To determine the level of white blood cells is required to take a blood test Blood tests: a mirror of health . Your doctor may order a blood test to determine the level of white blood cells. It helps to determine whether a child is suffering from an infection, a disease or an allergic reaction. In such cases, the level is higher than normal leukocytes. If the patient is susceptible to disease and infection, white blood cell count may be reduced.

Meaning

White blood cells (white blood cells) - are blood cells that fight bacteria and viruses. Low leukocytes may indicate that the child is at risk of infection, and the high level - that infection or disease is already present.

Types of white blood cells

The total number of leukocytes includes several different types of cells. This neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils and eosinophils. The number of each type of white blood cells may help the doctor determine whether to order the child's immune system. Too large or small number of white blood cells of any kind can affect the immune system The immune system - how it works? .

A healthy level

The normal level for children - from 4 500 to 10 000 white blood cells per microliter, the exact value depends on the age and sex. Above all levels of white blood cells in children under one year, and then it decreases. There are also rules for each type of white blood cells.

Unhealthy levels

If the white blood cell count is above or below the norm, it is a sign of ill health. In addition to the overall level of white blood cells, your doctor may draw attention to the number of certain types of white blood cells. For example, lymphocytes should be from 15 to 40% of total leukocytes. If the level is lower or higher, this may indicate a danger for the health of the child.

Abnormal results

The unusually low levels of leucocytes means leukopenia in a patient, which may result from bone marrow damage, radiation Radiation and its biological effect: gently infected!   or spleen or liver disease. Excessively high level of white blood cells indicates leukocytosis. It may be caused by anemia, infectious disease, leukemia, allergies or very severe stress How to beat stress? Create an oasis .

After birth, the newborn children often develop jaundice, which is called physiological. In most cases, jaundice goes so alone and does not require treatment. Only some children physiological jaundice lasts longer than usual - in this case they need medical care.

Why do infants develop physiological jaundice

The cause of the physiological neonatal jaundice is the transition from newborn fetal to adult development period. In utero oxygen to organs and tissues of the baby was delivered with the help of the so-called fetal hemoglobin contained in red blood cells. After birth, there is a replacement of fetal hemoglobin adult hemoglobin.

This process is accompanied by the destruction of a large amount of fetal hemoglobin Hemoglobin: worse - low or high? , Resulting in a new substance - bilirubin. It Bilirubin stains the skin and mucous membranes yellow. This is called indirect bilirubin or unrelated. It is quite toxic, which does not dissolve in water and therefore can not alone excreted. Then indirect bilirubin passes through the liver, there is bound to glucuronic acid (this is directly linked bilirubin) in the form of water-soluble non-toxic substances discharged through the kidneys.

In this regard, about two days after the birth of baby yellow - this is the physiological neonatal jaundice.

Jaundice goes gradually within two weeks. During this limited period of time the body of the newborn can not be harmed, but if jaundice continues longer toxic indirect bilirubin can destroy brain cells, including the subcortical nuclei, so this is called the nuclear jaundice. Kernicterus is very dangerous, because after the restore brain function in its entirety is very difficult.

Physiological neonatal jaundice requires observation. If it lasts longer than usual, examine the baby's blood for bilirubin (determined by the amount of total, indirect and direct bilirubin). If necessary, such a treatment is prescribed newborn, including drugs, protect the liver and promote the removal of bile, such as ursofalk.

How does ursofalk at physiological neonatal jaundice

Ursofalk - a drug with hepatoprotective properties (have a protective effect on cells of the liver), also provides choleretic effect. Under the influence of Ursofalk newborn liver cells begin to function more efficiently secrete the necessary amount of enzymes for converting indirect bilirubin into direct.

This leads to a rapid decrease in the toxic load on the child's body, particularly his brain to prevent and kernicterus. Direct bilirubin is rapidly excreted in the urine as ursofalk has choleretic action.

Ursofalk produces pharmaceutical company Dr. Falk Pharma (Germany) in capsules and a suspension for oral administration. Newborns appointed ursofalk suspension, which is available in bottles of 250 ml with measuring spoon (one measuring spoon of 5 ml contains 250 mg Ursofalk).

Ursofalk newborns should appoint a pediatrician. Give ursofalk once a day, the duration of treatment is determined by a physician and depends on the child's condition and data of laboratory blood tests.

Contraindications and side effects

Ursofalk not assigned to babies with severe diseases of the liver, pancreas Diabetes and pancreas - the things you need to know   and kidney with a violation of their functions, in the presence of acute inflammatory processes in the biliary tract, as well as hypersensitive to the components of the drug by the body of the child.

Ursofalk rarely has any side effects, but sometimes it still happens. Side effects can manifest Ursofalk:

• the part of the digestive system - regurgitation, vomiting fountain, impaired liver function (by laboratory parameters);
• there are also anxiety, sleep disorder Dreams: how to understand our dreams Allergic reactions.

Ursofalk widely used in neonatology for the treatment of prolonged physiological jaundice in the newborn.

Galina Romanenko