Anaemia is a haemoglobin concentration below the normal range for the age of the child. Children with anaemia also have a low packed cell volume. The haemoglobin concentration (Hb) normally falls for the first 3 months of life and then rises again at puberty. The normal Hb in children is about 11 g/dl with a lower limit of 9 g/dl. Children with a Hb below 9 g/dl are therefore anaemic.

Anaemia is not a disease but the result of many nutritional and medical problems. Iron deficiency is not the only cause of anaemia.