Question about 5 year old's blood test

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stryped@hotmail.com - 10 Nov 2005 13:36 GMT

I have a 5 year old daughter I took to the doctor for a fever on
October 17. She was put on antibiotics and the fever left. Took her
back to the doctor last Saturday for the stomach virus. This doctor
noticed that her throat looked a little red and had one white spot.
Also noticed her lymph nodes were swollen a little in her neck.

She has had several strep tests which were negative. Yesterday the
origional doctor took blood from a finger. Told my wife it showed she
had an infection.

1. What was this test? My wife saif it was supposed to be a 10 and it
was a 14. (My guess is a white blood cell test but not sure.)

2. I am assuming she has had this since October 17. I am starting to
worry about bad things like Lymphoma and Leukemia. She has had no fever
though since October 17.

3. Am I worrying for nothing? Is there anythign I should ask for? My
daughter says she feels fine and her throat never hurts.

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O'Hush - 10 Nov 2005 23:56 GMT

> I have a 5 year old daughter I took to the doctor for a fever on
> October 17. She was put on antibiotics and the fever left. Took her
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> 2. I am assuming she has had this since October 17. I am starting to
> worry about bad things like Lymphoma and Leukemia.

White blood cell counts for lymphoma and leukemia are much higher than
14 thousand. Besides, in the lab, they look at other stuff besides
just the number of white blood cells, like how many of which kinds of
white blood cells were present. If they said it looks like infection,
you can be reassured it's just an infection. Most likely she's sick
again with a different germ. Kids get sick all the time, especially
when they first start school.

> She has had no fever
> though since October 17.
>
> 3. Am I worrying for nothing?

Almost certainly.

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Robert - 11 Nov 2005 00:38 GMT

> I have a 5 year old daughter I took to the doctor for a fever on
> October 17. She was put on antibiotics and the fever left. Took her

It sounds as though they did a CBC. It includes a differential in which they
can see the cells and determine if it is leukemia quite readily in
experienced hands. Lymphoma is not normally seen in the blood except for the
leukemic phase of lymphoma that happens late if at all. The definitive would
be to examine the lymph node but really not high on the list of diagnostic
possibilities in this case.

It sounds as though it is infectious and the differential would help.

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PF Riley - 11 Nov 2005 06:07 GMT

>I have a 5 year old daughter I took to the doctor for a fever on
>October 17.

How long was the fever going on? What other symptoms did she have?

>She was put on antibiotics and the fever left.

What was the diagnosis? Antibiotics are for treating a bacterial
infection. Did the doctor identify a bacterial infection, or does your
doctor just hand out antibiotics willy-nilly for fever, hoping that
overtreatment will substitute for diagnostic skill?

See: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9976858/

>Took her
>back to the doctor last Saturday for the stomach virus.

"The" stomach virus? Does this mean that's what she was diagnosed with
on October 17, or was this a new illness? If the original illness was
the stomach virus, then again I ask: Why was she put on antibiotics?

>This doctor
>noticed that her throat looked a little red and had one white spot.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>origional doctor took blood from a finger. Told my wife it showed she
>had an infection.

Infection where?

>1. What was this test? My wife saif it was supposed to be a 10 and it
>was a 14. (My guess is a white blood cell test but not sure.)

You have probably guessed correctly.

>2. I am assuming she has had this since October 17.

Why?

>I am starting to
>worry about bad things like Lymphoma and Leukemia. She has had no fever
>though since October 17.
>
>3. Am I worrying for nothing? Is there anythign I should ask for?

How about asking for a diagnosis a bit more specific than "infection"?

>My daughter says she feels fine and her throat never hurts.

Then leave her alone!

PF

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