<prompt> Please answer with one of the option in the bracket. Write reasoning in between . Write answer in between .Q:A 7-month old boy, born to immigrant parents from Greece, presents to the hospital with pallor and abdominal distention. His parents note that they recently moved into an old apartment building and have been concerned about their sons exposure to chipped paint from the walls. On physical exam, the patient is found to have hepatosplenomegaly and frontal skull bossing. Hemoglobin electrophoresis reveals markedly increased HbF and HbA2 levels. What would be the most likely findings on a peripheral blood smear?? A: Basophilic stippling of erythrocytes, B: Macrocytosis of erythrocytes with hypersegmented neutrophils, C: Microcytosis and hypochromasia of erythrocytes, D: Schistocytes and normocytic erythrocytes, E: Sickling of erythrocytes,  <response>: This is a clinical vignette describing a 7-month old boy with pallor, abdominal distention, hepatosplenomegaly, frontal skull bossing, and abnormal hemoglobin electrophoresis findings. The history of recent move to an old apartment building with chipped paint raises suspicion for lead toxicity. The physical exam and lab findings are consistent with thalassemia, likely beta-thalassemia major given the severity of anemia at this young age. The question asks about expected peripheral blood smear findings in this patient. Basophilic stippling can be seen with lead toxicity but is not a feature of thalassemia. The other answer choices describe findings consistent with other hemolytic anemias but not beta-thalassemia major. In beta-thalassemia major, the most common peripheral blood smear findings are microcytosis and hypochromasia reflecting the reduced production of beta-globin chains.C: Microcytosis and hypochromasia of erythrocytes 