Paediatricsmiddle twist
A 9-week-old boy has a full blood count taken when an intravenous cannula is inserted before an inguinal hernia repair. He was born at 39 weeks weighing 3300 g, is exclusively breastfed, and his weight is tracking along the 50th centile. He is pink, is not jaundiced, and has no hepatosplenomegaly. Results: haemoglobin 102 g/L, mean cell volume 94 fL, reticulocytes 0.6 per cent, white cell count 9.8 x 10^9/L with a lymphocyte predominance, platelets 372 x 10^9/L. Which one of the following best accounts for the haemoglobin?