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Diagnosing Anemia

January 22, 2007 by GreatDad Writers Leave a Comment

In many cases, doctors don’t diagnose anemia until they run blood tests as part of a routine physical examination. A complete blood count (CBC) may indicate that there are fewer red blood cells than normal. Other diagnostic tests may include:



  • Blood smear examination: Blood is smeared on a glass slide for microscopic examination of RBCs, which can sometimes indicate the cause of the anemia

  • Iron tests: These include total serum iron and ferritin tests, which can help to determine whether anemia is due to iron deficiency

  • Hemoglobin electrophoresis: Used to identify various abnormal hemoglobins in the blood and to diagnose sickle cell anemia, the thalassemias, and other inherited forms of anemia

  • Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy: This test can help determine whether cell production is happening normally in the bone marrow. It’s the only way to diagnose aplastic anemia definitively and is also used if a disease affecting the bone marrow (such as leukemia) is a suspected cause of the anemia

  • Reticulocyte count: A measure of young RBCs, this helps to determine if production of red blood cells is at normal levels

In addition to running these tests, your kids’ doctor may ask about a family history of anemia and your children’s symptoms and medications. This may lead the doctor to perform other tests to look for specific diseases that might be causing the anemia.

Filed Under: Preschool

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