As parents, we want to shield our children from all the pain and sickness in the world. If only we could. Read this mum’s story on how she found out about her 8-month-old baby’s condition, and learn about ITP in children here.
In this article, you’ll read:
- An 8-month-old girl suffered from Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)
- ITP in children
The incident happened in 2017, while my 8-month-old daughter and I were staying with my parents in Bangkok, Thailand. One fine morning, I noticed a lot of red rash-like dots on her legs.
A mother’s instinct
During that time, my daughter was happy eating well, and you would not notice any sign of sickness. However, a mother’s instinct urged me to bring her to the hospital for a check-up.
My daughter’s condition turned out to be life-threatening but curable. It was an ITP or Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura.
On the 7th of November 2017, I saw some bloodstains on my daughter’s pyjama when she woke up. At first, I thought it might just be teething, which made her keep on chewing her shirt.
But later in the evening, I noticed that the red dots spread all over the legs. I thought it could be an allergic reaction to some chemical from her mat so I took it away and let her play on the floor instead.
The red dots on her legs multiplied the next day and it had already started to spread on both of her lower arms. Despite that, my daughter was still very active and ate very well, showing us no sign of sickness.
The unexpected disease
We went to the hospital in the afternoon for peace of mind. The doctor immediately requested a blood test once she saw the dots. My daughter’s doctor looked very worried, which made me feel even more worried too.
All the while, my baby had no idea what was going on. Once all the equipment was prepared, the nurses drew blood on her. I remembered hearing her scream and struggle, which was the most painful thing that ever happened ever since she was born.
Low blood platelet
The hospital staff instructed us to wait for the result. When it came out, the doctor said that she had a very low blood platelet count at 11,000. An average count should be between 150,000 to 450,000.
The doctor said that it might be Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). ITP is a bleeding disorder in which the immune system destroys platelets necessary for normal blood clotting. People who have ITP tend to have too few platelets in the blood.
I started to put things together, realising that the bloodstain on her pyjama could be from her gum that bled. Having low blood platelets is dangerous, which can also cause internal bleeding.
My daughter needed to undergo more tests as the cause of ITP was still unknown. We were also waiting for a specialist, a paediatric haematologist to come and check her.
“My heart dropped”
I asked myself, “Why was this happening to my little girl? She was still a baby.”
The specialist came and gave my daughter IVIG 10 mg via one dose of saline. We waited to see how her body would respond to the medicine.
I heard my daughter cry again. The nurse drew blood on her and put a needle on her hand for a saline drip. Six hours passed, and the nurse had to change the saline bag.
The energy was very low the whole day. I did not get enough sleep, and my daughter did not eat too much and kept sleeping.
My daughter had a fever due to her medication, so the nurse brought her paracetamol. She started to cry when she realised that she needed to have another blood test. She cried a lot until she vomited the milk out.
The specialist came to see her and told us that my daughter’s blood platelet went up to 33,000 from 11,000. It was already in a safer range.
The doctor gave another dose of IVIG to her, hoping for a better result. The nurses monitored her condition the whole night until her fever was gone.
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Getting better
The next day, she had no more fever and had more energy. She still didn’t have any appetite but she latched the whole day.
The following morning, my daughter had to undergo another blood test, which made her cranky again. Despite all of her crying, the specialist delivered tp us the good news saying that the result of my daughter’s blood test was excellent.
Her blood platelet count went up to 78,000. However, her red blood count was still low. According to the doctor, it was common in fully breast milk babies to lack iron, resulting in a low red blood count. He prescribed an iron supplement for her and sent us home.
Follow-up check-up
After a week, we went back to the doctor for a check-up and another blood test. The blood platelet had already increased to 295,000, which was very good. Her blood platelet count was already in a normal range.
We went back again for another blood test after a month. My daughter’s blood platelet count got even better and went up to 314,000.
ITP in children
According to Cedars-Sinai, ITP o Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura is a blood disorder that causes a drop in the number of platelets in the blood.
Platelets help stop bleeding. So, a decrease in platelets can result in easy bruising, bleeding gums, and bleeding inside the body. The lower the platelet count, the greater the risk of bleeding.
Causes of ITP in children
In most cases, the cause of ITP in children is unknown. Some of the known causes include:
- Immune system problems
- Viral infections like chickenpox
- Some medicines or vaccines
Symptoms of ITP in children
The symptoms of ITP are related to increased bleeding. Some children have very mild symptoms or none at all. Symptoms may include:
- Purpura. This is the purple colour of the skin after blood has “leaked” under it.
- Bruising. A bruise is blood under the skin. Children with ITP may have large bruises from no known injury. Bruises can appear on the elbows and knees just from movement.
- Petechia. Tiny red dots under the skin are a result of very small bleeds.
- Nosebleeds
- Bleeding in the mouth and/or in and around the gums
- Blood in urine or stool
- Vomiting with blood
- Bleeding with a head injury. This may be life-threatening in a child with ITP.
The symptoms of ITP in children may look like other medical problems. So it’s best to always check with your child’s doctor for a diagnosis.
Image source: iStock
A mother’s love
My 8-month-old daughter’s hospitalisation made me realise that nothing in this world can equal the love of a mother.
I would like to thank my mum for taking care of both of us. Sleeping on a hospital sofa is uncomfortable, but you stayed by my side when I needed you the most.
Thanks to my dad for driving anywhere just to bring us food. Also for helping in taking care of us after work.
Thank you, daddy, my loving husband, for checking on the details of ITP and being there mentally for us. Also, thanks for trying to catch the earliest flight to Bangkok after clearing your work.
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