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Also called: Low platelet count
Thrombocytopenia is a below-normal number of platelets (thrombocytes). Platelets are a type of blood cell. They clump together at the site of an injury to prevent blood loss. This process is known as clotting. Without enough platelets, your child can bleed and bruise easily.
Thrombocytopenia can be severe and require urgent treatment for bleeding, or it can be minor with few problems. Because it has many possible causes, thrombocytopenia is a fairly common condition. However, no numbers are available to track exactly how often it occurs.
The signs and symptoms of thrombocytopenia will depend on its severity. Symptoms usually include:
Bruising
Heavy or continued bleeding from cuts or other wounds
Bleeding from the nose or gums
Heavy bleeding after dental work
Very heavy menstrual bleeding
Pinpoint-sized red spots on the skin, often at the site of local trauma or injury
Get medical care right away for any severe bleeding that will not stop even after pressure has been applied to the area.
Thrombocytopenia is usually caused by an underlying disorder. It can occur for 2 reasons:
Thrombocytopenia is diagnosed based on your child’s medical history, physical exam, and lab tests. Your doctor may ask you about any changes in bleeding or bruising, recent illnesses, or medicines your child is taking.
Tests may include:
The severity and cause of thrombocytopenia determines its treatment. Treatment may be needed if your child’s platelet count is very low or if bleeding problems occur.
Thrombocytopenia treatment may include:
Treating the underlying condition: After the cause is addressed, thrombocytopenia may go away on its own. For example, if the low platelet count is caused by a medicine side effect, stopping the medicine might resolve the problem.
Transfusions: Donated platelets can be given through a vein to increase platelets in the blood.
Immunomodulatory therapy: If thrombocytopenia is caused by an autoimmune reaction, the doctor may prescribe medicines to stop the immune system from attacking the platelets.
Spleen removal (splenectomy): In rare cases, this treatment may be needed if the spleen is trapping too many platelets and keeping them from circulating in the bloodstream.
St. Jude offers clinical trials and research studies for children, teens, and young adults with bleeding disorders. Learn more about clinical research at St. Jude.
Study goal:
The primary purpose of this study is to examine the safety of administration of the unlicensed investigational NCBP HPC-CORD BLOOD products in a multi-institution setting.
Study goal:
The main goal of this trial is to collect DNA from individuals with non-cancerous blood diseases and their family members. Researchers will use the DNA to study how genes cause and influence these diseases. All research data will be confidential.
The prognosis for thrombocytopenia varies widely depending on the severity of the condition and the underlying cause. Thrombocytopenia is not usually life-threatening on its own, but its underlying condition may be. Survival rates depend on the cause of thrombocytopenia.
St. Jude provides the highest quality of care for patients with thrombocytopenia:
More reasons to choose St. Jude for care include:
Patients accepted to St. Jude must have a disease we treat and must be referred by a physician or other qualified medical professional. We accept most patients based on their ability to enroll in an open clinical trial.
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