How to treat hemolytic anemia in babies

Everyone must be familiar with anemia, and there are many types of anemia. One of them is hemolytic anemia. Of course, everyone knows that the treatment methods of diseases will be different due to different classifications. Many parents may simply think that anemia should be treated without understanding it, ignoring its uniqueness. This may cause many problems. So it is better to understand how to treat hemolytic anemia in babies.

Hemolytic anemias are a heterogeneous group of disorders and their treatment should vary according to the disorder. Correct diagnosis is the prerequisite for effective treatment. The following are principles for the treatment of certain hemolytic anemias.

1. Remove the cause

If the cause of acquired hemolytic anemia can be found, it can be cured by eliminating the cause. Drug-induced hemolytic anemia may recover quickly after the drug is discontinued. Hemolysis caused by infection can be stopped after the infection is controlled.

2. Glucocorticoids and other immunosuppressants

Mainly used for certain immune hemolytic anemias. Glucocorticoids have a good effect on warm antibody type autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Cyclosporine and cyclophosphamide may be effective for some cases of warm or cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia that is refractory to glucocorticoid therapy.

3. Blood transfusion or blood component transfusion

Because blood transfusion can cause serious reactions in some hemolytic anemias, its indications should be strictly controlled. Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria may cause acute hemolytic episodes after transfusion. Patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia and high concentrations of autoantibodies may have difficulty in matching. In addition, blood transfusion may aggravate hemolysis. Therefore, transfusion in hemolytic anemia should be considered a supportive or life-saving measure. Use red blood cell suspension or washed red blood cells when necessary.

4. Splenectomy

It is suitable for hemolytic anemia in which red blood cell destruction mainly occurs in the spleen, such as hereditary spherocytosis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia with poor response to glucocorticoids, and certain hemoglobinopathies. Although splenectomy cannot cure the disease, it can alleviate the condition to varying degrees.

5. Other treatments

Severe acute intravascular hemolysis can cause fatal complications such as acute renal failure, shock, and electrolyte imbalance, and should be treated actively. In some cases of chronic hemolytic anemia, folic acid consumption is increased and appropriate folic acid supplementation is recommended. Chronic intravascular hemolysis increases iron loss, and iron deficiency can be treated with iron supplements once it is confirmed. Patients with severe thalassemia who rely on blood transfusions for a long time may develop hemochromatosis, which can be treated with iron chelators to remove iron.

To sum up, this is a detailed introduction on how to treat baby hemolytic anemia. In this case, parents may use the wrong treatment methods, causing the child's physical problems to recur. Similarly, no matter what disease it is, it is necessary to understand whether there will be differences in the treatment methods, so that many diseases can be avoided and prevented.