A complete blood count on a 12-month-old infant reveals microcytic, hypochromic anemia with a hemoglobin of 9.5 g/dL. The infant has mild pallor with no hepatosplenomegaly. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner suspects what disorder?

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The microcytic, hypochromic anemia with normal-sized red blood cells and mild pallor are consistent with iron-deficiency anemia, which is the most common type of anemia seen in infants and young children due to inadequate dietary iron intake or loss of iron through blood loss. Hereditary spherocytosis would have a normal mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and normal hemoglobin. Lead intoxication and sickle-cell anemia may have anemia but would present with other symptoms and signs such as abdominal pain, jaundice, bone pain, and organomegaly.

A Complete Blood Count on a 12-Month-Old Infant Reveals Microcytic