When at least one of the indicators in the child's blood test is increased, this always alarms the parents. Especially when it comes to one of the types of leukocytes, because many mothers know that these cells are on guard for the child's immunity. This means that their increased number may signal that a son or daughter has some kind of health problem. Why can a child have an increase in the number of eosinophils and what actions of parents will be correct with such changes in the blood test?
Why are eosinophils needed?
Eosinophils are one of the types of white blood cells, which are blood cells. Due to the presence of granules inside such cells, they, together with other types of leukocytes (basophils and neutrophils), are referred to as granulocytes. The main function of these leukocytes is to protect the child's body from exposure to various allergens and toxins, as well as pathogens of parasitic, staphylococcal and other infections. In addition, these cells regulate the inflammatory process.
Eosinophils are formed in the bone marrow, like other blood cells, and after entering the bloodstream, they reside either in the capillaries or in various tissues of the body (in the respiratory tract, skin, intestinal cells, and other places). In peripheral blood, they are determined in relatively small quantities. An interesting feature of such cells is that eosinophils can actively move using the amoebioid method. So they "fit" to the desired infectious agent or toxin that needs to be neutralized.
In this case, these leukocytes are able to absorb both the foreign particles themselves and the immune complexes or histamine formed in the child's body. When exposed to parasites, eosinophils secrete enzymes that destroy their membrane. In addition, eosinophilic leukocytes secrete prostaglandins and other biologically active compounds.
What is the elevated level of eosinophils?
The rate of eosinophils is determined in a blood test by calculating the leukocyte formula. The level of such cells is expressed as a percentage of the total number of white cells.
The upper limit of the norm for children is considered:
- Not more than 5% of eosinophils under the age of one year (in newborns before the 10th day of life, the upper limit will be 4%).
- Not more than 4% of eosinophils in children who are already 1 year old.
If the eosinophils in the child's blood are elevated, this condition is called eosinophilia. It is reactive (small) when the level of these leukocytes rises to a maximum of 15%. Moderate eosinophilia is also secreted if this type of leukocyte is 15-20% of all white blood cells. With an indicator of more than 20%, they speak of high eosinophilia. In some children, with an active pathological process, eosinophils represent 50% of all leukocytes or even more.
Causes of eosinophilia
The most common reasons for exceeding the normal percentage of eosinophils in childhood are allergic reactions and helminthic invasions. If they are present, the child has predominantly reactive eosinophilia, that is, the indicator rarely exceeds 10-15%.
Allergies these days are very common pathologies in children. They can be provoked by allergenic substances from food, household chemicals, animal dander, pollen and others. With Quincke's edema, urticaria, exudative diathesis, bronchial asthma and neurodermatitis, the level of eosinophils always increases.
Worms are also a very common problem in children, since many babies do not fully comply with hygiene rules - they do not wash their hands or do not wash them thoroughly enough, eat unwashed vegetables, communicate with animals. All these factors increase the risk of infection with helminths, among which roundworms and pinworms are called the most common in children.
A high level of eosinophilic leukocytes is also detected when:
- Lack of magnesium.
- Leukemia and other benign or malignant tumors.
- Polycythemia.
- Rheumatism and systemic diseases.
- Protozoal infections.
- Infectious mononucleosis.
- Malaria.
- Scarlet fever and other acute infections caused by bacteria.
- Dermatitis, psoriasis and other skin diseases.
- Vasculitis.
- Tuberculosis.
- Immunodeficiencies.
- Burns that cover a large area of the body.
- Lung disease.
- Decreased thyroid function.
- Liver cirrhosis.
- Congenital heart defects.
- Removal of the spleen.
- Taking certain medications, such as sulfonamides, nitrofurans, hormones, or antibiotics.
- Increasing the tone of the vagus nerve.
Eosinophilia, which is caused by a genetic factor, is distinguished separately. In addition, an increased number of eosinophils can be detected in children who have recently had pneumonia or hepatitis. After such diseases, as in the postoperative period and after injuries, eosinophilic leukocytes can be determined above normal for a rather long time.
Symptoms
If the child has eosinophilia, this condition does not manifest itself with specific symptoms, but will have a clinical picture of the underlying disease that provoked a change in the leukogram. The child may have a fever, anemia, an enlarged liver, heart failure, joint pain, weight loss, muscle pain, skin rash, and other symptoms.
In case of allergic diseases, there will be complaints of itchy skin, dry cough, dermatitis, runny nose and other signs of allergic reactions. If roundworms or pinworms are the cause of eosinophilia, the child will have sleep disturbances, itching will appear in the anus and genitals, and appetite and body weight will change.
What to do
Having found elevated eosinophils in the analysis of a child, you should consult your doctor. The pediatrician will examine the child and refer him for a second analysis to exclude the possibility of an erroneous result. Also, if necessary, other studies will be prescribed - urine analysis, coprogram, biochemical blood test, feces check for helminth eggs, serological tests, and so on.
Treatment for eosinophilia should be directed at the cause of this blood change.
The doctor will take into account the underlying disease and prescribe the desired course of treatment:
- When infected with pinworms, roundworms or other parasites, therapy will be aimed at destroying such pathogens and removing them from the child's body.
- Having identified an allergic disease in a child, first of all, they establish the allergens that caused it and cause exacerbations. Also, the child is prescribed antihistamines to relieve itching and inflammation.
- If high eosinophils are provoked by previously prescribed medications, they are canceled.
As soon as the general condition of the child improves, and the symptoms of the disease that caused high eosinophils disappear, the leukocyte formula also normalizes.
You can learn more about eosinophils by watching the following video.
