Low Neutrophils In Babies: Danger To Health! – Being Parents
Neutrophils are a species of abundant white blood cells that make up 70% of leukocytes in the blood. However, in many cases low neutrophil levels are present in the baby. What to do ?
Neutrophils and their importance
Low levels of neutrophils in babies can be a concern for any parent. However, to be informed, it is necessary to know the subject well, taking into account the following elements:
What are they ?
Low neutrophils, also called neutropenia, are a low number of white blood cells, which are found in the body to fight infection.
Meaning
Neutrophils are extremely important in everyone’s body, especially in babies. Thanks to this, it is possible to protect children from serious infections that could affect them.
When a bacterial infection occurs in the human body, the first immune cells to detect this attack are neutrophils, reaching the point of infection adequately and thus protecting the baby.
What are the normal values of neutrophils?
To determine if neutrophil values are low, it is necessary to know the appropriate values in a healthy person:
- In the case of babies, the normal neutrophil value is 1500.
- In addition, the normal value of neutrophils in adults is between 2000 and 7500.
If the number of neutrophils in the blood is lower than the one mentioned above, then it is certain that your condition is called neutropenia.
It is a form of leukopenia associated with a low level of neutrophils in the blood. So you should look for the possible cause of such problem and consult a doctor to advise you on the appropriate treatment.
How do you achieve a low neutrophil count?
There are many causes for finding a low number of neutrophils in the blood, which tend to generate a low production of these or which also promote their destruction after their production.
In either case, the causes can be associated with various medical conditions or habits which are explained in detail below:
Viral and bacterial infections
Certain diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis or malaria can cause low neutrophilia. However, on several occasions the baby may just have a serious infection that causes the neutrophils to be quickly depleted.
Medication use
Some drugs can damage the bone marrow or directly damage neutrophils. Radiation therapy for cancer can also cause neutropenia.
Vitamin deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause a condition called megaloblastic anemia, which causes a sustained decrease in the number of neutrophils in the blood.
Bone marrow diseases
Aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, leukemia and myelofibrosis are able to significantly reduce the production of neutrophils.
Congenital disorders
Certain disorders in the production of this element can produce low levels of neutrophils in the baby. It is therefore necessary to review the medical history of the next of kin to determine this fact.
Placenta problems
The expectant mother can produce antibodies that attack the baby’s neutrophils, which cross the placenta before birth, resulting in a decrease in the number of white blood cells in the newborn baby.
On the other hand, in many cases, this decrease occurs without any cause, which indicates that the baby is not sick or has no infection.
Recomendations
However, do not worry too much, because often babies tend to be completely healthy until the first year of life as it is a transient state.
Treatment
When neutropenia is not a serious case, it may go away on its own. So that the bone marrow recovers properly and the body begins to produce enough white blood cells.
However, if it was an infection, the baby’s pediatrician might apply antibiotics. And when the infection subsides, production can return completely to normal.
When the white blood cell count is very low and it can be life threatening, treatments such as the following may be applied:
- Medicines that stimulate the production of white blood cells.
- Antibodies in the blood, by means of treatments that promote this fact.
What parents should know
These types of conditions can be adequately controlled in case the child does not have bacterial infections. This problem could be easily solved by the use of antibiotics prescribed logically by the doctor.
If the child does not have frequent episodes of fever, if the doctor has already been warned and determined that this is a temporary treatment, there is no need to be alarmed. So the low levels of white blood cells in the baby will get back to normal.
Pediatric hematology check
In the event that there is no apparent cause for the loss of neutrophils, it is necessary that the parents continue to perform a pediatric hematology check.
This means that the doctors will perform a diagnostic protocol and checks. In this way, it is recommended never to miss the pediatric visits and frequent examinations determined by the doctor.
If each of these care protocols is followed, the baby will be able to remain healthy until complete improvement, ensuring that adequate production of neutrophils is conducive to disease prevention.
