is, anemia during or after an infectious disease. The most common age for iron deficiency anemia is ½ to 2 years, and a deficient diet can lead to such a deficiency.Low birth weight increases the chance of developing anemia in newborns and young children. This is because they often have less iron stores than normal at birth. Children with low birth weight often grow faster than those with normal birth weight, and this further increases the risk of developing anemia.Bleeding is another possible cause of anemia. Particular internal bleeding - for example from the intestine - can be difficult to detect. Blood changes color and consistency after only seconds in the intestine, bleeding in the stomach can cause coffee grounds-like vomiting. Bleeding from the colon that does not come from the lower part will often take the form of black and tarry stools. Inflammation of the intestines, such as ulcerative colitis , Crohn's disease or celiac disease , can lead to poor absorption of essential nutrients, including iron. Such diseases can also cause bleeding from the intestines.Kidney failure can be a cause of anemia in children, e.g. in connection with infection of E.coli if the child develops the condition hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) . Bloody diarrhea is typical of this condition. Cancer and a number of other conditions can cause anemia in children. Such causes are rare, but must be ruled out if no obvious cause is found. Especially children from Mediterranean countries or the equatorial region can carry a rare, genetically determined disease that can cause anemia - thalassemia .TreatmentIron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia. The condition is usually treated with iron supplementation. It is also important to adjust your diet to prevent relapse.Anemia triggered by infections is also common. In most cases, the blood percentage will return to normal when the immune system has finished fighting the infection, possibly after a course of antibiotics if it is a bacterial infection that needs treatment.Anemia can also be a sign of another disease in the body. If a child is diagnosed with anemia, samples will always be taken to confirm a possible iron deficiency. If iron deficiency cannot be detected, it must be checked for other causes of low blood percentage.WarningIf it is uncertain whether there is anemia (anemia), the child should always be examined by a doctor.