Treatment for hemolytic anemia is determined by several factors, including your child's age, overall health and medical history. Other issues that will be considered are the extent and cause of the anemia as well as your child's tolerance for medications, procedures and therapies. Treatment may include:
- Blood transfusions
- Corticosteroid medications, which are synthetic versions of natural hormones produced by the body's adrenal glands
- Intravenous immune globulin to strengthen the immune system
Treatment for Severe Cases
In more severe cases, the following treatments may be necessary and usually require hospitalization:
- Exchange Transfusion — This is similar to a blood transfusion but differs in that your child's blood also is removed. In an exchange transfusion, blood is transferred to your child and an equal amount of your child's hemolyzed blood — the blood in which the red blood cells have been destroyed or impaired — is removed.
- Spleen Removal — Surgical removal of the spleen generally is reserved for children who do not respond to other therapies.
- Immunosuppressive Therapy — This therapy is used to suppress your child's immune system if the anemia is caused by an autoimmune disorder. An autoimmune disorder is a disease that causes the immune system to mistakenly attack itself, targeting the cells, tissues and organs of your child's body.
Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.
Last updated July 14, 2010
