SEVERE ANAEMIA

Anaemia is common reason of morbidity and mortality in children especially inthird world countries. 300 million children had anaemia globally in 2011. Nutritional IDA (irondeficiency anemia) is a most common anaemia especially in children as well as women.1Severe anaemia was present in 5.4% of anaemic children (62.1%) in national nutritional survey2011.1 Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is also a most common cause of childhood anaemia inPakistan. Factors causing anaemia are multiple including poverty, illiteracy and poor dietaryhabits. Objective: To know about the awareness of severe anaemia in children by their parentsand effect of various risk factors causing severe anaemia. Study Design: Prospective crosssectional study. Setting: Paediatric OPD Islam Teaching Hospital, Sialkot. Period: Jan 2016 toJune 2017. Methods: Children who came to paediatric OPD of Islam Teaching Hospital, havingpallor were investigated for level of haemoglobin (Hb). Those included in this study were havingHb% < 7 gm/dl and parents were interviewed according to a questionnaire. Results: Only23% of parents were aware of anaemia in their children. Inadequate or no weaning was seen in95% of patients. 26% of children were underweight, had weight for age (WAZ) score less than-2 according to WHO standards. 83% of mothers were educated up to matric. All the childrenhad markedly low mean corpuscular volume (MCV). 72% of children were 24 months old orbelow. 80% of children were taking cows/buffalos milk. Conclusion: Age less than 24 months,poor socioeconomic status, lower education qualification of mother, poor weaning habits wereassociated with increased chances of severe anaemia and parents had poor awareness ofpallor/anaemia in children.