Iron deficiency Essay

Iron deficiency is a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood due to a lack of iron. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia in children. You get iron through certain foods, and your body reuses iron from old red blood cells. Iron deficiency (too little iron) may be caused by; an iron poor diet (this is the most common cause) the body not being able to absorb iron very well. Lilly is a 4-year old Caucasian female she suffers from a disorder called Iron Deficiency anemia disorder. This occurs when there is not enough iron in the body. The reason Lily has Iron Deficiency disorder is because of her diet. Iron is the major component of hemoglobin and is essential for its proper function. Hemoglobin is a part of the red blood cells; it carries oxygen throughout the body without enough iron the body produces less and not as many red blood cells form. Lily is a picky eater and only drinking fruit punch and eating starchy foods is a contributing factor to her condition. Some of the symptoms to Iron Deficiency Anemia are blue-tinged or very pale whites of the eyes, blood in stool, pale skin color, and weakness. Lily shows signs of some of these. Even though Lily’s mother is single and on a low budget, there are things, she can do to prevent this. There are iron supplements that can be taken by mouth or given by injection into a muscle or vein. The most important thing in preventing this disorder or or correcting it is to eat iron rich foods such as raisins, meats, (especially liver), fish, poultry, eggs, soup beans, and whole grain bread. Prognosis with change in supplements or iron rich diet most cases the blood counts will return to normal within a couple of months. Davon is a 5-year-old African American whose mother carries the sickle cell trait. Sickle Cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells. The sickle cell gene causes the body to produce abnormal hemoglobin. In sickle cell disease, the hemoglobin clumps together, causing red blood cells to become stiff and develop C-shaped (sickle) form. These sickled red blood cells can block blood vessels, reducing blood flow to many parts of the body. This process can result in tissue and organ damage.. Hemoglobin and Iron; each red blood cell contains about 280 million hemoglobin molecules. Hemoglobin is the most important component of red blood cells. It is composed of protein (globulin) and a molecule (heme) which binds to iron. You can understand Darvon’s mothers concern since about 70,000-100,000 Americans- mostly African Americans have Sickle cell disease. About 2 million Americans have sickle cell trait. Sickle cell is inherited and people at risk for inheriting the gene for sickle cell descend from people who are or were originally from Africa or parts of India and the Mediterranean. Blood test can determine whether an individual has sickle cell trait or sickle cell disease. Prevention and lifestyle changes general precautions to prevent and reduce the severity of long-term complications of sickle cell disease, several precautions may be helpful. Have regular physical examinations every 3-6 months. Have periotic and careful eye examinations. Have sufficient rest, warmth, and increase fluid intake. These are critical precautions for reducing oxygen loss and the risk of dehydration. Avoid crowds that increase the risk for infection. Spencer suffers from a condition called Thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia is a condition in which there is a deficient number of circulating platelets. Platelets are parts of the blood that help blood to clot. Thrombocytopenia often divided into three major causes of low platelets: Low production of platelets in the marrow increased breakdown of platelets in the bloodstream and an increased breakdown of platelets in the spleen or liver. Spencer has noticed over the last several weeks an increase in ecchymosis, which is the passage of blood from ruptured blood vessels into subcutaneous tissue marked by a purple discoloration of the skin or bruising. Some of the causes of Thrombocytopenia are accidental eye injury, anorexia nervosa, cirrhosis and liver disease. Treatment depends on the cause of the condition. In some cases, a transfusion of platelets may be required to stop or prevent bleeding Prevention would depend on the specific cause.