“Are hemoglobin injections advisable for kids?”
My daughter is 14 years old and is also anemic. The doctor has advised us to give her injections of hemoglobin, but should this really be advisable for kids to take?
3 Answers
It is not advised to transfuse hemoglobin unless the cause is well known. Need to rule out nutritional factors before any transfusion and hemoglobin deficiency needs further labs research for sickle cell anemia , thalassemia or iron deficiency anemia.
Injections. There must be a reason(s) that the usual method of oral supplementation with iron cannot be employed such as, among other things: side effects of iron (nausea), patient noncompliance, absence of gastric acid. Otherwise, I would prefer oral iron, as the injections can be painful, with possible longstanding skin discoloration at the site of injection.
Do you mean blood transfusion? Blood transfusions are generally considered safe, however, it does carry a risk of complications such as transfusion reactions or blood-borne infections. Anemia, on the other hand, can result in easy fatigue, failure to thrive, and generalized weaknesses, depending on the severity. In chronic and asymptomatic anemia, blood transfusion is likely not indicated, however, to treat the underlying causes and supportive care along with a close follow-up.
