Hypochromic Anemia of Infants

Abstract

The study reported here was undertaken to determine whether hypochromic anemia is common in so-called normal infants between 3 months and 2 years of age and to determine the form of iron, size of dose and duration of therapy most effective in correcting the condition. SURVEY OF THE LITERATUREThat normal infants and children exhibit lower hemoglobin values than do normal men or women has long been clear. The drop from the excessively high hemoglobin level of the normal newborn infant to this hypochromic level has been demonstrated by numerous competent investigators.1 While the reduction in hemoglobin suffered by newborn infants through the first six weeks of life may fairly betermed physiologic, as it is due to intrinsic factors, from the sixth week forward the hypochromia is nonphysiologic, since it is influenced by extrinsic factors such as exposure to infection, artificial or breast feeding or From the Newborn Service, Philadelphia General Hospital, and the Children's