Abstract

CONTREIRAS, Marta; VIEIRA, Filipa; SANTOS, Conceição  and  GUIMARAES, José. Pancytopenia in an infant. Nascer e Crescer [online]. 2011, vol.20, n.2, pp.79-81. ISSN 0872-0754.

Introduction: The most common cause of cobalamin deficiency in infants is dietary deficiency in the mother, usually in those children who are exclusively breastfed. In the first months of life, the clinical manifestations of co­balamin deficiency include irritability, failure to thrive, apathy, anorexia, and neurological manifestations such as hypotonia or developmental regression. Case report: We report a case of megaloblastic anaemia due to cobalamin deficiency in a seven-month-old girl who was exclusively breastfed. One month before being admitted she started apathy and developmental regression, later associated with pallor. Laboratory findings showed pancytopenia with severe anaemia. Conclusions: The early age of onset and long duration of neurological symptoms may contribute to the development of long-term symptoms, so early diagnosis and treatment are of ex­treme importance.

Keywords : megaloblastic anaemia; breastfeeding; cobala­min; pancytopenia; infant.

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