Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
This condition of low platelet (thrombocytopenia) is a common disease entity in pediatric practice.
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) indicates the absence of a known cause of the excessive platelet destruction.
ITP is classified into two:
A. Acute ITP- the onset is sudden and recovery is also spontaneous in 6 weeks to 6 months with no recurrence
B. Chronic ITP – characterized by an insidious onset with a very low incidence of spontaneous recovery. This is more common among adults than in children
Clinically, the child is brought to a clinic for alarming skin manifestations of petechiae, ecchymoses and with nose and gum bleeding.
However, what is significantly obvious is that the child remains active, comfortable and without fever. Also, on physical examination, there is little enlargement of the liver in 10% of cases and no bone tenderness.
ITP occurs more often between the ages of 2 and 6 years. No sex prevalence is shown. This condition usually follows after a month or so of antecedent infections.
The diagnosis of ITP is made after a thorough history and complete physical examination is done and is being verified with blood work up like complete blood count (CBC) and bone marrow examination.
Parents and caregivers are assured by physicians that most acute ITP will recover spontaneously and that chronic ITP will have to be monitored closely.