What should be checked when a child has a fever in the blood test?

Children are generally more prone to health problems, which is very troublesome for parents because children's problems are more concentrated and more harmful. For example, fever and colds are important factors that affect the healthy development of children. Treatment must be timely and some examinations should be done selectively. For example, what should be checked when a child has a fever in the blood? Let’s take a look at the explanation below.

When a baby has a fever, parents will rush the baby to the hospital. However, usually the doctor will do a blood test on the baby at the hospital. Babies will scream and cry when they see the needle, which makes parents feel distressed. So many mothers wonder: "Why do we need to do blood tests every time the child has a fever? Is it really necessary?"

Routine blood test in outpatient clinic is one of the simplest and most convenient examination items, which can rule out many types of diseases. For children who have a fever for two or three days but the fever has not subsided, in order to better understand the child's condition, pediatricians usually choose to do a routine blood test to guide the next step of diagnosis and treatment.

As a routine examination method, blood routine test can tell doctors whether the patient has bacterial or viral infection. In a general blood test, doctors most often look at white blood cells, hemoglobin and platelets. Through these basic data, we can understand the child's condition.

If the white blood cell count is found to increase, with neutrophils as the main component, then it is likely a bacterial infection; if the white blood cell count is normal or low, the neutrophil count is decreased, and the lymphocyte count is relatively increased, then it is likely a viral infection. If further diagnosis is required, more tests must be done, such as blood drawing for blood bacterial culture, serum viral antibody testing, throat swab culture, etc.

Generally speaking, 90% of children's colds are caused by viral infections, but bacterial infections may occur later. The longer the fever lasts, the more complicated the child's condition will be. In addition, children's condition changes faster than adults, and the risk of complications is also greater. Therefore, actively conducting necessary examinations in the early stages of the fever is a safe clinical diagnostic method.

To sum up, the blood test is for screening out various diseases, and it is not a redundant step. Mothers should not complain to the doctor just because their baby can't stand the blood test. In fact, it is all for the good of the child. This way we can better prescribe the right medicine and help our baby recover sooner.