ITP is so confusing!!! (Lab results included)

For the last couple of months, I haven't been suprised when Brooke's counts were low or high because I've been able to look at her and get an idea of how she is. Well, we went today for her labs and although some of her levels are still low, her platelet level was in the normal range! How is that possible when she is covered with bruises--one of which is on the inside of her arm running from her elbow to her underarm w/ petechia spots at the end? I assume that one is from me picking her up and holding her. Her mean platelet volume is low as is her hematocrit, red cell dist width, and neutrophil %. Hemoglobin was just w/i the normal range this week. I am so happy for good platelet counts, but so confused!!!!

Madison

My son's pediatrician says that kids with ITP, though they can have a normal platelet count, often still have dysfunctional platelets, thus the bruising and petechiae with normal counts. That's the explanation I got. Also, I think they often dip up and down between counts.

Madison,

When Zach was first diagnosed, we used to be able to "guess" his numbers pretty accurately by the way he looked. However, as time went by, it seemed to get harder to do that - there have been times when he looked just fine, and his count was 30 and other times when he looked terrible, and his count would be at 90. Hang in there!

Shelly