A 3-year-old child presents with worsening anemia, jaundice, and poor growth. On examination, pallor and an enlarged spleen are noted. The peripheral blood smear reveals normoblasts and small, densely stained round red blood cells. What is the most probable diagnosis?

Explanation

The clinical features of anemia, jaundice, splenomegaly, and the presence of small, densely stained spherical red cells (spherocytes) on the peripheral smear strongly suggest hereditary spherocytosis. This condition causes hemolytic anemia due to defects in red cell membrane proteins leading to spherocyte formation.