Question 1

will having polycythemia make my son a better athlete?

Accepted Answer

No: Polycythemia (increased red cells in the blood) will not make him a better athlete. Within limits, it increases the oxygen deliverable by blood and may improve endurance. Elite endurance athletes sometimes train in lower oxygen (e.g. At altitude) to induce a form of polycythemia. This is not advised for children. Polycythemia should be evaluated as it can be dangerous and signal serious disease.

Question 2

if i had polycythemia as a child is it likely that my son will also have it?

Accepted Answer

Not likely: Polycythemia is a condition related to risk factors like maternal diabetis, ABO or rh incompatibility, iugr. Unless you have a condition that predisposes to polycythemia there is no need to worry.

Question 3

is there a good diet i can give my 6yo if he has polycythemia?

Accepted Answer

Balanced diet: A balanced diet rich in Vit E, iron, and micronutrients

Question 4

can polycythemia in a child cause mental illness in the future?

Accepted Answer

Depends: Polycythemia(pc) is a term used for multiple conditions. A transient benign problem in infants; inherited increases in red cell production(treated with blood removal) or a cancer like problem. Increased RBC mass can plug the pipes & injure brain or other areas, making instability more likely. The stress of a chronic disease can create mental problems, the more serious the disease the more likely.

Question 5

what to do about polycythemia?

Accepted Answer

Find cause: Polycythemia refers to having too many red blood cells. This can be caused by conditions that decrease the oxygen in the blood (like smoking), congenital heart defects, etc. Sometimes it can be a disorder of red blood cell production. Treatment includes correcting the cause and/or removing excess blood (phlebotomy) and medication like hydroxyurea.

Question 6

how often do young children get polycythemia?

Accepted Answer

Rarely: Primary polycythemias, including congenital polycythemia and polycythemia vera, are rare genetic disorders where one makes too many red blood cells. Its incidence varies from 3-30:100, 000. Secondary polycythemia is a response to hypoxia, transfusion, or injection of erythropoietin. Its incidence is hard to determine, since it is often a benign, self-limited condition, especially in young children.

Question 7

is being premature and having polycythemia related?

Accepted Answer

If they are multiple: Usually premature babies tend to have less amount of hemoglobin than term infants, even though they have more blood volume for the weight. But because of ttts, the recipient twin tends to be big and polycythemic and the donor tends to be scrawny and pale.

Question 8

is polycythemia something that will go away on its own eventually?

Accepted Answer

It depends: If polycythemia occurs in a newborn, either as the result of maternal diabetes, placental insufficiency, or maternal-fetal transfusion at delivery (e.g., delayed cord clamping) then the extra red blood cells will slowly be removed naturally by the infant's body. There is no therapy required. Rarely, polycythemia is associated with an underlying hematologic problem, in which case it will persist.

Question 9

i have polycythemia ruba vera how will it affect my daily life and what should i be looking out for?

Accepted Answer

Take ASA see link..: Aspirin is recommended in most polycythemia rubra vera cases. Please see this link from uptodate with patient information on this rare disorder: http://www.Uptodate.Com/contents/polycythemia-vera-pv-the-basics?

Question 10

do a lot of people get polycythemia vera?

Accepted Answer

Not common: According to one study, about 65,000 people in the US have this condition, or about 22 out of every 100,000 people.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18181200.

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Doctor answers about:

Polycythemia

A member asked:

Will having polycythemia make my son a better athlete?

A member asked:

If i had polycythemia as a child is it likely that my son will also have it?

A member asked:

Is there a good diet i can give my 6yo if he has polycythemia?

A member asked:

Can polycythemia in a child cause mental illness in the future?

A member asked:

What to do about polycythemia?

A member asked:

How often do young children get polycythemia?

A member asked:

Is being premature and having polycythemia related?

A member asked:

Is polycythemia something that will go away on its own eventually?

A member asked:

I have polycythemia ruba vera how will it affect my daily life and what should i be looking out for?

A member asked:

Do a lot of people get polycythemia vera?

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