The neurologists' secretary called today to ask me if my 7 year old daughter had a cold a few weeks back when she had her blood tests done. I told her I didn't recall her having had any cold at all. I asked her why and she told me that my daughters' white blood count was low. I told her the only difference between this blood test and the last one is that my daughter now takes Ritalin (she's ADHD).

This is what I don't understand: she told me the normal numbers are supposed to be between 4.5 - 13 (something like that) and that my daughters' was 3.8.

Can anyone explain this to me, is there something else wrong with her? Now I'm really worried about her http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif. I don't know a lot about epilepcy, my daughter had only 1 seizure (it happened at school), we took her to emergency at the childrens hospital. They did an EEG (abnormal brain wave activity) and a CT scan of her brain (normal). They put her on Tegretol.

She has not had any other seizures, unless she has the staring kind that i haven't noticed. She did kind of daydream but that's been better since the Ritalin.

Her appointment with the neurologist is on March 17th and they want her to redo the blood test to check the numbers again and we'll get the results of her recent EEG (about 3 weeks ago).

Anyone with info or suggestions about the number stuff please respond.

mommyof5

I recently had a low blood count & my neuro. called for a CBC done ASAP. Came back fine on everything. The blood work may have been done poorly. Don't worry until another blood count is done.

curse,

What is a CBC?

mommyof5

I am not in the medical field, but. ... CBC stands for a complete blood count. ... I am not too sure why the nurse would have asked about whether she had a cold during the blood draw, except that maybe there was some suspicion of infection at the time. White cells are important in the body's fight against disease. But it doesn't really sound like the white cells are that low beyond the "reference range" (as in less than one point lower). Again, I am no professional but these statements would be my best guesses. ... Has anyone checked whether the seizure was due to an infection?

------------------
All of us has an angel, if only we know where to look.

sekharp,

She was perfectly healthy at the time she had that 1 seizure, they did take blood that time.

mommyof5

Mommyof5,

I've been doing a bit of researsh on the net and one of the things that I have learnt is that Tegretol can in some instances reduce the white blood cell count. They have suggested that if this occurs that Tegretol be replaced with some other type of anti epileptic drug. I hope this has helped a little.

Tooheys

tooheys,
Thanks for doing that, I'm quite anxious for the next blood test and to see her Dr. so I can find out what's going on. 11 more days! Feels like longer.

mommyof5

Let us know how you daughter is doing....

Tomorrow is the appointment with the neurologist and the extra blood test and the results from the EEG. I'm nervous about it http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/bang.gif Are there any questions I should be asking about it all so that I can understand it better? http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/confused.gif I still don't know much on the subject of epilepcy, only that my daughter has it and that I medicate her. I've never seen her have a seizure so in a way it still feels unreal to me http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif.

mommyof5

Mommyof5,

Don't expect to be told a great deal by your Dr, as it is pretty common for them to tell you very little when it comes to epilepsy, they generally look at the meds and send you on your way. However, don't be alarmed, E is not a rare disorder by any stretch of the imagination and there's no reason why your daughter cant just live a normal life, on meds she may never have another seizure(I hope this is the case). One question I would be putting forward is whether Ritalin and Tegretol are compatable to each other. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Tooheys.

Thanks tooheys,
I understand (or I should say i have heard) that you can live a normal life with E but I find it hard though when I have to tell my dd that she can't do certain things by herself. I've been told she should be supervised (just in case) when she rides her bike, takes a bath or shower,etc. this spring she'll be 7 1/2 and normally by this age I let my other kids (now 9 & almost 12) go to the park (about 3-4 blocks away) or go to the store (same distance, different direction)by themselves (I usually try to use the buddy system anyway for safety's sake but sometimes they go alone) with her I can't. I won't even let her walk to her friends house (again 3-4 blocks away). Last summer I wouldn't have let her anyway because she just didn't listen enough or pay enough attention to what she was doing or where she would be going. This spring/summer I'm sure she will be wanting more freedom but how am I supposed to let her go when she is supposed to be supervised? Last Year I had my 5 1/2 year old watching her! My dd (almost 12) is so severly ADHD she CANNOT keep her attention long enough to watch her (and she's on 30 mg of ritalin, my ds (9 also ADHD but not to badly) really doesn't get along with her and can't stand her, they are like oil & water. So that leaves me with my youngest dd (now 6) to "babysit" her older sister. My kids have only been told that if she falls down and starts to shake to come and get me but then that means they would have to leave her alone!.Any suggestions on that one http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/confused.gif ? I thought of buying those things that are like walkie-talkies but they're long range like for hiking (they cost about $100.00 canadian)

Thanks for letting me vent a bit, I think I sometimes get overwelmed(sp) by everything I have to deal with.

uh-Oh, it's 7:00am, time to wake up my little munchkins for school, Happy St.Patricks Day!

mommyof5

hello mommyof5,
I was just curious as to whether or not you have gotten the results of your daughters EEG and blood work yet? Sounds like you and I have much in common. I have a 6 yr old son who has had 1 seizure almost 2 yrs ago. Abnormal EEG, normal CT (also normal MRI). Taking Depakote now, he is allergic to Tegretol. We have an EEG coming up and a neurology follow up in May. Like you, I don't know a lot about Epilepsy, but I'm learning a lot here! Don't get a lot of info from the neurologist. Do you know where in the brain your daughters seizures begin? My sons are in the Rt temporal lobe. We have had a total of 3 EEG's, all with the same result. Even when he is taking medication, the result is the same. I don't understand that. Isn't the medication to reduce this "extra" brain activity? Maybe we can compare notes here and learn a little more about what is happening to our kids.

I'm sorry I guess I thought that I posted.

My daughters' EEG results came back showing NO epileptic brain wave activity.YAHOO! And the retest on her blood showed her white count was normal.

If all goes well the neuro is planning to wean her off meds in the fall (she said it'll take 6-8 weeks) and then my daughter will go for another EEG. So for now everything looks great and I won't have any more news until we go to neurology in the fall.

gavman, I don't know where in her brain, I only remember they said it was on both sides. One thing I know is hers is called "partial complex"

mommyof5

Hi again mommyof5,
I just read your other post concerning your daughters EEG results and blood work. Don't know how I missed it before! Anyway, that is such great news! So happy to hear it. Hopefully, we will be weaning off medication soon also!
Take care

Hello there to all! I stumbled across your discussion and thought I would add my two cents: I wasn't going to say anything, but I thought this may help some parent out there who has a child with low white blood cell counts and with no explanation: the first question to those of you who has a child with a low white blood count result is has your child had the measles, or chicken pox or a strange case of the flu: strange I mean, was hit with several viral strains at one time? The reason why I am asking is that I was a child with normal and low white blood count checks and was diagnosed with leukemia many times ... also I had several seizures throughout my childhood and was extremely hyperactive ... although they did not prescribe Ridlin for it like they do today.

I don't want to alarm you, and it won't happen overnight, but as your child grows, keep a diary of funny pains or sicknesses ... especially if they ever complain of tenderness underneath the armpits, aches in their back, legs or arms, a sore throat out of the blue, cramping in the sides when they run or for no reason, more low white blood counts with no explanation, and if, as they grow up, they become tired instead of hyper and then it switches again, depressed, or extremely anxious ... I now know that combined with low white blood counts, these symptoms could eventually lead to fibromyalgia, or chronic fatigue sydrome or MS ... there are many theories out there, but of course no exact explanation except they believe it is a virus that was picked up during the chicken pox or when a child is hit with several viruses at one time.

One thing I have noticed by talking with people who are sick with fibromyalgia, or chronic fatigue syndrome or MS, as well as myself, is that most of us had childhood problems as discussed above and the low white blood cell count seems to be a common thread.

Like I said, don't be alarmed or quick to diagnose, but if I can save one child from having to go through the testing, and hospitalizations, and frustration that me and my mother went through, I will be happy I mentioned this to all ... fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and MS are usually the last illnesses a doctor will even look at, and most of the time, it is the patient who stumbles across the symptoms of these illnesses and brings it up to their doctors.

If your children continue to have low white blood cell results and they don't know why ... this could be the beginning of other illnesses when they grow up ... or not ... but, like I said, if this continues as your child grows, and he or she has some of the other symptoms then you will be aware of what to do when they are older and become sick for no reason and can't seem to shake it.

Like I said, just thought I would let you know ... just in case.