?anaemia in little boy

[Thegirlwithyyy]

Hello everyone,

I’d like some advice please!

Took my little boy who will be six in May to the GP regarding his tiredness, this is not a new thing but has got to the point where not doing certain things “because he will be tired” has become normal for us but I’ve realised it’s not normal for a boy of his age. Other symptoms: very irritable (half term was the final straw for me), frequent nose bleeding (not dripping, just crusted within one nostril and not related to injury). He suffers with leg pains on and off but we associate those with growth spurts.

So we had a blood test as the doctor thought anaemia May be a possibility given the symptoms I described.

Results:
HB 117
Ferritin 13.

From what I’ve seen, both of these are within normal ranges but on the lower end of those ranges. What will the next step be? Is he anaemic? Or will it be that because the bloods are “normal” then he isn’t anaemic even though he is on the lower end of ranges and symptomatic.

Thank you for reading this and for any words you may have for me 😊

Has he had a test for coeliac disease? This definitely needs to be ruled out. Anaemia and irritability and leg pains are all coeliac symptoms.

I have two DC with coeliac and am still cross with myself for spending two years taking young DC to a rude & dismissive paediatrician - when finally got in front of someone with a basic clue about kids' health she tested for it immediately and eldest DC was off-the-scale coeliac with bordering-serious malnutrition issues.

Thank you for getting back to me. He hasn’t, how do they test for it? I’m aware though that he may have it because of his symptoms. In terms of his growth and development, I don’t have any serious concerns at the moment but obviously I want to know what is going on and go from there. How were your child’s ferritin and hb levels?

It's a blood test. You have to make sure you don't change their diet before they have the test.

It's many years ago now, so don't remember numbers, but ferritin was low.

Not all coeliac DC have low weight/growth, mine didn't before diagnosis. It's a bit of a myth that you can't have coeliac unless you are underweight (many diagnosed adults are actually overweight ...)

This is just anecdotal. but a friend's daughter aged 5 had severe anaemia and it turned out she was allergic to cow's milk. A side effect is severe anaemia. As soon as they took her off daity products she got better. It's worth asking GP to test for this. Hope he's OK.

Thank you! I’m not changing his diet too drastically exactly for that reason, we have stopped milk as a drink though but continue with it for breakfast. Other than that, I want the bloods to be a true reflection of what’s going on, not to appear better because we’ve changed things too much!

What symptoms did yours have?

I would want cancer ruled out if it was my child - it’s an unlikely possibility but he does have some strange symptoms. Someone always trots out allergies - but can’t see how they would cause leg pains?! Anemia - maybe but ring gp and ask again about the results and to explain them. Also ask them what further tests he needs now given he’s not better and they still haven’t found an answer.

Ask for a cealiac test definitely

But I would also want leukaemia ruled out

Almost 7 years ago, my, then 4 year old, daughter was sent by our GP to A&E due to leg pain, that had started that day. She had bloods taken that showed her HB was 107, and white cell count was 12. We were discharged and told her anaemia was diet related, but later that evening, recalled as they had looked at her blood film, seen blast cells, and knew she had leukaemia. What were you son's other blood counts? I'm sure it's nothing as sinister as leukaemia, but as a previous poster has said, I'd want it ruled out.