X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parenting & Play by Friso
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-schooler
    • Kids
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • Money Parenting
    • Tips for Parents
    • Tips for Toddlers
    • Tips for Older Kids
    • The 5 Personas
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

G6PD Deficiency in Children: What Every Parent Should Know About

4 min read
G6PD Deficiency in Children: What Every Parent Should Know AboutG6PD Deficiency in Children: What Every Parent Should Know About

Should you be worried if your baby has been diagnosed with G6PD deficiency?

Has your baby been diagnosed with G6PD deficiency? Here’s what you should know about it.

In this article, you’ll read:

  • How does G6PD affect your child’s life?
  • Symptoms of G6PD in children
  • Is there a way to prevent G6PD?

Have you heard of Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, or G6PD deficiency? It is the most common enzyme deficiency in humans, affecting 400 million people worldwide. Further, it is a genetic condition and almost always affects males of Asian, African or Middle Eastern backgrounds. 

G6PD Deficiency: What you should know

What is G6PD Deficiency? 

G6PD is an enzyme (protein) in the body that assists the function of red blood cells. G6PD deficiency is when there is not enough G6PD enzyme in the body. It is a hereditary condition which means that children born with it had it passed down from one or both of the parents. It occurs because of a mutation to the X chromosome. 

What exactly does G6PD do? 

In particular, G6PD is the enzyme responsible for keeping red blood cells healthy and functioning well, so that they can live a normal “lifespan”. However, without adequate G6PD in the body, red blood cell function weakens, and they can “die” prematurely. 

When red blood cells break down early like this, it is known as hemolysis. And when this happens persistently, it can result in a condition known as hemolytic anemia.

What is hemolytic anemia? 

The body works constantly to regenerate red blood cells, and by now you know that one of the main functions of G6PD is to assist with this.

Hemolytic anemia develops when red blood cells die faster than the body can replace them. Following this, there is less oxygen flow around the body. 

Things that can trigger hemolytic anemia in children with G6PD deficiency are: 

  • Certain bacterial and viral infections 
  • Aspirin
  • Some pain and fever relieving medications in the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) category 
  • Antimalarial drugs 
  • Sulfonamides, used to treat various infections
  • Fava beans (broad beans) 
  • Naphthalene, which is found in mothballs
g6pd deficiency

Jaundice in newborns could indicate g6pd deficiency. Phototherapy is often used to treat jaundice.

Signs and Symptoms of G6PD deficiency

Most children with G6PD deficiency won’t show any signs of it. But, symptoms can be triggered by the medications and foods mentioned above. 

These include: 

  • Dark-coloured urine 
  • Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and whites of eyes
  • Fever
  • Paleness 
  • Dizzyness
  • Extreme tiredness
  • Rapid heartbeat 
  • Shortness of breath
  • An enlarged spleen

The good news is that symptoms will generally go away as the red blood cells renew themselves.

How is G6PD diagnosed?

G6PD deficiency in a child generally isn’t diagnosed until symptoms emerge. When they do, doctors will confirm the diagnosis through a simple blood test. Other tests that may be conducted to measure the number of red blood cells in the body are a serum haemoglobin test, a reticulocyte count and a complete blood count. 

If a newborn baby has jaundice that is not improving, then a G6PD test might be conducted to rule out a deficiency of the enzyme. This could any one, or a combination, of the blood tests mentioned above.

G6PD deficiency

A G6PD deficiency diagnosis in your baby needn’t stress you out. As you now know, it can be managed efficiently.

Treatment and prevention of G6PD deficiency

Mums and dads, familiarise yourself with the list of triggers we mentioned above. This is because treatment and prevention of G6PD deficiency are as simple as eliminating these medications and foods from your child’s life. 

However, if a child has severe anaemia, then he may need a stay in hospital to receive fluids and oxygen, as well as a blood transfusion. It is highly likely he will have to stay in the hospital until he has fully recovered. 

Also, if your newborn is confirmed to have G6PD deficiency (indicated through jaundice), the treatment will likely involve phototherapy to lower the amount of bilirubin in the blood.

Too much bilirubin — caused by the destruction of the red blood cells —  is what causes newborn jaundice. Phototherapy will help break down this bilirubin in the blood. 

Mums, you should avoid eating fava beans for as long as you breastfeed your child, and avoid taking the medications mentioned previously, that act as triggers for hemolytic anaemia. 

In summary, parents, G6PD deficiency is not a condition to panic too much about. You just need to prevent its triggers and be in regular discussion with your child’s paediatrician over any concerns about the condition. 

Partner Stories
Healthy Weaning For Babies101: How To Get Started On Solids At Around 6 Months
Healthy Weaning For Babies101: How To Get Started On Solids At Around 6 Months
Baby Eczema: Is Moisturising Doing More Harm Than Good?
Baby Eczema: Is Moisturising Doing More Harm Than Good?
11 Baby-Friendly Malls in Singapore
11 Baby-Friendly Malls in Singapore
Here’s Why Your Child’s Gut Health is Important
Here’s Why Your Child’s Gut Health is Important

For more information on how you can choose a healthy lifestyle for your baby and the whole family, visit https://babypass.health/

Genetics Home Reference, Medscape, National University Hospital Singapore

ALSO READ:

6 Things To Avoid If Your Child Has G6PD Deficiency

Here’s What Happens To Your Body When It Doesn’t Get Adequate Nutrition

6 foods that are likely to give your kids an allergic reaction

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Nalika Unantenne

  • Home
  • /
  • Baby Health
  • /
  • G6PD Deficiency in Children: What Every Parent Should Know About
Share:
  • 6 Things To Avoid If Your Child Has G6PD Deficiency

    6 Things To Avoid If Your Child Has G6PD Deficiency

  • Babies Are Getting Bigger in Singapore - And It’s Not Always Good!

    Babies Are Getting Bigger in Singapore - And It’s Not Always Good!

  • Why it's getting harder to keep baby safe in this world

    Why it's getting harder to keep baby safe in this world

  • "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

    "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

app info
get app banner
  • 6 Things To Avoid If Your Child Has G6PD Deficiency

    6 Things To Avoid If Your Child Has G6PD Deficiency

  • Babies Are Getting Bigger in Singapore - And It’s Not Always Good!

    Babies Are Getting Bigger in Singapore - And It’s Not Always Good!

  • Why it's getting harder to keep baby safe in this world

    Why it's getting harder to keep baby safe in this world

  • "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

    "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2022. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.