What should I do if my child has high platelet count?

Platelets are more harmful to adults, let alone children. High or low platelets are harmful to the body. The reasons can be primary and secondary, and a diagnosis is needed to know the cause. What should we do when children have high platelet counts? First go to the hospital for a check-up and then develop a treatment method. Let's learn about the treatment methods below.

1. [Physiological changes]:

Platelets increase after exercise or meals and recover after rest. The platelet count of a normal person fluctuates by 6-10% every day, being lower in the morning and slightly higher in the afternoon; lower in spring and higher in winter. A woman's platelet count will decrease before and after menstruation. On the first day of menstruation, the platelet count may drop by half, and then gradually increase. It will also increase after exercise.

2. Pathological changes:

Thrombocytosis is common in acute suppurative infection, acute blood loss, after splenectomy, hemolytic anemia, polycythemia vera, and chronic myeloid leukemia.

Treatment:

① Myelosuppressive drugs

Busulfan is a commonly used and effective drug and should be used in small doses, starting at 4-6 mg/d. If a rapid decrease in platelets is required, hydroxyurea 2-4 g/d can be used, and then reduced to 1 g/d after 3-4 days. Cyclophosphamide, chlorambucil, melphalan, etc. are all effective. The medication can be stopped when the platelet count decreases or symptoms are relieved. If there is a relapse, the medication can be used again.

② Radionuclide phosphorus (32P) is taken orally or injected intravenously.

The first dose is 0.08-0.11MBq, and if necessary, another dose may be given three months later. It is generally not recommended because of the possibility of inducing leukemia.

③Platelet separation.

Rapidly reduce platelet count and improve symptoms. It is commonly used in gastrointestinal bleeding, pregnancy and delivery, and before elective surgery.

④Interferon.

Interferon-alpha has recently been proposed as a treatment for essential thrombocythemia. It can inhibit megakaryocyte production and shorten platelet survival. The dosage is 3--5mu/d.

⑤Others.

The use of dipyridamole, aspirin, and indomethacin can prevent platelet aggregation. Patients with thrombosis should use heparin or biscoumarin anticoagulants. Splenectomy is contraindicated.

The course of the disease varies depending on the degree of thrombocytosis. Most cases progress slowly, and the median survival is often more than 10-15 years. A small number of patients may develop myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera or chronic myeloid leukemia. Thrombosis and bleeding in important organs are often the main causes of death from this disease.

If you don't understand or are unsure, you need to observe for a period of time and then check again when the time is right to rule out physiological or pathological changes as the cause. In addition, I hope everyone can maintain a good attitude in the face of the disease, and at the same time pay attention to their usual work and rest time and diet, and exercise appropriately to strengthen their physical fitness when necessary.