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[vinayak]

my daughter is 20 mnths old she healthy and active .me and my husband dont have thalessimia we had done test before getting married  but i come from lohana family.when my daughter was 10  mnths dr sd she was looking pale and advsd to give her orofer fx for 3 mnths and after  which we did haemobglobin test where haemoglobin was 8 then dr advised to give vitscofol for 3 mnths and then i stooped the iron supplment na d in the mnth of may we did her haemoglobin test where haemoglobin was 10 so she advised me to do HB electrophoresis and the result were as follows
HAEMOGLOBIN   10 
RBC COUNT 5.27  RANGE( 3.7 -5.23)
MCV 54.6        (70-86)
RDW 19.1  (11-7-14.4)
IMPRESSION: MICROCYTIC AND HYPOCHROIC FEW TARGET CELLS SEEN
HB ELECTROPHORESIS
SICKLING  NEGATIVE
Hb:A" 89.8   RANGE(>95%)
Hb"F" 5.6    (<1.0%)
Hb"A2" 4.6  (3.5)
IMPRESSION HIGH A2 BTHAL TRAIT
after we she was diagnosed with thal dr advised to stop iron supplements completely.dr says not to worry but if haemoglobin goes below 7 then we have to do blood transfusion

RECENTLY WE DID HAEMOGLOBIN AND SERUM IRON TEST ON 7TH SEPT
HAEMOGLOBIN 9.3
SR.IRON 75    RANGE(50-170)
i am tottaly confused with the different set of ans i m getting .pls i need some accurate informationpls answer my question
1. is my daughter thal carrier/minor /intermedia /major?
2. what diet do i need to follow to ensure that haemoglobin doesnt go low and blood transfusion wld be required?
3.will this thalessimia cause a delay in her mensturation when she grows up and early menopause?
waiting for your reply

[Andy Battaglia]

It looks very much like beta thal minor. The high RBC count, high HbA2 and high HbF all differentiate thal minor from iron deficiency. This means that one of the parents is also thal minor, as it is passed on through genes, so there is no way to have it unless a parent is also a carrier. The high RDW may indicate that iron deficiency is also present, so make sure foods high in iron are consumed.

Nutrition is important in keeping the Hb level up. It will never be as high as a non-thal, but it should be easily possible to avoid needing transfusions. We have two threads dealing with nutrition that you should check out. See them at
http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php/topic,118.msg578.html#msg578  and
http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php/topic,4890.msg46774.html#msg46774

If you have specific questions after reading these threads, please post. In general, avoid junk foods and try to establish good eating habits that include fresh fruit and vegetables.

[vinayak]

thanks for ur reply Andy. Andy would wheat grass juice be helpful ? In specific can u list down the diet that i need to follow to ensure HB level is up to  mark and she is not Iron deficient. How do one come to know Spleen is getting enlarged  are there any any symptons for it?

[Andy Battaglia]

Yes, wheatgrass can be helpful. It is easiest taken as tablets of liquid extract,

It's difficult for me to give anyone a specific diet. In general, you should try to establish good dietary habits at a young age. Fresh fruit and fresh vegetables should be eaten regularly. Real food as opposed to processed foods in preferable for everyone. Avoid empty calories and junk food. Your child with always have lower than normal Hb level, so it is best to make sure food is nutritious, so the child's health can be optimized. Thal minor won't affect age of menstruation or menopause. Keep in mind that one of her parents is also thal minor. You can expect a similar level of health for your daughter.

[vinayak]

Thanks Andy for ur reply .Andy how does one come to know that spleen is getting enlarged are there any symptons for it ? how does enlarged spleen affects Thal minors?

please answer this questions?

[Andy Battaglia]

Any doctor should be able to tell if the spleen is enlarged by a simple physical examination.

[vinayak]

Thank u Andy