Overview
Aplastic anemia isn’t just one disease but a group of disorders caused when the bone marrow stops producing red and white blood cells and platelets. Anemia itself occurs when one’s red blood cell count is low making the body feel fatigued because it isn’t getting all of the oxygen it needs.
In aplastic anemia, when the bone marrow stops producing new blood cells there is not only a deficit of red blood cells but also of white blood cells and platelets. White blood cells fight germs and platelets help blood clot. Without these, the body is at risk for infection and uncontrolled bleeding.
The medical team at Seattle Children’s, an SCCA parent organization, has a long history of successfully caring for children with aplastic anemia.
Children's blood disorders program brings together experts from more than 20 subspecialties to provide diagnostic services and treatments, including the very latest options. The team of pediatric hematologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, child life specialists, and chaplains partner with you to provide expert, family-centered care and compassionate support. We help you understand your child's health and treatment options because you, your child, and your family are an important part of the care team.
If your child needs a bone-marrow transplant, SCCA is the best place for it. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center pioneered the use of bone-marrow transplants as a treatment for leukemia over 40 years ago. In addition, the Fred Hutchinson Transplant Program at SCCA was ranked First in Outcomes in a four-year study by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) that measured one-year survival rates of patients among 119 transplant centers in the United States. 1
