If your child is experiencing symptoms of itching or discomfort, one cause could be anemia. Anemia occurs when your blood does not carry enough oxygen throughout the body. A common cause of anemia is low iron levels, explains the MedlinePlus online medical encyclopedia. The best way to eliminate itching is to treat your child’s anemia. His pediatrician should be a starting point for an accurate diagnosis and suggested course of treatment.
Anemia
Anemia is a blood disorder in which your child may have a lower red-blood-cell count than normal. There could also be a low concentration of hemoglobin in the bloodstream. Anemia is not a rare condition in children. Research published in 2001 in the journal "American Family Physician" found that up to 20 percent of children are diagnosed with anemia in the United States. Anemia is often triggered by an underlying illness or medical condition such as red-blood-cell destruction, blood loss, and deficient red-blood-cell production. There are several types of anemia including iron-deficiency anemia, hemolytic anemia, sickle-cell anemia, aplastic anemia and chronic anemia, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin explains.
Symptoms
Anemia causes an array of symptoms that should be brought to a doctor’s attention. Symptoms including fatigue, pale skin, headache, dizziness, increased heart rate, breathlessness and irritability. One sign of anemia could be itchy skin, or pruritus. Itching can get so bad that it can lead to skin breakdown. In some cases, symptoms may be very mild and appear gradually over time.
Causes
Itching typically occurs when iron levels are low or the type of anemia is not being treated properly. In some cases, excessive itching could be an indication of another disease, so testing is necessary. Your child’s pediatrician may recommend a series of tests including iron, serum, total iron-binding capacity and a ferritin test, the Lab Tests Online website reports. These tests should confirm an anemia diagnosis.
Solution
Depending on the type of anemia, treatment may vary. In cases of hemolytic anemia, spleen removal may be necessary. A bone-marrow transplant is needed in some cases of aplastic anemia, meanwhile. Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin notes that other treatment options may include iron supplements, a change in diet, blood transfusion and treatment of the underlying condition can help regulate iron levels. For prolonged itching during treatment, a hydrocortisone or corticosteroid may help relive itch symptoms.
