Diagnosing Anemia

Diagnosing Anemia

In many cases, doctors don't discover 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:

1- Blood smear examination: Microscopic examination of red blood cells after blood is smeared on a glass slide can sometimes indicate the cause of the anemia.

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

3 - Hemoglobin electrophoresis:

This test identifies various abnormal hemoglobins in the blood and is used to diagnose sickle cell anemia and the thalassemias.

4 - 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 it is suspected that a disease affecting the bone marrow (such as leukemia) could be the cause for the anemia.

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

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