When some small red dots appear on the child’s body, some parents will think that they are bitten by mosquitoes or have allergies, and they don’t care much. But what I want to remind everyone is that if you find small red dots like pinpoints on your child’s legs, and they don’t disappear for more than a week, it’s best to take your child to the hospital for a check-up to rule out thrombocytopenic purpura.
A child was seen at a children’s hospital. One week before the child’s visit, when his mother was bathing him, he found that there were several red dots of different sizes on the child’s calf that looked like needlepoints. The mother thought that the child had skin allergies, so she didn’t care too much. A week later, my mother found that the red spot on her calf had spread to the inner thigh, so she hurried to the hospital for examination.
After the examination, it was confirmed that the child had thrombocytopenic purpura. Fortunately, it came early. If the child has signs such as high fever and sepsis, it may be life-threatening.
Thrombocytopenic purpura is relatively new to most people. Before explaining the disease, let’s first understand platelets.
Platelets are produced by bone marrow megakaryocytes and are an important cellular component in peripheral blood, mainly involved in the process of thrombosis and hemostasis. Under normal circumstances, when a part of the body bleeds, platelets will quickly release a variety of factors to adhere to the wound to stop the bleeding.
Thrombocytopenic purpura is a bleeding disorder in which peripheral blood platelets are reduced due to the destruction of platelet immunity. When the body’s platelets decrease too much, it will cause the body to bleed, and the bleeding cannot be stopped as soon as possible. Therefore, the most obvious symptom of thrombocytopenic purpura is bleeding from the skin, nasal cavity, gums and other mucous membranes.
What are the types of thrombocytopenic purpura?
There are two common types of thrombocytopenic purpura in clinical practice: idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and secondary thrombocytopenic purpura.
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
The cause of this purpura is unknown, and it is divided into acute and chronic.
Acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, common in children, has a very rapid onset. The main manifestations are petechiae or petechiae on a large area of the skin, mostly on the lower extremities, and the petechiae or petechiae are evenly distributed. The case we mentioned at the beginning belongs to this type. Some patients will also have low-grade fever and chills, and some patients will have symptoms of bleeding from the nasal cavity and gingival mucosa.
Chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, common in women. Symptoms are generally mild and prolonged, with each bleeding lasting several days to several months, and are prone to recurring episodes. The main manifestations are petechiae or ecchymosis on the skin at the end of the lower extremities or below the tourniquet, and bleeding from the nasal cavity, gums, and oral mucosa can also be seen. Some women also experience menorrhagia.
Secondary thrombocytopenic purpura
This type of purpura is caused by preexisting thyroid, immune and other diseases, or thrombocytopenia due to definite factors such as drugs. If the patient has only mild or moderate thrombocytopenia, there may be no bleeding symptoms. However, when the platelets are severely reduced, bleeding from the skin and mucous membranes occurs. In severe cases, intracranial hemorrhage may even occur, threatening life.
With thrombocytopenic purpura, what are the precautions in life?
Avoid strenuous physical activity and exercise
Because of strenuous physical activity and exercise, people with thrombocytopenic purpura are at increased risk of injury, which can lead to heavy bleeding. Children are generally more active, and parents must pay attention to this.
Avoid taking drugs that inhibit platelets
Medications such as aspirin, quinine, cephalosporins, etc., which inhibit platelet regeneration, thereby affecting blood clotting.
Family should avoid contact with the patient
Apply protective film to the corners of furniture such as tables, chairs, cabinets, etc. at home to reduce the risk of patient accidents.
Remind parents again that when you find inexplicable red dots on your child’s body, especially on your child’s limbs, don’t be careless. Pay attention to find out the reason. When it is found that the red spots continue to spread and the cause cannot be found, it is best to take the child to the hospital as soon as possible to avoid delaying the disease.