Anemia Screening for Children in Rochester, NY

Anemia is an extremely common blood disorder that causes a dysfunction or shortage of red blood cells. These blood cells are essential, as they carry oxygen to various tissues throughout the body and keep them in proper, healthy condition. The board-certified pediatricians at Westside Pediatrics have extensive experience diagnosing and treating anemia in children.  Call (585) 247-5400 to schedule an appointment at our pediatric office in Rochester, NY.

Common Symptoms

Individuals with this blood disorder are likely to experience a variety of unique symptoms including:

• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Rapid breathing
• General fatigue
• Irregular heartbeat
• Pale coloring to the skin
• Pounding within the ears
• Frequent headaches
• Fainting
• Cold hands and/or feet
• Poor appetite
• Developmental deficiencies in children

Conditions Associated with Anemia

It is possible for a person to develop anemia at any point in their life, though the risk for this blood disorder generally grows greater as we grow older. Infants can also have anemia from the time that they are born, which is why routine screenings performed by your child’s pediatricianare so important in order to identify and begin treating any number of congenital health conditions.

Many people are at an increased risk for developing anemia during their lifetime due to several related conditions and disorders including:

• Liver disease
• Thyroid disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Various forms of cancer
• Kidney disease
• Multiple types of autoimmune disease

The Anemia Screening Process

In order to detect early issues with anemia that may have gone undiagnosed, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children complete a hemoglobin test at approximately one year of age. This test involves analyzing a blood sample from the patient to determine whether or not they have iron deficiency anemia, which is by far the most common type of anemia in both children and adults.

This simple test is important in many ways, but most particularly because an iron deficiency can stunt the growth and development of young children. Likewise, there are many symptoms that can result from untreated cases of anemia in adults.

Anemia Treatment in Rochester, NY

Individuals with anemia will need to have a course of treatment recommended to them by their own physician, as different types of anemia will require different methods of treatment. Typically, those with iron deficiency anemia will be treatable using vitamin supplements and lifestyle alterations.