Increased eosinophils in a child: what to do and how to avoid pathology. Increased eosinophils in a child in the blood - what does it mean Eosinophils and leukocytes are increased in a child

In pediatric pediatrics, in order to determine whether a child is healthy or not, a complete blood count is almost always prescribed. Of course, if any of the indicators is exceeded, it always scares parents. But it is the level of eosinophils that is most often responsible for the presence of allergic reactions to certain foods.

Very often in pediatrics they encounter allergies in children. In order to identify an allergic reaction to a certain product or to learn about bacterial and helminthic infections, the pediatrician prescribes a complete blood count. And it is precisely by the level of eosinophils that one can determine whether there is some pathological deviation.

Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that are responsible for inflammation in the body. Moreover, they are designed to protect the body from toxins and various harmful carriers such as allergens. Like all blood cells, the formation of eosinophils occurs in the bone marrow.

An interesting fact is that it is this type of eosinophils that can, so to speak, "travel" through the body, thereby neutralizing some kind of toxin.

The norm of eosinophils in children

The higher the percentage of eosinophils, the more allergens in the body. It is worth noting that the level in childhood and in adulthood is different. The purpose of eosinophils is to protect the body. And it is the normal level in the blood that speaks of a healthy body.

Optimal percentage:

After 16 years, the indicator can already be equated to an adult indicator. The number decreases with age. In practice, there were cases when, after the age of six, the level of eosinophils was equal to 0. And then it completely disappeared. This is acceptable and is not considered a deviation.

It is worth noting that during the day, the level of eosinophils can change. This is due to the work of the adrenal glands. And it is at night that the level of eosinophils reaches its maximum mark. And the lowest percentage is in the morning and evening hours. For this reason, it is customary to take a blood test in the morning and on an empty stomach. This is a prerequisite for a correct and correct analysis result.

Causes of elevated eosinophils

Reasons for an increase in eosinophils include:

1. An allergen develops in the body. And it is the increase in eosinophils that indicates this. As a rule, in children this is one of the most common reasons.
2. Worms. There is nothing to be ashamed of for parents if a small child has worms. After all, these are children, they taste everything and pull every toy into their mouths. No matter how mom and dad try to raise a child in cleanliness, unfortunately, sometimes this happens.
3. Various skin diseases. It can be both diaper rash and lichen, which the child could catch from a street cat.
4. Malignant tumors. This is in a more severe form of the disease.
5. Violation of the work of blood vessels and disease of the circulatory system.
6. Deficiency in the blood of such a useful substance as magnesium.

Eosinophils in the blood are elevated in a child

After the child donates blood and if there is an increased level of eosinophils in the analysis. That doctor will definitely prescribe a complete examination. When the level is elevated, and in pediatrics, and in medicine in general, this is called eosinophilia.

Most often, an increase in the level of eosinophils in an infant or a little older indicates an allergic reaction to some kind of product. In this case, allergic spots may be on the child's abdomen or a rash may appear on the child's cheeks. Also, an increased percentage may mean the development of some kind of infectious disease. In addition to all this, there may be a malfunction in the functioning of immunity cells.

Eosinophils in the blood are lowered in a child

A decrease in the level of eosinophils is called in medicine - eosinopenia. Unfortunately, low levels can also indicate some serious diseases:

1. Malfunction of the adrenal glands.
2. The development of bacterial infectious diseases.
3. A decrease can be observed in viral diseases such as SARS, influenza.
4. With low hemoglobin and severe anemia.
5. With a lack of vitamin B12.
6. With poisoning with mercury, arsenic. If the child inhaled these vapors.
7. For burns or injuries.
8. In operations requiring surgical intervention.
9. For thyroid problems. Especially if at the same time the child was prescribed hormonal drugs.
10. Stress, neuroses can also cause a decrease in the percentage of eosinophils.

Possible Complications

With an increased level of eosinophilia, a number of serious diseases can occur, both in infancy and in older children. As a rule, there may be a high temperature, which is not immediately able to bring down. Sometimes there is pain in the joints, but this is in older children. Maybe drop hemoglobin, and begin anemia. Moreover, there may be interruptions in the heart rhythm, there may be a deterioration in appetite and an enlarged liver.

In the case of an allergic reaction, it can also be in infants, skin itching may occur, a rash on the body, a runny nose, eyes will begin to water.

When the level of eosinophils is elevated for a long time, in this case the most dangerous thing that can happen is complications in the work of vital organs. Namely, the liver, spleen, lungs, heart, brain. This reaction refers to the level of primary eosinophilia.

The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

The well-known pediatrician Evgeny Olegovich is of the opinion that if an increased level of eosinophils does not create discomfort for the child. The kid is cheerful, cheerful, energetic, eats well and sleeps soundly, then no special treatment is required.

If examination and analysis of feces do not reveal any particular pathologies, then you should not worry and worry (again, you should always pay attention to the general condition of the child). After three to four months, a complete blood count can be retaken. Komarovsky claims that very often an elevated level indicates a previously appeared illness, for example, a bacterial one, and when there are no traces of the disease left in the body, the level of eosinophils by itself, without any additional treatment, returns to normal.

If, upon re-analysis, there will again be an increased level of eosinophils, then it makes sense to donate blood for the content of immunoglobulin E. It is this analysis that will help the allergist to determine whether the crumbs have a predisposition to an allergic reaction to some product. Also, the doctor recommends re-taking a stool test.

Prevention

It is difficult to disagree that any disease is easier to prevent than to treat later, albeit not for long. Also in this case, if the level of eosinophils has already been increased at least once, then in the future it is best to do prevention:

1. Be sure to properly organize the daily routine and nutrition of the child.
2. Lead a healthy lifestyle with your child. More often walk in the fresh air, hardening, etc.
3. As a rule, the pediatrician prescribes a complete blood count once every 6 months, for older children - once a year. But for the complete peace of mind of parents, you can take an analysis once every 4 months.
4. Explain to the child that the rules of hygiene must always be observed and monitored for the implementation of these rules.

The health of the child is the most important thing that should require the attention of parents. And the simplest thing that can be done is to timely take the necessary tests that will help identify pathologies, if any, in the body.

The change in the number of eosinophils in the results of the KLA indicates that there is an imbalance between the process of hematopoiesis in the bone marrow, the migration of blood cells and their decay in the tissues of the body.

Tasks of eosinophils

The main task of the activity of eosinophils is the elimination of foreign harmful agents. Their destruction occurs at the extracellular level, their ability to eliminate also quite large organisms. The impact begins when the contents of intracellular granules are released. Compared to neutrophils, the ability for phagocytosis in the agents we are considering is less, but still it is present. This is not their main task, but they can destroy and absorb microbes.

We list the main functions of eosinophilic granulocytes:

• They are toxic to helminths.
• Eliminate the action of biologically active substances that caused allergies.
• They help to eliminate the consequences of the activity of bioactive substances that were produced by mast cells and basophils. The latter are the main causative agents of an allergic reaction. They also affect the development of severe forms of the disease - Quincke's edema and anaphylactic shock.
• Develop a high sensitivity reaction.
• Awaken activity to kill bacteria.
• Eliminate foreign cells by absorbing them.

The norm of eosinophils in children - video

The rate of eosinophils in the blood of a child is subject to age-related fluctuations. Approximate guidelines are considered to be the following (in percentage terms):

• newborn baby - 2%
• on the 5th day after birth, there is a slight increase in eosinophils - up to 3%
• by the first month they decrease - up to 2.5%
• at 4 years, the decrease becomes even more noticeable - their relative content is 1%
• from 14 years old - 2%.

The absolute norm of eosinophils in older children corresponds to that of adults. Its reference values ​​are 0.02-0.3 ∙ 10⁹/L. An increased content (more than 0.3 ∙ 10⁹/l) is regarded as eosinophilia.

Absolute and relative eosinophilia are concepts that do not always coincide.

Eosinophilic granulocytes are part of the leukocyte blood formula. It is easiest and most reliable to determine their number with the help of a general blood test.

The indicators that determine the norm will vary depending on the laboratory conducting the study. This is influenced by the reagents used, equipment and units of measurement adopted in a particular medical institution. Most laboratories define the number of eosinophilic granulocytes as a percentage of the total number of all leukocytes. Those. in the end, we see not the total number of cells, but their proportion among leukocytes.

It is important to keep in mind that the result obtained is relative. Based on this technique, eosinophilic granulocytes are normally:

• for newborn babies - from 1 to 6-8%;
• for babies-babies from 15 days to a year - 1-5%;
• 1-2 years - 1-7%;
• 205 years - 1-6%;
• 5-15 years - 1-4%;
• older than 15 years of age - up to 5%.

Existing tables allow you to independently determine whether the result of the study is normal or there are deviations. To calculate the absolute number of eosinophilic granulocytes in the blood, the following unit of measurement is taken as a basis: 10 ^ 9 / l.

In this case, the following indicators are considered the norm:

• from birth to one year - 0.05-0.4;
• from 1 year to 6 years - 0.02-0.3;
• for children from 6 years old and adults - 0.02-0.5.

Eosinophils are very sensitive to taking a variety of drugs. If the child is taking carbamazepine (an anticonvulsant drug), tetracycline, erythromycin, anti-tuberculosis drugs, or phenothiazides, the number of these types of blood cells may be increased.

An increase in cell levels has been observed in patients taking penicillin, aminsalicylic acid, and methyldop. It is extremely important to test for allergies to a particular type of drug.

A decrease in eosinophilic granulocytes is a sign of a developing inflammatory process in the body. Sepsis, intoxication of the body and purulent inflammation cannot be ruled out. After receiving the results of the tests, you should discuss them with the leading doctor.

Sometimes protective granulocytes are referred to as the Latin abbreviation "EO". The detection of an extremely small deviation of eosinophils from the given indicators, for example, by hundredths or tenths, is usually not a cause for concern. Often, in the results issued, parents can see the discrepancy between the content of many blood cells and the prescribed standards.

In fact, comparative laboratory tables often indicate acceptable variations only for an adult. Therefore, it is the pediatrician who is familiar with the characteristics of each age category of underage patients and their indicators will be able to decipher the extract in detail.

The largest numbers are in infants and in 3 year old children. This level of eosinophils in a child is quite reasonable. But any shift from the permissible limit requires an immediate search for the causes of an increase in the number of eosinophils, diagnosis and bringing them back to normal.

• In newborns - 1-6
• In children up to two weeks of age - 1-6
• From two weeks to one year - 1-5

• From one year to two years - 1-7
• From two to five years - 1-6
• From six to sixteen years old - 1-5

If the indicators are higher, then this condition is called eosinophilia. It is not very good when the analysis showed low eosinophils in the blood of a child. This can signal the initial stage of inflammation, a stressful condition, a purulent infection, or poisoning with any heavy metals or chemicals.

Any discrepancy with normal indicators as a result of the KLA is very worrying for parents. To dispel groundless worries, you need to understand what this analysis is in general, what data it can report and what to do when a deviation from the norm is detected.

In this video, Dr. Komarovsky will help parents navigate the complex names of blood cells and understand their purpose, as well as determine the type of disease, which is indicated by a change in indicators.

The condition of the blood can tell a lot about the health of the baby. What "enemy" has entered the body, at what stage is the struggle and much more. When, as a result of the analysis, elevated monocytes and eosinophils are detected in a child, this signals the fight of immunity with foreign objects. To alleviate the course of the disease and prevent the occurrence of diseases in the future, you need to constantly work to ensure that

strengthen the child's immunity

Have you encountered an increase in the number of eosinophils in children and what disease was this indicator a signal of?

Eosinophilia as a disease

Since there are a lot of reasons for increasing eosinophils in the blood of a child, the symptoms may be different.

• There are changes in appetite;
• There is a feeling of lethargy and loss of strength;
• There is itching irritation of the anus;

• Weight is reduced;
• There is pain in the muscles;
• Allergic reactions appear on the skin.

• Rash on the skin, accompanied by itching;
• Runny nose, sneezing, swelling;

• Dry cough, shortness of breath, asthma attacks;
• Itching, redness of the eyes, tearing.

Other diseases in which an increase in the number of this type of leukocytes is possible are more typical for adults. However, any changes in the child's condition, along with a deviation from the norm as a result of the study, and especially when eosinophils are elevated in infants, require additional attention from specialists.

With high eosinophils and elevated monocytes, helminthic invasions, infectious diseases of the intestines and respiratory tract occur. Changes in the leukocyte count of the blood depend on the nature of the pathogen.

In infections caused by viruses and bacteria, eosinophil counts are lower than in helminthiases. And the severity of the infection explains why eosinophils can be elevated in a child or remain unchanged with the same type of pathogen.

The level of EO changes differently depending on the severity of the disease when infected with the parainfluenza virus. Parainfluenza is an acute respiratory viral infection with symptoms:

• temperature increase up to 38 degrees;
• severe cold;
• dry cough.

In children, the development of laryngitis, tracheitis is possible, the risk of stenosis of the larynx is increased, especially if the child is prone to allergic reactions.

Uncomplicated parainfluenza occurs without an increase in ESR, with a slight decrease in leukocytes. With parainfluenza complicated by pneumonia, eosinophils are increased in children up to 6-8%. In the blood test, lymphocytes are increased, ESR, increased to 15-20 mm per hour.

Elevated eosinophils in the blood test are detected in tuberculosis, infectious mononucleosis. The level of eosinophils depends on the severity of tuberculosis. Severe tuberculosis occurs with normal eosinophils.

A slight increase in eosinophils, lymphocytes are above normal and the absence of young neutrophils in the blood with tuberculosis means recovery, or this is considered a sign of a benign course of the disease.

But a sharp drop in EO levels in the blood or even a complete absence of eosinophilic leukocytes is an unfavorable sign. Such a violation indicates a severe course of tuberculosis.

Particularly susceptible to tuberculosis are infants up to a year old, adolescents from 12 to 16 years old. Treatment of tuberculosis, due to prolonged use of drugs, can cause drug allergies. The appearance of an allergy means that in the blood test, the eosinophils in the child will be higher than normal, and this increase sometimes reaches 20 - 30%.

It is possible to diagnose the disease of eosinophilia when the level of leukocyte bodies is increased by at least a third of the norm. It is rather difficult to characterize it as an independent disease. Basically, this disease manifests itself against a background of a more serious illness. Elevated eosinophilic bodies in the blood may mean that the child's body is currently fighting another disease.

In medical practice, there have been cases when an infant was diagnosed with eosinophilia from birth. It could arise due to congenital heart disease, immunodeficiency or cancer. Eosinophilia can also be seen in premature babies.

For allergies:

• Redness, rashes;
• Dermatitis, diaper rash;
• dry skin, itching;

• Sleep disturbances;
• Lack of appetite;
• Itching in the anus or genitals;
• Change in body weight.

Caused by other diseases:

• General malaise, weakness, lethargy;
• Heart failure;
• Anemia;
• Increase in body temperature.

These are not all the symptoms that occur with an increased level of eosinophils. Basically, the symptoms of the disease are similar to the underlying disease. This means that to determine the presence of eosinophilia, only a blood leukogram will help.

Major eosinophilia

There are three stages of eosinophilia: mild, moderate, and high or major eosinophilia. In more detail I would like to pay attention to the latter. This degree of the disease is characterized by high levels of eosinophils in the blood. They can reach 15% or more. In this case, there is a risk of developing monocytosis or leukocytosis of the blood.

The level of monocytes in a healthy person is within 13%. They, like eosinophils, belong to granular leukocytes and their meeting indicates the presence of a dangerous infection or infection with helminths.

An increased number of leukocytes and eosinophilic bodies can develop against the background of viral infections, with antibiotic treatment. If a child gets sick with scarlet fever, tuberculosis, or all the same helminths, the risk of developing large eosinophilia is very high.

The first step is to take a closer look at your child. If there are no external manifestations of the disease, the child feels great, and do not disturb him, then a second blood test should be taken. Perhaps, at the time of delivery, the increased eosinophils in the child were not due to eosinophilia, but to a completely different one. Only identifying the true cause will help solve the problem.

It is worth contacting a pediatrician again and retaking the tests. Already based on repeated results and knowing the entire history of the disease, the doctor prescribes medication. Each type of eosinophilia is treated differently:

The condition when a person increases the number of eosinophilic granulocytes in the body up to 10-15% is called eosinophilia. This increase in eosinophils is accompanied by a slightly elevated or normal white blood cell count. In the bone marrow, eosinophilic granulocytes are actively produced as a protective reaction to the appearance of a foreign protein in the blood.

Eosinophilic cationic protein indices can become higher for various reasons:

• Defense response to allergen exposure. The immune system begins to work actively when allergic skin lesions or bronchial asthma occur. It is immunity that gives a signal to increase the production of eosinophilic granulocytes.
• The process of recovery after an infection. The body recovers and begins to strengthen the immune system, creating a large number of eosinophils.
• The presence of helminthic invasions (ascariasis, toxocariasis, giardiasis, opisthorchiasis). Being a chronic irritant, helminthic infestations provoke the immune system to regularly produce eosinophils. It is important to know that fluctuations in the number of eosinophilic granulocytes can also occur in a healthy child. Sometimes, after re-taking the analysis, the first elevated data is replaced by normal ones.

Anxiety for the child pushes parents to turn to additional examinations. To get a more accurate result, you should follow some rules for taking a clinical blood test:

• Since an increase in leukocytes follows after eating, it is best to donate blood on an empty stomach;
• Theoretically, the indicators also depend on the time of day at which the analysis was made, so it is preferable to do it in the morning;
• If KLA is taken several times during the course of the illness, then it will be correct to observe the same conditions (for example, always in the morning and before meals), so that as few factors as possible affect the indicators;
• If the child is healthy, and eosinophilia persists for a long time, it is worth taking an analysis for the level of total immunoglobulin E to determine the tendency to allergic reactions.

About the increase in eosinophils in a child, Dr. Komarovsky says the following: “it may be present after illnesses, usually bacterial, at the stage of recovery. But if the general condition of the child is normal, then in itself an increase in the number of eosinophils should not cause alarm in parents.

If the child is healthy, then it is best to monitor his condition and be examined (do an OAC) in about 3-4 months.

Why are eosinophils low in the blood?

A critically low content of blood cells or their complete absence is called eosinopenia. It is observed against the background of the following ailments:

• advanced leukemia;
• cholecystitis;
• acute gallstone disease;
• poisoning with such chemical elements as arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, phenol, bismuth and copper;
• appendicitis;
• suppuration;
• primary stage of myocardial infarction;
• pancreatitis;
• varicose eczema.

If a child is constantly exposed to stress or periodic emotional upheavals, an eosinophil deficiency will show this with a high degree of probability.

A reduced content of eosinophils (less than 0.05) is called eosinopenia. Such a small number of cells shows that the body's defenses are weak and cannot withstand the existing harmful factors.

Why might the level be lower? Often the reason lies in the existing pathology:

• some acute intestinal infectious diseases (typhoid fever, dysentery);
• acute appendicitis;
• sepsis;
• injuries, burns, surgical operations;
• the first day of myocardial infarction;
• the presence of acute inflammation (at first, the substances are completely absent, and then there is an excess of the norm, which will indicate recovery).

A decrease in the level of eosinophilic granulocytes is sometimes not at all associated with pathology. Often, this is caused by excessive physical exertion, psycho-emotional overstrain, and exposure to adrenal hormones.

The situation when a child has elevated eosinophils is quite common. In most cases, this indicates a health problem, but sometimes it can be a minor deviation. To understand this, it is important to study all the possible causes of this phenomenon, as well as find out which indicators are normal.

What are eosinophils

Eosinophils are specific blood cells that form in the bone marrow. They belong to the group of leukocytes. This means that the main task of eosinophils is to protect the body from infections and other diseases.

A general blood test sometimes reveals that the child has elevated eosinophils

Norms of eosinophils in children

To find out whether the eosinophils in a child are elevated or not, you need to know what the norm is. Its indicators differ depending on the age of the child. Since eosinophils are often recorded as a percentage, the figures for different age groups are as follows:

• from birth to two weeks - 1-6%;
• from two weeks of age to a year - 1-5%;
• 1-2 years - 1-7%;
• 2-4 years - 1-6%;
• 5-18 years old - 1-5%.

As you can see, eosinophils can be present in the blood in a small amount. This is normal and does not require correction.

What does an elevated eosinophil level mean?

An elevated level of eosinophils is said to be in the event that a specific indicator exceeds the norm by more than 10%. This condition is known in medical circles as eosinophilia.

It can be moderate or severe. The more eosinophils, the more acute the disease.

An increase in eosinophils can occur for various reasons. Unfortunately, not all are known to modern medicine. To date, several diseases have been reliably identified, which are accompanied by eosinophilia:

• Worm invasion. We are talking about infection with pinworms, roundworms and other types of helminths.
• Allergy. It includes various kinds of skin reactions, bronchial asthma of an allergic nature, hay fever, serum sickness.
• Dermatological pathologies. This category includes various kinds of dermatitis, lichen, eczema.
• Connective tissue diseases: vasculitis, rheumatism and other inflammatory processes.
• Some hematological diseases: lymphogranulomatosis, erythremia, etc.
• infectious diseases.

In addition, the so-called hypereosinophilic syndrome is distinguished. This term refers to a pathological condition that is accompanied by a persistent increase in eosinophils in the blood of a child or adult and lasts at least six months. The etiology of this disease remains unclear, but the described condition poses a great danger to health. It causes damage to the brain, lungs and other internal organs.

Causes of increased eosinophils in newborns

A high level of eosinophils is often observed in infants immediately after birth or in the first months of life. In such young children, such a pathology is associated with the fact that the body is struggling with some foreign protein. Most often, eosinophilia is caused by allergies. Usually this is a reaction to formula milk or foods that a nursing mother consumes.

Allergies can manifest as rashes, eczema, hives. Often these babies are diagnosed with diathesis.

If eosinophils are elevated in an infant, this may indicate lactose intolerance. This diagnosis is accompanied by diarrhea, severe flatulence, unkind weight. In this case, you need to conduct additional diagnostics.

Eosinophils and other blood counts

To diagnose a disease associated with an increase in eosinophils, it is necessary to take into account other indicators of the tests. If monocytes are elevated during eosinophilia, this most likely indicates a viral infection, such as mononucleosis. To draw an appropriate conclusion, it is necessary to pay attention to the clinical signs of the disease: the presence of cough or rhinitis, sore throat, fever. In such a situation, there is a shift in other indicators - for example, lymphocytes are also elevated.

Pronounced eosinophilia and a high white blood cell count may be a sign of impending scarlet fever. Also, such a combination suggests a helminth invasion or allergy, combined with an infectious disease.

Determination of the level of eosinophils

To find out the level of eosinophils and other indicators in the child's blood, it is necessary to pass the KLA. This abbreviation means a complete blood count.

The study can be carried out in a regular clinic, hospital or in a private laboratory. The only difference is that in a government agency you will need a referral from a doctor. Blood from young children is taken from a finger for analysis using a special tool. This is a faster and less painful method than drawing blood from a vein.

The level of eosinophils depends on many factors. For example, in the morning and in the first half of the day it is lower, and in the evening it can rise. That is why they pass the analysis strictly on an empty stomach.

A high level of eosinophils in children of any age is a reason for parents to be wary and show increased interest in the health of their child. Depending on the severity of eosinophilia and the presence of concomitant signs, additional studies may be necessary. For questions regarding further diagnosis, you should consult a doctor. Self-medication in this case is unacceptable.

A high level of eosinophils in a child is a violation of the blood formula, when the analysis indicators are increased by more than 8%, and which indicates infection with helminths or allergies. The highest values ​​of eosinophils (EO, EOS) are found in hypereosinophilia, when the analysis indicators reach 80 - 90%.

Causes of eosinophilia in children

The most common causes of an increase in eosinophils in children include:

• allergy manifested by:
  • atopic dermatitis;
  • hay fever;
  • bronchial asthma;
  • hives;
  • angioedema;
  • food intolerance;
  • hypersensitivity to the introduction of antibiotics, vaccines, serum;
• helminthiases - both as an independent cause of eosinophilia, and as a factor provoking an allergic reaction;
• infectious diseases, including scarlet fever, chickenpox, influenza, SARS, tuberculosis, etc.

Eosinophils elevated up to 8% - 25% mean, most often, an allergic reaction or an infectious disease.

Less commonly, eosinophils in a child are elevated in the blood due to:

• autoimmune diseases - systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, vasculitis, psoriasis;
• immunodeficiency hereditary disorders - Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, Omenn, family histiocytosis;
• hypothyroidism;
• oncology;
• magnesium deficiency.

Magnesium ions are essential for protein synthesis, including immunoglobulins of all classes. The lack of this macronutrient negatively affects the state of humoral immunity.

Increased eosinophils in infants with Omenn's syndrome - a hereditary genetic disorder, which is characterized by:

• scaly peeling of the skin;
• enlargement of the liver and spleen;
• diarrhea
• elevated temperature.

The disease is diagnosed in infants immediately after birth. In the blood test, in addition to an increase in EOS, leukocytes and IgE levels are elevated.

Allergy

Elevated eosinophils serve as an indicator of acute or chronic allergic processes developing in the body. In Russia, allergy is the most common cause of an increase in eosinophils in the blood of a child.

In addition to elevated eosinophils, food allergy is characterized by leukopenia, a high level of IgE immunoglobulins in the child's blood, and the presence of EO in fecal mucus.

There is a relationship between the degree of eosinophilia and the severity of allergy symptoms:

• with an increase in EO to 7-8% - slight reddening of the skin, slight itching, swollen lymph nodes to a "pea", IgE 150 - 250 IU / l;
• EO increased to 10% - severe itching, the appearance of cracks, crusts on the skin, a pronounced increase in lymph nodes, IgE 250 - 500 IU / l;
• EO more than 10% - constant itching that disturbs the child's sleep, extensive skin lesions with deep cracks, an increase in several lymph nodes to the size of a "bean", IgE more than 500 IU / l.

Increased eosinophils in pollinosis - an allergic inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, trachea, bronchi, conjunctiva of the eyes. Pollinosis is manifested by swelling of the mucous membranes, runny nose, sneezing, swelling of the eyelids, nasal congestion.

An increased level of eosinophils in pollinosis is found not only in the peripheral blood, but also in the mucous membranes in the foci of inflammation.

allergy to vaccination

An increase in eosinophilic granulocytes may occur in children as a result of an allergic reaction to vaccination. Sometimes, diseases that are not related to the introduction of the vaccine are sometimes taken as signs of a complication of vaccination.

The fact that eosinophils are elevated in a child precisely because of the introduction of a vaccine is indicated by the appearance of symptoms of a complication no later than:

• after 2 days for vaccinations with ADS, DTP, ADS-C - vaccines against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus;
• 14 days with the introduction of measles vaccination, symptoms of complications appear more often on the 5th day after vaccination;
• 3 weeks when vaccinated against mumps;
• 1 month after polio vaccination.

An immediate complication of vaccination is anaphylactic shock, accompanied by increased eosinophils, leukocytes, erythrocytes, neutrophils. Anaphylactic shock to vaccination develops in the first 15 minutes after the administration of the drug, manifests itself in a child:

• restlessness, anxiety;
• frequent weak pulse;
• shortness of breath;
• pallor of the skin.

Eosinophils in helminthiases

A common cause of an increase in eosinophils in children is infection with worms. The presence of helminths in the body of a child is established using tests:

• feces - diagnostics, with the exception of ascaris and giardia, is not accurate, because it does not detect larvae, waste products, the method does not work if the source of infection is outside the digestive tract;
• blood - general analysis, liver tests;
• ELISA - enzyme immunoassay, determines the presence of antibodies in the blood to certain types of helminths.

Types of helminthiases

Toxocariasis can occur in children with symptoms of bronchitis, pneumonia. The patient's condition is characterized by cough, fever in combination with intestinal upset.

Signs of toxocariasis are:

• abdominal pain;
• skin rashes;
• enlargement of the liver and lymph nodes.

So, if at first the eosinophils in the blood of a child are increased to 85%, and after 3 weeks they decrease to 8% - 10%, then this most likely means that he is infected with trematodes.

According to WHO, in different countries of the world Giardia infected from 30 to 60% of children. Giardiasis is accompanied by atopic dermatitis, urticaria, food allergies. The increase in eosinophils in giardiasis is persistent, but the increase is often insignificant and amounts to 8% - 10%, although there are cases with EO 17 - 20%.

Infectious diseases

With high eosinophils and elevated monocytes, helminthic invasions, infectious diseases of the intestines and respiratory tract occur. Changes in the leukocyte count of the blood depend on the nature of the pathogen.

In infections caused by viruses and bacteria, eosinophil counts are lower than in helminthiases. And the severity of the infection explains why eosinophils can be elevated in a child or remain unchanged with the same type of pathogen.

The level of EO changes differently depending on the severity of the disease when infected with the parainfluenza virus. Parainfluenza is an acute respiratory viral infection with symptoms:

• temperature increase up to 38 degrees;
• severe cold;
• dry cough.

In children, the development of laryngitis, tracheitis is possible, the risk of stenosis of the larynx is increased, especially if the child is prone to allergic reactions.

Uncomplicated parainfluenza occurs without an increase in ESR, with a slight decrease in leukocytes. With parainfluenza complicated by pneumonia, eosinophils are increased in children up to 6-8%. In the blood test, lymphocytes are increased, ESR, increased to 15-20 mm per hour.

Elevated eosinophils in the blood test are detected in tuberculosis, infectious mononucleosis. The level of eosinophils depends on the severity of tuberculosis. Severe tuberculosis occurs with normal eosinophils.

A slight increase in eosinophils, lymphocytes are above normal and the absence of young neutrophils in the blood with tuberculosis means recovery, or this is considered a sign of a benign course of the disease.

But a sharp drop in EO levels in the blood or even a complete absence of eosinophilic leukocytes is an unfavorable sign. Such a violation indicates a severe course of tuberculosis.

Particularly susceptible to tuberculosis are infants up to a year old, adolescents from 12 to 16 years old. Treatment of tuberculosis, due to prolonged use of drugs, can cause drug allergies. The appearance of an allergy means that in the blood test, the eosinophils in the child will be higher than normal, and this increase sometimes reaches 20 - 30%.

Autoimmune eosinophilia

An increase in eosinophils in children caused by an autoimmune disorder is rare. At high EOS, a child may be diagnosed with an autoimmune disease:

• rheumatoid arthritis;
• eosinophilic gastroenteritis;
• eosinophilic cystitis;
• nodular periarteritis;
• eosinophilic heart disease;
• eosinophilic fasciitis;
• chronic hepatitis.

With eosinophilic fasciitis, EO is increased to 8% - 44%, ESR rises to 30 - 50 mm per hour, IgG levels are increased. Periarteritis nodosa, in addition to elevated eosinophils, is characterized by high platelets, neutrophils, low hemoglobin, and accelerated ESR.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is considered a disease of childhood. A feature of this disease is that with elevated eosinophils in the blood, the child sometimes does not have allergic manifestations, which means that they try to treat him on their own and turn to the doctor late.

Signs of eosinophilic gastroenteritis in children include:

• lack of appetite, weight loss;
• abdominal pain;
• watery diarrhea;
• nausea, vomiting.

Food intolerance, both allergic and non-allergic, can cause the disease. Attempts to cure a child on their own with the help of folk remedies will only hurt, since they will not eliminate the causes of the disease.

Eosinophilia in oncology

An increase in eosinophils is noted in malignant tumors:

• nasopharynx;
• bronchi;
• stomach;
• thyroid gland;
• intestines.

Increased eosinophils in Hodgkin's disease, lymphoblastic, myeloid leukemia, Wilms tumor, acute eosinophilic leukemia, carcinomatosis.

In children, acute lymphoblastic leukemia is more common than other malignant diseases (up to 80% of cases). Boys usually get sick, the critical age is from 1 to 5 years. The cause of the disease is a mutation of the precursor cell of lymphocytes.

At risk are children with Down syndrome, Fanconi anemia, congenital or acquired immunodeficiency states. In acute lymphoblastic leukemia, neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes and ESR are increased in the blood test, lymphocytes, erythrocytes, and hemoglobin are lowered.

The child has enlarged lymph nodes, starting with the cervical. The nodes do not solder together, are painless, which is why they may not cause concern for either the child or the parents.

The prognosis of the disease in oncology depends to a large extent on the timeliness of contacting a pediatrician. An increase in temperature for no apparent reason, fatigue, enlarged lymph nodes, a child's complaints of headache, pain in the legs, blurred vision - these symptoms cannot be ignored. They must be the reason for contacting the local pediatrician and examination.

Clinical analyzes are very difficult for parents to decipher. Especially many questions arise after receiving the results of a blood test. It is given not only for diseases. This is a common method for assessing the general condition of a child.

If everything is more or less clear with hemoglobin to moms and dads, then some analysis indicators cause real panic. One such obscure term is eosinophils. What to do if they are elevated to a child in the blood, says a well-known pediatrician and author of books on children's health Yevgeny Komarovsky.

What it is

If a laboratory assistant, after applying an acidic environment, detects a number of such cells in a child's blood sample that exceeds the age norm, this is called eosinophilia. If the cells are less than the required number, then we are talking about eosinopenia.

Norms

• In newborns and children up to 2 weeks, the blood normally contains from 1 to 6% of eosinophils.
• In infants from 2 weeks to a year - from 1 to 5%.
• Between the year and 2 years, the number of cells in the norm increases somewhat and amounts to 1-7% of the total number of blood cells.
• In babies from 2 to 5 years - 1-6%.
• From the age of 6 until adolescence, a value of 1 to 5% is considered the norm.

Causes of deviations from the norm

If eosinophils in a child are more than normal, there may be several reasons for this:

If the level of eosinophils in the blood of a child is insufficient, the doctor may suspect that he has the following problems:

• inflammation(its very initial stage, when there are no other symptoms yet or they are mild);
• purulent infections;
• severe emotional shock, stress;
• heavy metal poisoning and other toxic chemicals.

What to do

If the general condition of the child is not disturbed, nothing hurts, there are no complaints and reasons to assume that he has an illness, then parents do not need to do anything special, says Yevgeny Komarovsky.

If no pathologies are detected, you can live in peace with elevated eosinophils, and after 4 months, redo the clinical blood test (for control). The fact is that no less often an increase in these cells in the blood occurs during the period of recovery from some kind of ailment, most often bacterial. Waiting time will also be required in order for the leukocyte blood count to return to normal for this reason.

You can watch the video below, where Dr. Komarovsky will talk in detail about the clinical blood test in children.