If you are trying to dive into aplastic anemia, here are some interesting facts from the Seattle Children’s Hospital that you should definitely check out.
Aplastic anemia is very serious. But mild, moderate, or severe, it may be most serious in children; in fact, usually it’s life-threatening for children–they need treatment as soon as possible.
What is Aplastic Anemia?
Basically, this autoimmune disease occurs when the body loses the ability to produce adequate amounts of red and white blood cells and platelets that are produced in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is found in the core center of the body’s longer bones, such as those in your arms or in your legs.
I like the way that Seattle Children’s Hospital dares to simplify the explanation of the disease, which heck, just makes it easier to comprehend. So if you think about it, it pays to keep things simple when you’ve got to deal with lots of facts. For instance, we know that red blood cells transfer oxygen within the body. We know that white blood cells have a different function: they help our bodies to fight foreign invaders like infections. And finally, the platelets come into play in a crucial way because they help the blood to clot, which stops bleeding. And if just one of these components is thrown off and shuts down, the body will weaken.
But… please keep in mind that this condition is not necessarily caused by an autoimmune disease. While that’s normally the case, there are 1000s of instances when adults and children develop the condition after exposure to certain chemicals and poisons. To learn more about it, check out the website here.
