What cause low hematocrit and hemoglobin in a young child

If the hemoglobin level is low, more blood tests are done.Risk factors include feeding problems, poor growth and special health care needs. This is a group of questions to find risk factors for iron-deficiency anemia. The screening should also include a risk assessment. The AAP recommends anemia screening with a hemoglobin blood test for all infants at 12 months of age.Routine anemia screening is done because anemia is common in children and they often have no symptoms. In most cases, anemia is diagnosed with simple blood tests. When should I call my child's health care provider?.Sources of blood loss may include gastrointestinal bleeding, menstrual bleeding or injury. Loss of blood can cause a decrease of iron.

Any abnormalities in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract could alter iron absorption and cause iron-deficiency anemia. When you eat foods containing iron, most of the iron is absorbed in the upper small intestine. Poor absorption of iron is common after some forms of gastrointestinal surgeries. When the body goes through a growth spurt, it needs more iron for making more red blood cells.

Older infants and toddlers may not get enough iron from their diets.

But breastmilk does not have a lot of iron, so infants that are breastfed only, may not have enough iron.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises feeding your baby only breastmilk for the first six months.

And more iron is used as the infant grows.

At 4 to 6 months of age, the iron stored during pregnancy is at a low level.

And infants born early may not get enough iron.

Infants of mothers with anemia or other health problems may not have enough iron stored.

Full-term newborns, born to healthy mothers, have iron that they get during the last three months of pregnancy.

But, only a small amount of the iron in food is actually absorbed by the body. A child gets iron from the food in his or her diet.

What cause low hematocrit and hemoglobin in a young child