CBC helps assess the overall condition of the body. The study is used to identify and indirect signs of some pathologies. If lowered white blood cells in the blood of a child, a pediatrician appoint detailed examination and treatment, helping to restore the number of white blood cells.
How to determine the deviation
At low white blood cells in a child may appear some symptoms that should not be ignored. Confirm the assumption help laboratory research methods.
symptoms
Syndrome, which is detected at a reduced content of leukocytes in the blood, called leukopenia. The pathological process may have the following form:
- Acute (accompanied by a sharp deterioration in the composition of blood, and severe symptoms);
- Chronic (decline is gradual, specific signs often are absent);
- recurrent (characterized by undulating course in which exacerbations are replaced by a temporary improvement).
During the chronic leukopenia following symptoms:
- splenomegaly;
- resizing and painful lymph nodes;
- lethargy, apathy, low physical activity (the child lost interest in mobile games, he begins to sleep more);
- headache;
- increase in body temperature.
The acute form of disease characterized by dysfunction of the immune system caused by an infectious disease. In this case, you experience the following symptoms:
- febrile syndrome (fever, chills, aching muscles and joints);
- headache;
- nasal and gingival bleeding;
- increased heart rate;
- body mass reduction
- change in voice tone.
If leukocytes are lowered as a result of administration of chemotherapeutic drugs develop bleeding complications (bruising, bleeding) and febrile syndrome. Skin pale, the child begins to get tired quickly.
analyzes
To identify children leukopenia conducted detailed analyzes of blood, implying the count of each type of blood cells within the leukocyte formula. If leukocyte index below normal, appoint additional diagnostic procedures:
- Biochemical analysis of blood (helps identify irregularities in the internal organs);
- immunogram (implies the study of the immune system);
- Immunoassay Blood analysis (aimed at the detection of antibodies to pathogens of viral infections).
Why do white blood cells dropped
Reduced white blood cell count in children can occur in various pathological conditions. The main reasons are considered to infection, chronic diseases of internal organs, dysfunction of the immune system.
autoimmune diseases
Decreased white blood cell count observed in autoimmune pathologies. This means that the immune system produces antibodies, exciting and destroying blood cells. Disease characterized by the chronic nature of the flow in which the remission replaced exacerbations. For autoimmune disorders include:
- systemic lupus erythematosus;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- scleroderma.
The exact causes of failures in the immune system is not defined. In children, diseases are rare, their first symptoms usually appear in adolescence or adulthood.
endocrine disorders
Decreased white blood cell count in a child indicate malfunction of the endocrine glands.
Leukopenia detected hypothyroidism or diabetes.
In such cases, thyroid or pancreas produces insufficient amounts of hormones necessary for normal functioning of the immune system.
Drugs and toxic poisoning
Low level of white blood cells in the blood of the child sometimes means that as a result of improper use of drugs developed poisoning. Most often this occurs when taking antiviral drugs, violating hematopoiesis. Can cause intoxication and certain other drugs:
- anesthetics;
- barbiturates;
- antiparkinsonian agents;
- sulfonamides.
Intoxication, in which case low white blood cell countIt can be recognized by the presence of these signs:
- muscle weakness;
- loss of appetite;
- nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea;
- seizures.
congenital disease
Such diseases are inherited or are the result of fetal infection. Congenital immunodeficiency accompanied by a gradual reduction in the number of white blood cells, due to which the body eventually ceases to cope with infections. Often there is change in the number of other blood cells.
Kostmana disease
Congenital accompanied by a steady decline in the number of neutrophils, which are a kind of leukocytes. Total number of white blood cells does not change due to the accelerated maturation of other cells that perform their own functions. The main symptom of the disease in a child during an exacerbation is the frequent occurrence of infections of the skin and mucous membranes. In most cases, Kostmana disease has a poor prognosis.
cyclic neutropenia
Pathology has a favorable prognosis. Cyclic neutropenia affects not only children but also adults. The disease has an undulating course: exacerbation alternate with improvements in which the number of leukocytes in the blood to normal. Due to the reduction of neutrophil-being of the child is getting worse. Weakening the body's defenses gives rise to intestinal, skin and respiratory infections.
Shvahmana syndrome
Shvahmana Syndrome is a genetic disease in which the pancreas violated. In the body of the patient following changes occur:
- reducing the number of produced enzymes and hormones;
- inhibition of bone marrow hematopoiesis.
The first symptoms appear within six months after birth, when they begin to introduce solid foods into the child's diet. There is a stool softener, delayed physical and mental development.
familial neutropenia
Reduced the total number of neutrophils may in familial neutropenia. Symptoms of the disease are similar to symptoms Kostmana syndrome. However, the prognosis is more favorable at hereditary neutropenia.
The symptoms may be absent, in this case the problem is detected during the total blood analysis.
If neutrophils are highly underestimated, respiratory infections take a chronic course.
other causes
Other reasons for reducing the number of white blood cells include:
- oncologic pathology (during the illness actively dividing abnormal cells invade the bone marrow and destroying tissue, producing white blood cells);
- viral and bacterial infections;
- severe injury (in this case, leukocytes are accumulated in the affected areas, due to which the number of cells in a sample taken away for analysis becomes less than normal);
- HIV infection.
How to treat
If white blood cells decreased slightly, to restore the blood sample with vitamins, folk remedies and nutrition. In marked deviation from the norm values ​​prescribed drugs:
- immunostimulants (Viferon);
- stimulants hematopoiesis (filgrastim);
- immunomodulators of bacterial or fungal origin (Bronhomunal, Likopid);
- interleukins (Roncoleukin);
- immunostimulants (Timalin, Myelopid);
- bracing means based on plant extracts (Immunal).
If lowering of white blood cells caused by vitamin deficiency, you need to enter the B vitamins and adjust the diet. In diabetes appointed hypoglycemic agents and insulin (if necessary). HIV-infected children is a lifelong ARV therapy that reduces the burden on the immune system. The auxiliary means of treatment of leukopenia include:
- Broth hips. To prepare the tool 50 g of fruit was placed in a thermos bottle and pour 1 cup of hot water. After 24 hours, filter the broth and give the child instead of tea. In the absence of allergic reactions in the broth is added 1 h. l. honey.
- Aloe juice. Leaves are cut into thin strips and mixed with honey in a ratio of 1: 1. The composition is left in the dark for 24 hours. 1 tbsp. l. released liquid diluted 1 cup of water, the solution was allowed child to 1 h. l.
Apply folk remedies without the permission of a doctor can not.
