Iron deficiency in a 10 year old girl - is it serious?!


Question: Iron deficiency in a 10 year old girl - is it serious?
A family friend has been diagnosed with iron deficiency, she is 10 years old. I was speaking to my Mum and she said this is very uncommon in children her age and can be a sign of other things. My mum used to be a nurse, but I just wondered if she's right. Is anaemia in a 10 year old something to be concerned about? Does it signal something more serious?

She's also been having stomach migraines and that's how they found out about the iron deficiency because of scans and investigations into that problem.

Answers:

Anaemia can have many causes, including:

Dietary deficiency – lack of iron, vitamin B12 or folic acid in the diet.
Malabsorption – where the body is not able to use the nutrients in the diet, caused by conditions such as coeliac disease.
Inherited disorders – such as thalassaemia or sickle cell disease.
Autoimmune disorders – such as autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, where the immune cells attack the red blood cells and decrease their life span.
Chronic diseases – such as rheumatoid arthritis and tuberculosis.
Hormone disorders – such as hypothyroidism.
Bone marrow disorders – such as cancer or infection.
Blood loss – due to trauma, surgery, cancer, peptic ulcer, heavy menstruation, bowel cancer or frequent blood donations.
Drugs and medications – including alcohol, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs or anti-coagulant medications.
Infection – such as malaria and septicaemia, which reduce the life span of red blood cells.
Periods of rapid growth or high energy requirements – such as puberty or pregnancy.

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2…

RedAngel




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