Blood Disorders

Blood disorders are medical conditions caused by problems with the blood. Blood is made up of liquid and solids. The liquid part, called plasma, is made up of:

• Mostly water.
• Salts (electrolytes). Examples include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride.
• Proteins. The most common proteins in plasma include antibodies [AN-tie-bahd-ees], which protect the body from germs, and fibrinogen [fye-BRIN-uh-juhn], which helps the body form blood clots and control bleeding.

The solid part of blood is made up of cells, such as:

• Red blood cells. These cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
• White blood cells. These cells help protect your body against germs and cancer.
• Platelets. These cells help the body form blood clots and control bleeding.

Blood disorders can be caused by problems with either the plasma or one of the kinds of blood cells. Common blood disorders include:

• Anemia. In this condition, the blood doesn’t carry enough oxygen as is needed for the entire body.
• Bleeding problems. This includes hemophilia [hee-muh-FIL-ee-uh], a genetic condition which makes it hard to form a clot and control bleeding.
• Blood clots. Blood clots help the body control bleeding. But they can also cause medical conditions when they stop blood from flowing normally. Clots that form in the legs cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Clots can also move to other parts of the body such as the lungs (causing pulmonary embolism), heart (causing a heart attack), or the brain (causing a stroke).
• Blood cancers. These types of cancer include leukemia [loo-KEE-mee-uh] and myeloma [mye-uh-LOH-muh], which are both cancers of white blood cells.

Blood disorders can cause symptoms in many parts of the body, depending on the specific kind of disorder. For example:

• Anemia may cause fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, irregular heartbeat, or difficulty staying warm.
• Hemophilia can cause bruising or bleeding after mild injuries or small scrapes and cuts.
• Blood clots cause different symptoms depending on where they are in the body. DVT in the legs doesn’t always symptoms, but most commonly causes leg swelling and pain. Symptoms of pulmonary embolism often include trouble breathing, chest pain, and coughing up blood. Clots in the heart can cause symptoms of a heart attack, such as pain in the chest, back, jaw, or left arm; irregular heartbeat; shortness of breath; dizziness; or a cold sweat.
• Blood cancers may cause tiredness, bruising or bleeding, infections, fever, weight loss, and stomach pain. Blood cancers may also cause the lymph nodes (small glands found in the neck, armpits, groin, and knee) to swell.

See your healthcare provider if you think your child may have a blood condition or if your child has any of the symptoms of a blood disorder including:

• Difficulty breathing
• Chest pain
• Rapid or unusual heartbeat
• Long-lasting fatigue (tiredness)
• Pale skin
• Bruising or bleeding to easily
• Unexplained weight loss
• Frequent illness
• Fever
• Long-lasting stomach pain

The causes of blood disorders depend on the type of disorder.

• Children can get anemia if they don’t get enough iron, folic acid, or vitamin B12 in their daily diet. Other types of anemia are caused by bleeding, infections, problems with the immune system, cancer, or problems with red blood cells breaking down too easily in the body. Anemia can also be caused by kidney disease, or exposure to dangerous chemicals, or radiation.
• Hemophilia is a medical condition that can be passed down through families. Some children make too little of, or are missing, blood proteins that are necessary for making blood clots.
• Blood clots in children can be caused by injuries, surgery, damaged veins, sitting for long periods of time, some types of cancer, or paralysis.
• Blood cancers in children can be caused by exposure to dangerous chemicals or radiation, or a condition passed down through families. Sometimes, there is no known cause for a blood cancer.

To diagnose a blood disorder, your child’s healthcare provider will check your child’s medical history, do a physical exam, and order blood tests. Tests to look for blood disorders. One of the most common blood tests is the complete blood count (CBC). This test counts all of different blood cells and looks for a certain blood protein in a blood sample.

If your child is diagnosed with a blood disorder, your child’s healthcare provider may refer you to a hematologist [hee-muh-TOL-uh-jist]. A hematologist is a doctor who specializes in treating patients with blood disorders.

Treatment for a blood disorder depends on the type of blood disorder you child has. For example:

• Anemia is treated according to the cause. Your child may need a vitamin or dietary supplement, medicines, blood or certain blood cells from a donor (transfusion).
• Hemophilia is treated with blood clotting proteins from a donor, or with certain medicines.
• Blood clots are treated with medicines, or minor surgery, to put a filter in a large blood vessel that captures clots before they get to the heart or lungs.
• Blood cancers may be treated with medicines, chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Some blood cancers are treated with a bone marrow transplant. This is a procedure that helps the body make new blood cells by taking them from a donor and transplanting them into someone who is sick.

Some blood disorders can’t be prevented. For example, hemophilia is a medical condition passed down through families and can’t be prevented, nor can some blood cancers and types of anemia. To prevent other types of anemia:

• Feed your child a healthy, balanced diet.
• Give prescription medicines exactly as ordered by your child’s healthcare provider.
• Control any bleeding, avoid exposing your child to dangerous chemicals or radiation.
• Treat any infections.

To prevent blood clots:

• Give prescription medicines exactly as ordered by your child’s healthcare provider.
• Help your child be active to help control his or her weight.
• Feed your child a healthy, balanced diet.
• Check your child’s blood pressure regularly
• Don’t use tobacco products (including vapes) around your child.

Some blood cancers may be prevented by avoiding exposures to dangerous chemicals or radiation.

Some blood disorders can’t be prevented. For example, hemophilia is a medical condition passed down through families and can’t be prevented, nor can some blood cancers and types of anemia. To prevent other types of anemia:

• Feed your child a healthy, balanced diet.
• Give prescription medicines exactly as ordered by your child’s healthcare provider.
• Control any bleeding, avoid exposing your child to dangerous chemicals or radiation.
• Treat any infections.

To prevent blood clots:

• Give prescription medicines exactly as ordered by your child’s healthcare provider.
• Help your child be active to help control his or her weight.
• Feed your child a healthy, balanced diet.
• Check your child’s blood pressure regularly
• Don’t use tobacco products (including vapes) around your child.

Some blood cancers may be prevented by avoiding exposures to dangerous chemicals or radiation.

• American Society of Hematology: Blood Disorders and Bleeding Disorders
• MedLine Plus: Blood Disorders and Blood Count Tests