There are several different components of the blood that can be transfused into a child. Red blood cells are the most common type of blood product transfusion.
Human blood is made of a fluid called plasma that carries red and white blood cells and platelets .
Each part of blood has special functions and can be separated from each other. The bone marrow is the spongy material in the center of the bones that produces about 95 percent of the body's blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to other body organs and carry carbon dioxide back to the lungs. A certain number of these cells are needed for the body to function. Bleeding due to trauma, surgery, or disease may cause a low red blood cell count.