blood test results for my son aged 8

[kingleanne901]

I could really do with some help.  over the past years my son has suffered with high tempetures (104) and headaches on and off.  he also gets stomach aches.  I have constantly been told oh its just a virus and it will pass but it always comes back.  about a year and a half agao he spent a week in hospital and when he was better just discharged with no investigation.  

I have now demanded he sees a pediatric doctor ( appointment tomorrow)  and i have just managed to obtain his blood results over the past years.  do these mean anything to anyone

everything thing else i believe is normal other than the below

17/09/2007
crp   80   high
wbc  20.4  high
hct   0.32   low
mcv 68.5 low
rdw 16.2 high
mch 22.7 low
plt 434 high
neutrophils 14.6 high
monocytes 1.5 high

6/11/2007
mcv 71.1 low
rdw 15.6 high
mch 22.3 low
mchc 31.3 low

06/08/10
wbc 19.8 high
neutrophils 16.8 high
lymphoctes 1.2 low
monocytes 1.2 high
eosinophils 0.0 low
aptt 33.3 high
crp 136  very high

08/08/10
neutrophils 8.3 high
monocytes 1.4 high
eosinophils 0.0 low
crp 117 high

17/02/2012
esr 31 high
urea 6.2 high
crp 42 high


If anyone can give me anything to go on i would be very greatfull as these really dont mean much to me.  and should any of these levels have been investigated further along with his symtoms.  all the doctors ever seem to do is the blood test tell me that certain levels are not right and thats it

[margypops]

Did you find out anymore regarding your son and the high temps ?

[tes645]

Hi there, do you live in the uk? I do and i have had so many problems tryin g to get answers re my boys results, I work in the nhs and know a little about the bloods,

Anemic can cause headaches but not spiking temps or high CRP levels, ESR are kind of like crp but it takes longer to build up and come down whereas crp can give a pretty clear answer of INFECTION at the time of test. I know ESR is expected to be 20 . and it gives an indication to inflamtion, however, some people have a higher base level . although im sure it wouldn't be anywhere near that high.

So what was his heamaglobin levels??  i guess they checked this as its part of the fbc. ??? surly they would have know if it was anemia before now,?? uuummmmmm I would prob push to check his immunity of different things, some kids just need more help than others, good luck though ,

[margypops]

So he is anemic did the doctor say if that was the cause of the fevers and aches, well I guess  on some iron  meds will be interesting to see if he improves.I do know many children are sicker this last year or two.with symptoms you describe , that come and go .My gut tells me its allergies possibly environmental there is no doubt we are being bombarded by toxins .let me know if the iron meds make him feel better .

[kingleanne901]

Just a little update for everyone my sons pediatritian called me last night to let me know he is anemic and he is going to put him on an iron suppplement for 3months.  he said he is still waiting for the other blood results to come back but at least in the meantime we have a start.

I feel so fustrated that it has taken so many years to find out he is simply anemic and it could possibly explain the headaches.  although i dont know if it explains the high temps is guess not?  

[margypops]

Thanks for the update , and of course you are right and it does make you feel better to know they are investigating whatever is causing it .Good luck ...

[specialmom]

Oh, fantastic!  It is so nice to be heard by our doctors!!!  Our kids mean everything to us and taking care of their health is so important.

good job--------  you followed up and found someone to take you seriously.

With that blood work, it is clear your child was having infections within the body and it makes sense that immunity could be an issue with it being so frequent.  Hopefully they will be able to pinpoint exactly what the issue is but like you said, even if they can't, knowing what is going on is peace of mind.  AND, when he does have an episode, you will not be at square one each time.

so best of luck and let us know how things go with this new doctor and tests.  

[kingleanne901]

thank you everyone for your comments, we saw the doctor today who for once was brilliant and could see our concern.  He said there was enough evidence of something going on in the last six years to warrent investigation.  he thinks there could possibly be an immume problem, so has ordered some more specific bloods and he has also ordered a mri which we will get an appointment through for.  

Even if there is an immune difficiency it does not necassarly mean something can be done but it gives us anwsers. hopefully everything comes back clear, but again at least i know he has been properly checked and is ok

i will keep everyone updated on any progress

and margypops your right he is a fantastic boy so loving and kind.

[margypops]

I asked that as I was wondering if he had a problem there but obviously not...he sounds like a great kid..

[kingleanne901]

I will let you all know how tomorrow goes.

margypops every time he goes down with it the doctors never find any sign of infection the last time we went his temp was 104 so proving there is an infection but his ears nose throat were all fine his urine was checked and all ok he even had a chest x ray which was clear.  it seems to me very much like migranes but my gp said no way.  apparently with migranes you do NOT get temps  (you may feel like you have one)

he is very happy at school loves his teacher and has a good group of friends.  he does find the work hard but does recieve extra help with it so i really dont think there are any probs there.  when he is well he loves swimming and judo.

[margypops]

You are very welcome..did they check his tonsils out ..I had a couple of my kids have tonsillitis and its not nice..but the had horrible sore throats,  earaches and high fevers.I am wondering if there's a couple of things going on , the headaches do sound like migraines .How is he doing at school is he sick and headachy when he is there , any problems with school?Humm well I know we have being doing work on a house prior to selling it and I have been on and off sick this year also ..could be some toxin ..mine definatly is allergies .interesting case LOl keep in touch with what the final analysis is...

[specialmom]

Hi, I hear ya.  And ironically, my son has just had this virus in which within a matter of a half an hour, he spiked a major fever (his was at 103.5) and became unable to function.  He had me carry him as well.  He said his head hurt very badly (but have noticed that when one has a fever, that is typical).  He was such a sick little boy.  His brother has not gotten it yet (nor have any of us) but when we went to the doctor, she knew the symptoms he had and said she'd been sing patients and fielding calls with this same symptomology.  It is scary when they are at that point.  

I feel your pain.  

I don't know if more is going on---- clearly the blood work on those occasions indicate a response to an infection but as you say, where?  With the elevated urea, I think of kidney but again, not a doctor, so it will be interesting for what they say.  They'll probably do blood work to compare tomorrow-----  and be able to see if he is having an autoimmune response.  

Allergies can't cause these reactions in bloodwork.   I think the link with allergies is that they affect sinuses and a secondary event can occur that is bacterial.  Your son's bloodwork all points to something bacterial going on and you'd have noticed allergy symptoms of nasal congestion, etc.  I've got allergies myself and you typically get a histimine response (why antihistimines work)-----  itching, congestion, etc  Does your son have these?  Allergies certainly can complicate matters!  Not saying your son doesn't have allergies but that they wouldn't be the cause of blood work abnormalities that you are seeing.  

Anyway, I do wish you lots of luck--------  why one child gets sick more than another is a mystery.  My older son doesn't get sick more often but if he gets something, he is always FAR worse than anyone else.  I've never understood why.  

I hope that the doctor you are seeing has some information for you.  (oh, and one thing to look into is a strep or staph infection somewhere in the body.  People only think of strep as a throat condition but it is not.  It is bacterial and can be anywhere in the body.  Same with staph.  good luck

[kingleanne901]

thank you margypops i will talk to the doctors,  over the past years we have been doing a lot of work on our house,  we also have cats rabbits and chickens

[kingleanne901]

out of my three children he is the oldest and when he is ill the other two never seem to catch it even though he shares a room with his little brother.  

the thing is if the doctors could see sign of infection i could understand and accept it if it was his tonsils or something its just when there is no sign of it, it worries me especially the way he cannot get up as his head hurts so badly, all he want is a dark room and at times he didnt get out of bed for days and didnt even want the tv on which is not normal for a 8 year old boy

and when his temp goes up so high at what point do you think this isnt right and take him to a&e i tend to now prob leave it later than most parents now as it  has happened so many times think i know what he can torlerate.

its just such a rollercoster.  last time he was ill it came on in the space of 30min and his temp hit 104 with nurofen and calpol.  i had to carry him to the car as he couldnt walk and i took him to the out of hours doc who couldnt find any source of infection and told us it needs further investigation and actually wrote to our gp.  my son then woke up absolutly fine the next morning. (thankfully)  and by the time we saw our gp he couldnt see what all the fuss was about, but ordered bloods anyway (the last on the list) and after a fight has agreed to refer him as the results didnt come back 100%

[margypops]

I am inclined to think that it is a recurring infection or another , there have been many in the last 2 years and Doctors do not have answers, I often get similar posts about children and recurring fevers headaches, and general malaise .I do know that there have been sickness's in children that are almost allergy like and its possible there is environmental causes. Let me know what the doctor says

[specialmom]

I think some of the tests would be elevated for anyone that had an infection.  If they are normal when he doesn't, then that would go along the lines of the results being abnormal because of the infection and would be less indicative of an underlying reason (such as cancer or autoimmune).  I am NO doctor of course!!!!!  And these are good questions for your visit tomorrow.   My kids last year were sick an incredible amount with several courses of antibiotics for bacterial infections (ear, sinus and pnemonia).  What is really interesting is that we've never even had a blood draw!  I have no idea what my kid's numbers.  I'm guessing many of these same things would be elevated or low depending, if blood was taken around the time of the illnesses.  

I'd wonder about anemia, kidneys, and autoimmune and asking about all three of those at your doctors appt seems prudent.  

You may be told though that these numbers rise and fall with illness.  Then you probably wonder why he has frequent illness . .  . but does he?  I don't know.  My kids are in a public elementary school.  They seem to be bringing home this and that from school and activities that we do.  Starts as a virus and ends as an infection sometimes.

My younger son was just home for two days due to a virus--------  very high fever that was relentless even with tylenol/ibuprofen (never below 101 for 2 full days), headache, stomach ache.  He was sick suddenly and well suddenly.  It is hard to watch your kids ill, isn't it???  (tiring for mom too.)  

Let us know how the appt. goes tomorrow.

[kingleanne901]

oh he had one test in april last year where i believe everything was normal

hb 12.0
wbc 10.9
rbc 4.55
hct 0.37
mcv 80.9
mch 26.4
mchc 32.6
rdw 13.1
plt 338
mpv 9.50
nutrophils 6.7
lymphoctes 3.3
monocytes 0.6
eosinophils 0.2
basophils 0.1
immature granulocytes 0.02
biochemistry
sodium 140
potassium 4.0
urea 5.3
creatinine 62
glucose 4.8
tsh 1.18
free t4 16.7

[kingleanne901]

in 09/2007 he was unwell with usuall symtoms headache and high fever.  the follow up tests were done when he seemed well? although still showed some abnormal levels.

in 2010 the tests were done over the week he was in hospital very poorly with same main symtoms headache and persistant high fever. they actually thought it may have been melengitis at one point and treated the whole family but cultures came back clear.

and the most recent bloods this year were done a week after illness when he seemed to have recovered, again same with the temp and headache.

i have never been told he is anemic but he is pale and has always had spurts of energy then lack off.  the docs have only ever done blood work but never acted on any of the results.  

we are seeing the doctors tomorrow and really want this looked into more im wondering if he has some sort immune problem but i dont know what.  inbetween illness he seems fine but can go down so quickly its scary.  he acts like its a migrane but with a fever and stomach pain its strange as they are the only symtoms he ever shows no sickness no runny noses no sign of ear nose or throat or chest infections and the doctors test his urine that always comes back fine.

and they always say he has an infection just dont know where??

[specialmom]

I know that crp measures inflammation and tells if there is infection in the body.  They take this after surgery for example to see if someone is developing an infection.  It is c -reactive protein.They go up quickly but go back down quickly once treated for the infection.  So, the result of this would matter when you took it.  

neutrophils are a type of white blood count and they'd be high as well whenever the body is fighting a bacterial infection.  If the count is over 8000, that is a disease in itself.  

urea pertains to the kidneys.  High would indicate the kidneys maybe not working just right.  And neutrophils rise then as well.  Have you had your son's kidney function tested?

esr raises when a child has infection.  

So, are they testing that because he is being treated for an infection at the time which would explain the numbers?  I'd want to see his bloodwork when he is healthy.  

Does he have anemia by the way?