Transfusion Dependency

Im interested to know what age people with or parents with children who are thal major started transfusions? My daughter started when she was 3 months old with a blood count between 6.8-8.3. One hospital classified her as thal inter and another as thal major. My concern is that they started too soon and made her dependent on the transfusions. After 3 weeks she keeps a count between 9.6-10.3. I feel she can go 4 weeks and she is thal inter but the doctors do not. Does anybody else have any input or similar stories?

My daughter started transfusion at 3 months age. the ideal pre transfusion HgB is between 9.5 and 10.5. if her HgB is between that range after 3 weeks, then that is the right interval for transfusion in my opinion. At this age, the child is growing very quickly so her body probbaly needs this. we also had to start with every 3 week transfusion and then settled for every 4 weeks. But now again, it looks like we have to change back to every 3 weeks.

Thank for the reply...we started at 4 weeks and then went to 3 weeks. Im curious to see her count after 4 weeks since we switched, which was over a year ago.

Just keep on praying

HI
How much blood does your child get? she might be needing a frequent blood transfusion as she could be receiving less blood each time. Another thing is, you can tell the hospital to transfuse her with fresh blood if they can, as this will last longer in her body. My daughter had her first blood transfusion at the age of 6 months and every 6 weeks for a year after that.

Hi Alia...we go to CHOP in Philly..its based on her weight and current count which after 3 weeks ranges from 9.6-10.3. We always ask about the blood and they say its mostly new.

Aria..where do you go and what is your daughters count when you transfuse at 6 weeks?