Petechiae? Anybody?

Question

Sorry, asking this again, someone must know something about this...I saw other questions on this from several months back. Sorry that those people did not get the proper answers and I'm surprised how many people think serious things are "nothing" in here.

Any medical staff or people who have had this condition? My young nephew two may have this...chances are it is this but I'm more concerned by what might cause it as he has had it more than once but with no fever so I doubt it's anything like bacteria or menengitis that causes it.

For those of you scratching your head this is when you see little dots of blood all over your skin...looks like a rash but they are really broken blood vessels from tiny capillaries. It's caused by low platelets but what could cause that in child so young with no other symptoms? I'm afraid it could be something serious like leukemia but he isn't sick otherwise. I don't want to worry my sister though.

Answer 1

Petechiae: Pinpoint flat round red spots under the skin surface caused by intradermal hemorrhage (bleeding into the skin). Petechiae are red because they contain red blood that has leaked from the capillaries into the skin. Petechiae are quite tiny (less than 3 millimeters in diameter) and do not blanch when pressed upon.

There are many conditions in which petechiae may be seen. These conditions range from very minor to very major. The common causes of petechiae include local injury and trauma, allergic reactions, autoimmune diseases, viral infections that impair blood coagulation (clotting), thrombocythemia (an abnormally high platelet level), certain medical treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), leukemia and other bone marrow malignancies that may lower the number of platelets, and sepsis (bloodstream infection). Petechiae are commonly seen right after birth in the newborn and after violent vomiting or coughing. Drugs such as the anticoagulants warfarin (Coumadin) or heparin, aspirin, and cortisone can also cause petechiae

Answer 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petechia

I've gotten localized petechiae from a tourniquet left on my arm too long, but that's my only personal experience with it.

You might try looking up all the possible causes (there are some listed in the Wikipedia article listed above) and see if there are some that don't have any other (or little) symptoms.

It also matters if it's all over, or localized to a certain area. If it's all over, that signifies a systemic problem, but if it's localized, maybe there is something that's happening to a certain part of the body that's causing the petechiae.

If you are concerned, you should bring it to your sister's attention, and get him checked out by a doctor. She will worry, but if it turns out to be something serious, then at least it will be caught early.

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Localized Petechiae

Answer 4

i understand that it particularly is sign of leukemia. even though it particularly is moat probably an allergic reaction. you're able to probable have greater symptoms if it have been leukemia. If it rather concerns you, bypass get an entire blood count quantity. which would be waiting to coach leukemia.