From time to time, parents have to deal with such situations when the pediatrician prescribes their child to undergo. Most often this happens during preventive examinations before sending the child to kindergarten or school. There are times when a clinical analysis shows that the platelets in the child’s blood are elevated.

The platelet level in laboratory tests reflects the functional state of the system responsible for the course of blood coagulation processes. And when it turns out that, the first question parents have is what does this mean?

A disorder in which platelet levels increase is called thrombocytosis. It usually develops in adulthood, but children are not one hundred percent protected from it.

The danger of this condition lies in the threat, which, in turn, can lead to blockage of the lumen of blood vessels - thromboembolism. If an embolus (thrombus) closes the lumen of a major vessel (for example, the pulmonary artery), this will lead to instant death.

It is almost impossible to suspect the development of thrombocytosis, since there are no specific symptoms. The child may complain of a headache, experience general weakness, and may develop swelling in the lower extremities. But these signs can be observed in many less threatening cases. Changes in platelet concentration can only be diagnosed using laboratory methods.

The reasons for an increase in platelets in a child’s blood are numerous and varied:

• In case of congenital as well as acquired pathologies of the circulatory system (autoimmune diseases, oncological processes, etc.), experts note the development of primary thrombocytosis.
• If the concentration of platelets in a child increases against the background of ongoing infectious processes in various organs and systems, we are talking about secondary thrombocytosis. It is considered as an additional factor in the body’s defense mechanisms, aimed at quickly eliminating the infectious focus. Secondary thrombocytosis is also characterized by simultaneous thrombocytosis.

Norm

In infants, 150 – 400*109/l. If the analysis shows an increase in platelets in the blood of a 3-month-old child above the upper limit, parents do not need to panic right away. It is better to let your pediatrician understand the reasons for this phenomenon. For many children this age, deviations from normal platelet counts are minor and completely normal.

Reasons for deviation from the norm

Immediately after the birth of the child, according to established protocols that guide all pediatricians in their work, the baby is given a urine test. Over the next year of life, this examination is carried out several more times (without additional indications when the child reaches three and six months of age).

You should not immediately sound the alarm if platelets in the blood of a 6-month-old child are elevated. An explanation for this may be a banal increase in the baby’s physical activity, who by this time is already able to independently change body position, actively roll over and attempt to sit up.

Many children begin teething at the age of six months, which can also cause changes in clinical indicators. In addition, an increase in platelet levels in children can provoke. In this case, the situation is corrected after the parents increase the amount of liquid the child drinks, which helps thin the blood.

Preschool age

When the child turns three years old, most mothers return from maternity leave to work and the need arises to register the child in kindergarten. In addition to a preventive examination by a number of specialists, the pediatrician also prescribes the child’s urine for clinical examination.

The reason why platelets are elevated in the blood of a 3-year-old child could be a very active lifestyle or hyperactivity. If a child drinks little liquid during the day (thin soups do not count), this can lead to thickening of the blood and an increase in the content of blood platelets. Taking certain medications can also trigger the development of mild thrombocytosis.

In addition, non-compliance with recommendations before donating blood can affect the results of the examination. A blood test for platelets is taken in the morning on an empty stomach; the last meal should be no later than six o'clock in the evening of the previous day. Also, a couple of days before the examination, it is necessary to exclude too fatty and fried foods from the usual menu.

You should not lose sight of the fact that after an illness suffered in the recent past, the child also has increased platelets in his blood. This also applies to surgical treatment methods. The pediatrician takes all these factors into account when he begins to interpret the examination results. If the results of laboratory tests do not correspond to the norm, the doctor will definitely prescribe further examination.

Diagnostic results

If platelets in a child’s blood are elevated for 3 months or more, and this is confirmed by systematic laboratory examinations, then one can already assume the worst and suspect:

• (particularly caused by iron or vitamin B12 deficiency);
• autoimmune system diseases;
• oncological damage to the circulatory system;
• infections of various origins (meningitis, hepatitis, tuberculosis).

To differentiate the reasons for the development of thrombocytosis in a child, specialists, in addition to repeated examination, will prescribe a blood test for C-reactive protein, and also conduct an ultrasound examination of all organ systems to identify a possible source of inflammation.

Significant deviations in laboratory tests require specialized examination and treatment of the child in a hospital setting. If fluctuations in platelet concentration are insignificant and no concomitant diseases are identified, there is no need for drug therapy. Ways to lower platelets in the blood.

Normalization of platelet levels can be achieved by adhering to the following recommendations, of course, after prior agreement with your doctor, nutrition to normalize platelet levels in the blood:

• The volume of liquid consumed daily by the child must be increased, with emphasis placed on berry juices, tea, and carbonated drinks should be strictly excluded from consumption.
• Increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet.
• Eliminate foods from your diet that can trigger the activation of blood clotting processes (walnuts, pomegranates, bananas).
• Exclude spicy, fatty and smoked dishes from the menu.
• If possible, temporarily adhere to a vegetarian diet. The only exception is dairy products.
• Be wary of the use of medications. Some groups of medications contribute to blood thickening, so taking any medication should be discussed with your pediatrician before giving it to your child.

Platelets are involved in the processes of blood clotting and restoration of damaged areas of the wall of blood vessels. Under certain conditions and pathologies, the level of platelets in the blood of children changes.

The role of platelets in the body

Platelets (blood platelets) are small fragments (2-4 microns) separated from large megakaryocyte cells. The term “blood platelets” (Thrombocyte Counts, PLT) was first introduced by Bizzocero (1881), therefore, they are also called Bizzocero’s plaques.

Megakaryocytes are formed in the red bone marrow from a pluripotent cell (common to all blood cells). The platelet separated from the megakaryocyte is helped to maintain its shape by microtubules, which are located along the perimeter. From the red bone marrow, platelets enter the blood, where their number is 65-75%, the remaining 25-35% are deposited in the spleen.

The platelet contains granules and vesicles, from which blood clotting factors and activators of vascular wall cell regeneration are released. In case of damage to cells of various body tissues, growth factors (platelets, epithelium, vascular endothelium, etc.) are released from blood cells, stimulating the restoration of damaged cells and their division.

Collagen, thrombin (blood plasma clotting factor), ADP (adenosine diphosphate) and thromboxane A2 (stimulates contraction of the lumen of the vessel) are platelet activators.

Also, when they are activated, blood clotting factors (proteins), the biogenic amine serotonin, calcium, ADP, fibrinogen, the enzyme peroxidase, etc. are released from the granules.

Platelets can transport immune complexes that attach to the membrane and support the contraction of the vascular wall with the help of serotonin.

When activated, the shape of the cells becomes spherical, and thin processes (pseudopodia) are formed on their surface, which play a role in the formation and contraction of the blood clot formed during the process of blood clotting.

These processes help connect blood platelets to each other into complexes that attach to damaged areas of the blood vessel, this is called adhesion.

Platelets function in the blood for 7 to 10 days, after which they are destroyed and their fragments are absorbed by phagocytes (). The number of platelets in the blood may change throughout the day, but normally these changes should not exceed 10%.

Platelets

Normal platelet content in the blood of children

Their amount in the blood of children depends on age. The norm of platelets in the blood of children is presented in the table.

Table - Platelets: normal in children of different ages

A general blood test allows you to determine the number of platelets; healthy children are recommended to do it once a year. If there is a blood clotting disorder or bone marrow pathology, the test should be carried out several times a year on the recommendation of a doctor.

When the physiological state of the child’s body changes or due to pathology, the number of blood cells in children may change.

Increase in platelets in the blood

If their amount in a child’s blood is higher than the norm corresponding to his age, this is called thrombocytosis. Thrombocytosis can be primary and secondary.

• Primary. It is the result of disturbances in processes in bone marrow cells, so the number of platelets in the blood increases. The increase in their number is caused by the increased division of their parent cell due to its tumor degeneration. Its second name is essential thrombocythemia, which occurs in diseases:
  • erythremia;
  • myeloid leukemia;
  • lymphoma;
  • lymphogranulomatosis.
• Secondary. It occurs when the formation of thrombopoietin, which is an activator of mitosis (cell division) and maturation (transformation into a full-fledged cell) of the megakaryocyte, increases. Elevated platelet levels can occur in conditions such as:
  • trauma, surgery;
  • infections;
  • inflammation;
  • osteomyelitis;
  • tuberculosis;
  • splenectomy;
  • prolonged bleeding;
  • iron deficiency (anemia);
  • corticosteroid therapy (cortisol);
  • kidney pathology;
  • autoimmune diseases;
  • increased breakdown of red blood cells (hemolysis).

During the period of rapid development of the child’s body, physiological changes occur and stressful situations may arise that contribute to the appearance of thrombocytosis. When their level is high in the blood vessels, there is a threat of thrombus formation (pathological blood clots).

Low platelet count

If a blood test shows that their number is below the norm corresponding to his age, this indicates thrombocytopenia. The level of blood cells in newborns up to 10 days should not be lower than 100 × 10 9 / l. The norm of platelets in children under one year of age should be higher than 150 × 10 9 / l, and in children over one year of age, their number should not be less than the lower limit of the norm for the child’s age.

Some causes of thrombocytopenia in newborns

A decrease in the number of blood cells in children can occur with the following body conditions and diseases:

• anemia (aplastic or megaloblastic);
• hereditary thrombocytopenia (Fanconi syndrome);
• leukemia;
• rickettsiosis;
• malaria;
• toxoplasmosis;
• DIC syndrome;
• Werlhof's disease;
• allergy;
• hyperthyroidism (pathology of the thyroid gland);
• folic acid hypovitaminosis;
• prolonged bleeding.

A low platelet level in children is quite common, since the child’s body has increased sensitivity to many unfavorable factors. Thrombocytopenia is observed in 60% of those born with very low birth weight, asphyxia, (for example, the formation of antibodies to platelets).

Thrombocytopenia in newborns and children of the first year of life

Quite often, changes in the normal level of platelets in children under one year of age towards a decrease manifests itself in an acute form. Their number in the blood decreases without changing their quantity or against the background of a slight increase in their production in the red bone marrow.

The child may have hemorrhages on the skin, mucous membranes, and internal organs. Most cases are associated with a previous infectious disease (rubella, measles).

In children under one year of age, acute thrombocytopenia is treated only in an inpatient setting.

Less commonly, the cause of thrombocytopenia is the mother's antibodies against the child's platelets. The consequence of this is their increased decay. If a child has bleeding that may threaten his life, in such cases a blood or platelet transfusion is prescribed.

Thrombocytopenia is dangerous and can contribute to bleeding of the child’s internal organs or large blood loss after serious injuries, which can lead to an unfavorable outcome. In addition to a blood test, the doctor may prescribe a coagulogram in order to assess the state of the blood coagulation system, as well as other additional research methods.

One of the main symptoms of low red cell levels in a child is an increase in bleeding time with minor tissue damage. It is also necessary to be attentive to frequent nosebleeds or the appearance of bruises (hematomas) on the child’s body.

If a child has an increased or decreased number of platelets in the blood, then in addition to the treatment prescribed by the doctor, it is necessary, on his recommendation or independently, to correct the patient’s daily diet.

For thrombocytopenia

To do this, you need to know which foods help increase the number of blood cells, and which, on the contrary, need to be excluded from the diet. For thrombocytopenia, products that increase platelet formation are recommended:

With low blood clotting, patients should not take:

• cucumbers;
• seaweed;
• cranberries;
• red grapes.

For thrombocytosis

For mild thrombocytosis, eating right can lower the cell count without medication. Healthy foods recommended for thrombocytosis:

Products prohibited for thrombocytosis:

• bananas;
• mango;
• dog-rose fruit;
• nuts;
• chokeberry fruits;
• pomegranate;
• lentils.

Thus, the normal level of platelets in a child’s blood allows his body to withstand the adverse effects of the environment.

Conclusion

In a healthy child, there is a balance in the body between the formation of platelets in the bone marrow and their destruction in the bloodstream. When it is violated, pathologies of increased bleeding or increased platelet formation occur.

Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the level of blood platelets in a healthy child in order to protect him from excessive blood loss in the event of tissue injury.

If symptoms characteristic of thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis appear, you must do a blood test and contact your pediatrician, who can make a diagnosis, prescribe appropriate treatment, or refer you for a consultation with a hematologist.

Print

The child’s health is monitored through doctor’s examinations and tests. Blood and the results of its examination can say a lot about the condition of a small person’s body, so testing is prescribed regularly and every time you visit a doctor. An increase or decrease in the number of platelets in the blood is an alarming signal, the features of which are important for every parent to know.

The role of platelets in the child’s body and their normal indicators

Colorless blood cells that participate in the process of blood clotting and are born in the human bone marrow are called platelets. By their number in the child’s analysis results, one can judge the state of health and the strength of the immune system. An important function of platelets is the ability to restore the walls of blood vessels, so their role and normal quantity in the body is difficult to overestimate.

Herbs that strengthen the walls of blood vessels and cleanse the blood:

The red blood cell count is measured based on their number in one liter of blood. For an adult, the norm is 5 * 1012 / l. At birth in a child, it is higher than this value, during the first year of life it will gradually decrease, and then it will increase again and settle at the normal value of an adult.

Table: analysis norm indicators for children

An increase or decrease in the number of platelets in a child’s blood may be a sign of individual characteristics of the body, but within specific limits. To identify a normal situation and prevent the occurrence of pathology, the doctor prescribes additional tests.

Elevated platelet levels: causes and methods of normalization

A condition in which the number of platelets in a child’s body increases is called. Pathology can occur for various reasons, the main ones being:

• infectious diseases, ARVI;
• inflammatory processes in the body, including pneumonia;
• destruction of bone marrow cells, which can lead to blood cancer;
• postoperative period, recovery of the body after surgery;
• hepatitis;
• tuberculosis and some other common diseases.

The active and rapid development of a child in the first 7 years of life provokes stress in the body and can affect the increase in platelet levels. In some cases, such a process may be considered normal, but requires regular monitoring. Doctors call this condition primary thrombocytosis.

The development of pathology can lead to secondary thrombocytosis, when the risk of thrombus formation in the blood vessels increases. The problem cannot be ignored; a timely visit to a doctor to determine the causes of the disorder will allow one to identify the optimal method for eliminating them.

Methods to lower platelet levels

If there is a slight increase in the number of platelets in a child’s blood, when the situation is under the control of a doctor and does not pose a danger, their level can be lowered by correcting the diet. There are foods that can provoke increased formation of blood cells, and there are those that will help reduce it. Therefore, when feeding a child, you should adhere to the following rules:

1. Limit consumption of smoked, fatty and spicy foods.
2. Increase the amount of apples, blueberries, cranberries and oranges.
3. Drink at least 2 liters of water per day. You can add rosehip infusions and green tea.
4. Reduce the amount of carbon consumed by replacing them with fermented milk products.

Photo gallery: useful products for restoring blood test norms

Traditional medicine recipes to lower platelet levels

Traditional medicine knows many recipes and methods that can help lower the number of platelets in a child’s blood at home. However, folk remedies must be agreed upon with the attending physician.

The most common recipes are:

1. Unsweetened cocoa. One glass in the morning every day for two weeks. Cocoa beans contain flavonoids, which have long been known for their beneficial effects on blood health.
2. Tea with ginger, the root of which contains organic acids and antioxidants. For 10 days, drink several cups in the morning with the addition of a small amount of sugar.
3. Rose hip decoction. For 500 ml of water you need to take 2-3 tablespoons of berries, pour boiling water and leave for several hours. Take the decoction on an empty stomach 1-2 times a day.
4. In the morning before breakfast, take 1 tsp. olive or flaxseed oil.

Reduced level in analysis results: reasons and methods of normalization

A pathology in which the number of platelets in a child’s body is reduced is called thrombocytopenia. The causes of such a violation may be:

• anemia or low hemoglobin levels;
• decreased blood clotting;
• lack of iron in the child’s body;
• past illnesses and taking certain medications;
• malaria;
• heart failure.

Any of the above reasons is a serious cause for concern and requires immediate medical attention.

Sometimes thrombocytopenia is diagnosed in premature babies or those who have undergone a complicated birth. This situation often entails a number of other problems in the child’s health, but after complex therapy and a recovery period, the newborn’s condition stabilizes. A mandatory element of treatment is the administration of immunoglobulin, after which tests show normal values.

If thrombocytopenia is diagnosed in a child under one year of age, treatment is carried out in a day hospital under the constant supervision of medical personnel. To determine what exactly provokes a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood, additional examinations are prescribed.

Video: reasons for low platelet levels

How to increase platelet levels in children?

A low platelet count can be normalized only by eliminating the general disease and treating the pathology that caused the problem. This is often a long process that includes medications and therapeutic treatments. In parallel with this, doctors recommend that the child adhere to dietary restrictions in the diet, which includes the following rules:

1. The best foods to increase platelet levels are nuts, greens, nettles and rowan berries.
2. Children are advised to increase their consumption of buckwheat porridge and liver.
3. Sea fish and beef have beneficial properties.
4. Among vegetables, cabbage, beets and carrots have the greatest benefits, and among fruits - bananas, apples and pomegranates.

Folk remedies to increase platelet levels

Traditional medicine comes to the rescue in many situations, and home remedies and recipes promote recovery. But if the level of platelets in the child’s blood is low, folk remedies can only be used as auxiliary methods in parallel with the main therapy.

For example, you can use the following recipes:

1. In the morning on an empty stomach, take 1 tsp. sesame oil.
2. A mixture of nettle juice and milk, which must be taken in equal quantities.

These methods should also be agreed with your doctor.

Analysis results taking into account several indicators

If there are any disorders in the child’s body, test results rarely show a deviation from the norm of any one value. Often indicators are interrelated and change in parallel. Depending on which values ​​are increased or decreased, doctors draw certain conclusions about the state of health.

A simultaneous increase in the norm of red blood cells and platelets is observed in children after intoxication or with severe dehydration, for example, with elevated temperature and sweating, or with poisoning with frequent vomiting. This condition can continue for a long time, causing increased blood viscosity.

A parallel increase in the number of leukocytes and platelets indicates a severe weakening of children's immunity, which may be a consequence of a previous infectious disease or a symptom of an inflammatory process.

If monocytes and platelets are elevated, most likely there is a disease of viral or fungal origin in the body.

Any deviations in one or more indicators in the results of blood tests require consultation with a doctor. Identifying the cause will allow you to respond to changes in time and stabilize the child’s condition.

Hello again to everyone who visited my blog! I am glad to both regular readers and newcomers - everyone who is interested in the topic of development, education and health of our children! Today, my dears, I want to talk to you about a very serious topic, which can hardly be divided into safe and dangerous components, as has often happened before. I often tell you that you shouldn’t panic for any reason or without. Now I encourage you to do the same: keep a cool head, which will help you react adequately to what is happening, make the right decisions and not lose your “orientation in space.” After all, today we will talk about a symptom that is almost always alarming (or even dangerous). Let's discuss the reasons why platelets may be elevated in a baby.

To begin with, of course, you need to know approximate guidelines in order to understand for sure when the indicators have already “overflowed their banks.”

• — for a newborn baby, the presence in the blood of 100 to 420 thousand platelets per cubic millimeter is considered normal;
• - in the period from 10 days to one year of age this is already 150-350 thousand;
• - after a year (now until the end of life) - 180-320 thousand.

Therefore, if your baby, for example, at 3 months is found to have a newborn normal, we can safely talk about such a deviation as thrombocytosis. It arises, in simple words, “in different ways”:

1. - with increased production of them in the body;
2. - in case of violation of the regulation of their number (destruction of unnecessary ones);
3. - with their uneven distribution in the blood.

Various factors can cause such changes, we will return to them later, but now let’s figure out what kind of attack this is and where it can come from.

What kind of “beast” is this?

And this “beast” is, in fact, very unpleasant, to say the least. It means your baby's blood is clotting too quickly. In this case, the blood begins to form blood clots in the vessels. There are several types of thrombocytosis:

• — clonal (with a defect in bone marrow stem cells, platelet formation occurs uncontrollably);
• - primary (occurs with hereditary or acquired blood diseases, the smear contains increased platelet sizes);
• - secondary, or symptomatic, reactive (develops for many reasons).

What causes secondary thrombocytosis?

It can occur in the following cases:

• - an inflammatory process when the body provokes increased production of platelets;
• - malignant tumors produce substances that stimulate large-scale platelet production;
• — removal of the spleen is a direct factor in the occurrence of thrombocytosis. At the same time, the mechanism for recycling excess platelets disappears, while new ones do not stop forming;
• - as a response, the body can respond by increasing the number of platelets to constant blood loss (with cirrhosis of the liver or intestinal ulcer).

Yes, girls, I want to draw your attention to the fact that a small percentage of exceptions do exist. Sometimes an increase in platelets can occur due to fairly safe factors:

• - when using certain drugs (corticosteroids, adrenaline, epinephrine or antibiotics);
• - emotional stress;
• - hypothermia.

Therefore, when taking platelet tests with your baby, take these factors into account; they may give a false result.

Therefore, if your baby has an increased number of platelets during the next examination, this is either a consequence of one of the above diseases that your little one has already been diagnosed with (you already know about their presence), or a reason to urgently find out where exactly the problem lies, and start treatment. Because, as you can see, most often this requires drug treatment (sometimes quite complex).

Looking for the source of the problem

Of course, the doctor will not be able to make an accurate diagnosis based on the platelet level alone, but he will have a direction in which to look for the root of the problem. He will prescribe several different examinations, tests, and ultrasound of internal organs.

Perhaps the pediatrician will send you for a consultation with a hematologist - a specialist in blood diseases, as well as a nephrologist, gastroenterologist, oncologist, infectious disease specialist - to understand exactly why platelet growth actually occurs.

In addition, as you understood from everything I said above, platelets can sometimes increase slightly without significant reasons - if the baby is hypothermic or very nervous. Therefore, let's learn how to properly take platelet tests.

• In small children, blood is usually taken from the heel or toe;
• The test is taken on an empty stomach, only drinking is allowed (for infants - no earlier than 2 hours after eating);
• It is necessary to exclude the “distorting” factors that I have already mentioned (cold, medications, strong emotions);
• For a more accurate picture, the analysis should be carried out at least 3-4 times with a break of several days.

Let's mobilize all our forces

But still, girls, if the platelet count is not significantly increased (by 100-200 thousand), this is most likely a percentage of error due to distorting circumstances. In this case, with several repetitions of the study, this value will gradually return to normal values.

So, if your baby’s platelets have jumped a little due to, say, bronchitis, don’t worry. Wait until the baby recovers and retake the test several more times “to be healthy.” But more significant numbers (600-800 thousand) are definitely a deviation that requires treatment.

But even in this case, you shouldn’t despair: modern medicine can do a lot, and sometimes it just works miracles. Your optimistic attitude and faith, love and care will also greatly contribute to this. Fight, don’t give up, use every opportunity to help the baby.

Be prepared for the fact that doctors will prescribe your fry treatment for the disease itself, and at the same time, treatment for the thrombocytosis caused by it. These will be drugs to thin the blood, reduce clotting, and improve microcirculation. Surely, you will be advised to take a fortified diet (possibly a course of age-related multivitamins).

There are some things you can do for your baby yourself to alleviate his condition. For example, make sure he drinks plenty of fluids. If you have already entered complementary foods, exclude bananas, mangoes and rose hips from your child’s diet, they contribute to blood thickening. But give tomato juice or beets, which thin the blood, more often (of course, provided that the child has received them before, and these are not new products in his diet).

Finally, I would like to once again wish you sanity, strength and patience, my dears. And the most important thing, of course, is a favorable prognosis from the doctors and a positive outcome of treatment! Better yet, let the worries turn out to be unfounded!

As before, I urge you not to forget about my blog and look at its pages more often - there is always new useful information here. Likes on social networks are also welcome! Good luck in raising your kids! Let them be healthy! After all, the health of a child is the main happiness of his mother. Am I not right?

Platelets- these are cellular elements of the blood that play an important role in laboratory research, since the normal course of the processes of hemostasis (prevention and stopping of bleeding) and thrombosis depends on them. Those. They keeps blood fluid, dissolving the resulting blood clots, and also protect the walls of blood vessels, “sealing” the site of damage with a blood clot and releasing growth factors for tissue regeneration.

information The study of this blood element (PLT) provides an assessment of its coagulability, which plays an important role in possible blood loss. Capillary blood is taken for examination.

Visually, platelets are small colorless flat plates, the formation of which occurs in the red bone marrow on megakaryocyte cells. Approximately 2/3 of the platelets that enter the bloodstream remain circulating in it for up to 1.5 weeks (further absorbed by phagocytes), and 1/3 is deposited in the spleen.

Normal platelet count in children

The number of platelets circulating in the blood is not constant. Therefore, the results taken in the morning may differ from the evening results.

Platelets are elevated

Thrombocytosis– a condition in which the level of platelets in the blood is elevated, which leads to blockage of blood vessels blood clots Distinguish primary, provoked by functional disorders of red bone marrow stem cells, and secondary (symptomatic) which can be caused by:

• and surgical interventions;
• hematological abnormalities (anemia);
• some (diuretics, contraceptives and other hormonal drugs).

How to lower platelet levels

For minor thrombocytosis(up to 500 x 10 9 / l) the situation can be corrected by diet and drinking plenty of fluids. It is a slight increase in platelet levels that is often a clinical sign of dehydration.

Diet includes products that thin the blood: olive oil, fish oil, onions and garlic, lemons, sour berries, tomato juice, etc. Foods rich in magnesium are also useful. It is recommended to drink plenty of fluids: green tea, juices from sour berries and fruits.

important Anything that increases blood viscosity is excluded: bananas, mangoes, lentils, rose hips, walnuts, chokeberries, pomegranate, alcohol and tobacco.

Treatment with folk remedies, especially in children, can be carried out only with the permission and under the supervision of the attending physician.

With a significant increase indicator, a number of additional studies and consultation with a hematologist are recommended, since primary thrombocytosis is often discovered by chance during a routine examination.

Platelets are low in a child

Thrombocytopenia– a significant decrease in PLT platelet levels, which causes clotting disorders and increased bleeding. The danger of this condition is the high risk of developing internal bleeding or stroke.

Suspicion of the presence of this pathology may arise if the child has such signs:

• bleeding gums;
• the appearance of bruises is frequent and without mechanical impact;
• repeated, as well as bleeding in the intestines;
• specific small “stars”;
• prolonged bleeding after minor cuts or tooth extraction.

Causes of decreased platelets

Causes of low platelet levels can be:

• for medications;
• immune attack;
• symptomatic reaction provoked by hyperthyroidism or intoxication;
• transimmune attack (maternal antibodies, having overcome the placental barrier, attack fetal platelets);

additionally Also, the reason for a decrease in platelet levels may be a lack of folic acid or vitamin B12 in the body.

How to raise platelet levels

After a thorough examination and clarification of the etiology of thrombocytopenia, the patient may be prescribed various treatment options:

• platelet transfusion;
• administration of anti-Rhesus D serum;
• parenteral injections of immunoglobulin;
• glucocorticosteroid hormones.

If conservative treatment does not bring results, then resort to splenectomy– surgical removal of the spleen. After such manipulation, three quarters of patients recover completely.

Patients with thrombocytopenia are under the supervision of a hematologist and are forced to adjust lifestyle.