Mediterranean anemia is a hereditary disease. Moderate and severe patients with thalassemia often cannot survive into adulthood, but thalassemia is a disease that can be actively prevented. After pregnancy, pregnant women can be tested to determine if they are actually suffering from thalassemia. So what are the symptoms of Mediterranean anemia in children?
1. β - thalassemia
According to the severity of the condition, it can be divided into the following three types.
Severe: also known as Cooley anemia. The child is asymptomatic at birth and begins to develop chronic progressive anemia at 3-12 months. The complexion is pale, the liver and spleen are large, and there is poor development. Mild jaundice is often present, and the symptoms become increasingly apparent with age. Due to compensatory proliferation of the bone marrow, bones become larger and the medullary cavity widens, first occurring in the metacarpal bones and later in the long bones and ribs.
After the age of one, there are significant changes in the skull, manifested as an enlarged head, raised forehead, elevated cheekbones, collapsed nose bridge, widened distance between the eyes, and the formation of a Mediterranean anemia special facial feature. Children often develop tracheitis or pneumonia. When concurrent hemosiderosis occurs, the corresponding symptoms of organ damage are caused by excessive iron deposition in the myocardium and other organs such as the liver, pancreas, pituitary gland, etc.
The most serious of these is heart failure, which is the result of myocardial damage caused by anemia and iron deposition, and is one of the important causes of death in children. If left untreated, this disease can lead to death before the age of 5.
Mild: The patient has no symptoms or mild anemia, with a small or slightly enlarged spleen. The course of the disease is good and can survive until old age. This disease is easily overlooked and is often discovered during family investigations of severe patients.
Intermediate type: More symptoms occur in early childhood, with clinical manifestations ranging from mild to severe, moderate anemia, mild to moderate spleen size, optional jaundice, and mild skeletal changes.
2. Mediterranean anemia
Static type: The patient is asymptomatic. The morphology of red blood cells is normal, and the Hb Barts content in umbilical cord blood at birth is 0.01-0.02, but it disappears after 3 months.
Mild: The patient is asymptomatic. There are mild changes in the morphology of red blood cells, such as unequal size, central light staining, and atypia. The osmotic fragility of red blood cells is reduced, and there is a positive expression of denatured globin bodies. HbA2 and HbF levels are normal or slightly lower. The Hb Barts content in the umbilical cord blood of the child was 0, 034-0.140, and completely disappeared at 6 months after birth.
Intermediate type: also known as hemoglobin H disease. The clinical manifestations of this type vary greatly, with varying timing and severity of anemia. Most cases gradually develop anemia, fatigue and weakness, enlarged liver and spleen, and mild jaundice after infancy. Older patients may have a special appearance similar to severe beta thalassemia. Combining respiratory infections or taking oxidative drugs, antimalarial drugs, etc. can induce acute hemolysis, worsen anemia, and even lead to hemolytic crisis.
Severe: also known as Hb Barts fetal edema syndrome. Fetuses often experience miscarriage, stillbirth, or death within 30-40 weeks of delivery, with severe anemia, jaundice, edema, hepatosplenomegaly, ascites, and pleural effusion. The placenta is huge and brittle in texture.
This article provides a detailed introduction to the symptoms and manifestations of children with thalassemia. If you find that your child or someone else's child has symptoms of thalassemia, it is best to take your child to the hospital for examination in a timely manner. Early detection and treatment can still alleviate the symptoms of thalassemia.
