Hemoglobin is a protein of complex structure that is part of the red blood cells of red blood cells and contains iron. Its main function is the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the cells of the body and carbon dioxide from them in the opposite direction. The amount of hemoglobin is determined using a laboratory blood test. In the first year of life, your pediatrician will monitor the level of this protein in the blood every month, and the first study is done already in the hospital. The norm of hemoglobin in a child up to a year is an important indicator of how his body functions.
The hemoglobin content in blood in children depends significantly on age: the norm of hemoglobin in a child up to a year is a constantly changing indicator, and this is understandable.
Below we give quantitative values of the hemoglobin level in children under the age of one year in grams per 1 liter:
- the highest rate is observed in the first few days after birth and is already determined in the hospital, when the baby is 1-3 days old, his hemoglobin should normally be 145-225;
- in a week old baby, hemoglobin should be in the range of 135-215;
- further, the downward trend continues, and in a two-week-old child, the normal range is 125–205;
- the norm of hemoglobin in a monthly child is 100-180;
- in two months, hemoglobin in children should be from 90 to 140;
- 3-6 month old babies have a normal level of hemoglobin, if it is in the range from 95 to 135;
- from six months to 12 months, the level of hemoglobin should be established in the range of 100-140.
This is the norm of hemoglobin in a child up to a year. What to do if, having received the test results on hand, you see that the level of this protein is too low? What could be the reason?
There are only three main reasons:
1. Unbalanced diet (deficiency of copper, vitamin B12, folic acid).
2. A jump in growth in a child.
3. Lack of iron in the blood is a major factor. Today, every fifth child under the age of three suffers from anemia - a deficiency of iron in the blood.
Symptoms of Anemia:
1. The child often has a headache, and he quickly gets tired.
2. Dry skin prone to peeling.
3. Nails break and flake.
4. Stool problems - constipation or diarrhea soon after eating.
5. Stomatitis and cracks in the corners of the mouth.
If you notice any of these signs in your child, visit a pediatrician, he will immediately refer you to a general blood test (taken from the finger) to find out your baby’s hemoglobin level.
When it comes to what is the norm of hemoglobin in a child up to a year old, it is worth making an amendment for those children who are breast-fed: they may have a fairly low hemoglobin in the first two months of life - 90 g / l. This is not a problem, provided that the baby was born on time and the birth passed without complications. This phenomenon is called false anemia, and after a few months the hemoglobin level comes within the established norm.
If your child is on mixed or fully artificial feeding, on the recommendation of a pediatrician, find such a highly adapted milk mixture, which will contain the optimal amount of iron and other trace elements necessary for the baby. Fortunately, now almost all manufacturers represented on the domestic market comply with these conditions. Nevertheless, it is very important to know what your child’s hemoglobin rate should be and to monitor its level regularly.