Some kids with G6PD deficiency can tolerate the medications in small amounts; others cannot take them at all. Check with your doctor for more specific instructions, as well as a complete list of medications that could pose a problem for a child with G6PD deficiency.

Other substances can be harmful to kids with this condition when consumed — or even touched — such as fava beans and naphthalene (a chemical found in mothballs and moth crystals). Mothballs can be particularly harmful if a child accidentally swallows one, so ANY contact should be avoided.

Symptoms of G6PD Deficiency

A child with G6PD deficiency who is exposed to a medication or infection that triggers the destruction of RBCs may have no symptoms at all. In more serious cases, a child may exhibit symptoms of anemia (also known as a hemolytic crisis), including:

• paleness (in darker-skinned children paleness is sometimes best seen in the mouth, especially on the lips or tongue)
• extreme tiredness
• rapid heartbeat
• rapid breathing or shortness of breath
• jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes, particularly in newborns
• an enlarged spleen
• dark, tea-colored urine

Once the trigger is removed or resolved, the symptoms of G6PD deficiency usually disappear fairly quickly, typically within a few weeks.

If symptoms are mild, no medical treatment is usually needed. As the body naturally makes new red blood cells, the anemia will improve. If symptoms are more severe, a child may need to be hospitalized for supportive medical care.

Diagnosing and Treating G6PD Deficiency

In most cases, cases of G6PD deficiency go undiagnosed until a child develops symptoms. If doctors suspect G6PD deficiency, blood tests usually are done to confirm the diagnosis and to rule out other possible causes of the anemia.

If you feel that your child may be at risk because of either a family history or your ethnic background, talk to your doctor about performing a screening with blood tests to check for G6PD deficiency.

Treating the symptoms associated with G6PD deficiency is usually as simple as removing the trigger — that is, treating the illness or infection or stopping the use of a certain drug. However, a child with severe anemia may require treatment in the hospital to receive oxygen, fluids, and, if needed, a transfusion of healthy blood cells. In rare cases, the deficiency can lead to other more serious health problems.

Caring for Your Child

The best way to care for a child with G6PD deficiency is to limit exposure to the triggers of its symptoms. With the proper precautions, G6PD deficiency should not keep your child from living a healthy, active life.