ITP: Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

[NiqNaq23]

Hello Cafe,

I just wanted to share this since I was one of those mom's dealing with the unknown.  When Brandon was around 9 months we noticed bruising on him in places that didn't seem to make sense on how he got the bruising.  Like his shins, his thighs, side of back, etc.  I was a stay at home mom, so I didn't expect he was being abused.  It's just the bruising seemed a bit beyond for a 9 month old. So we took him to the doctors, and this was the diagnosis.  ITP, Something I never heard of before.  His blood platlets were low which was causing the bruising. Sometimes it could be a sign of lukemia. In our case it went away.  Yet I just wanted to share in case there are other mom's who have similar situations with seeing unexplained bruises on their little one.  Sometimes we feel like we're going through things alone because we never meet anyone who has "been there, done that."  So just some information.

What is ITP?

ITP stands for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. "Idiopathic" means that the cause is unknown. "Thrombocytopenic" means the blood doesn't have enough platelets. "Purpura" means a person has excessive bruising. You may also hear ITP called "immune thrombocytopenic purpura."

In people with ITP, all of the blood cells are normal except for the blood platelets. Platelets are the tiny cells that seal minor cuts and wounds and form blood clots. A person with too few platelets bruises easily and bleeds for a long time after being injured. Tiny red dots on the skin, called petechiae (say "pe-TEEK-ee-ay") might also appear. When the platelet count is very low, the person with ITP might have nosebleeds that are hard to stop, or might have bleeding in the intestines.

 

What causes ITP?

The cause of ITP is not known. People with ITP form antibodies that destroy their blood platelets. Normally, antibodies are a healthy response to bacteria or viruses. In people with ITP, however, the antibodies attack the body's own blood platelets.

 

Your doctor can diagnose ITP by asking questions about your health and doing a physical exam. Your doctor may take a blood sample and look at it under a microscope.

 

Who gets ITP?

There are 2 types of ITP. One type affects children, and the other type affects adults. In children, the usual age for getting ITP is 2 to 4 years of age. Most adults with ITP are young women, but it can occur in anyone. ITP does not run in families.

 

How does ITP affect children?

ITP is different in children than in adults. Most children with ITP have a very low platelet count that causes sudden bleeding. The usual symptoms are bruises and the tiny red dots on the skin. Nosebleeds and bleeding gums are also common.

 

How is ITP treated in children?

Because most children recover with no treatment, many doctors recommend just watching them carefully and taking care of the bleeding symptoms. Children don't have to go to the hospital if good care is available at home. However, some doctors recommend a short treatment with prednisone pills or intravenous infusions (given in a vein) of gamma globulin to increase the platelet count more quickly. Both medicines have some side effects.

 

How does ITP affect adults?

In most adults, ITP lasts much longer than it does in children. At the time of diagnosis, most adults have noticed increased bleeding and easy bruising for several weeks, or even months. In women, increased menstrual blood flow is a major sign.

Many adults have only mild thrombocytopenia. In fact, quite a few people have no bleeding symptoms. They are only diagnosed with ITP when their blood is checked for another reason and a low blood platelet count is found.

[singedwingangel]

Aug. 21, 2008 at 6:43 AM

That is interesting. My youngest and middle son were all the time having bruises that we had no clue where they were coming from. The little one still does it, but mostly cause he is a daredevil and  likes giving me heart failure lol..