Sideroblastic anemia is a group of disorders where the bone marrow (or ‘blood factory’) does not make enough red blood cells to provide oxygen to tissues. In these disorders, the bone marrow cells that make red blood cells are unable to process iron correctly and the iron builds up in the cell. There are many causes for these disorders. Some cases of sideroblastic anemia are inherited and may be found in families, whereas others are acquired over time.
Diamond-Blackfan anemia is a bone marrow failure syndrome characterized by a failure to produce red blood cells (red cell aplasia). The other blood cells, such as white blood cells and platelets are usually normal. The majority of children are diagnosed in infancy, however occasionally the diagnosis is not made until adulthood.
Fanconi Anemia (FA) is a rare, inherited blood disorder that leads to bone marrow failure. FA is a blood disorder, but it also can affect many other organs, tissues, and systems. Children who inherit FA are at higher risk of being born with birth defects. People who have FA are at higher risk of some cancers and other serious health problems.
The Bone Marrow Failure Program at the Children’s Minnesota provides comprehensive multidisciplinary care for children with bone marrow failure syndromes. Our program is part of a large hematology program and offers evaluation, diagnosis and treatment for both inherited and acquired bone marrow failure, including these conditions:
In the Hemoglobinopathy and Sickle Cell Program, hematology specialists tailor a treatment plan that is unique for each of our patients. Families using Children's Minnesota's Cancer and Blood Disorders services benefit from a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals to meet their individual needs.
Thalassemia is a type of inherited blood disorder passed from a parent's genes to their children. Since it is a genetic problem, there is no known prevention for thalassemia.
Red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow and contain hemoglobin, a substance that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Typical red blood cells are disc-shaped. In sickle cell anemia, the red blood cells become sickle-shaped, or in other words, shaped like a "C." Because of this, the red blood cells don't move easily through small blood vessels. They can get stuck, form into clumps, and block blood vessels. This can cause pain, infections and damage to the organs.
Megaloblastic anemia is a blood disorder in which there is anemia with larger-than-normal red blood cells. Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to provide oxygen to tissues.
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia in children. Iron is an element that is needed to form hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is important in carrying oxygen from the lungs to the cells of the body. Iron usually is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Iron then is stored in the body in the form of hemoglobin. Iron also is stored as ferritin and hemosiderin in the bone marrow, spleen and liver.
Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is one of the most common, inherited hemolytic anemias. It is caused by a defect in the protein that forms the outer membrane of the red blood cell. The defect causes the red blood cell to have a spherical or round shape. The change in shape makes these red blood cells break down more quickly than normal red blood cells. Most of these red blood cells are destroyed within the spleen.