Approach to the bleeding child.
Because bruising and bleeding are normal events of childhood, the pediatrician must be able to determine whether a child's symptoms are normal or perhaps indicative of a defective hemostasis. A thorough medical history and physical examination should enable the clinician to choose those patients warranting further evaluation. Rather than referral to a hematologist at that point in time, pediatricians should be quite capable of performing the initial laboratory evaluation and making the correct diagnosis in a majority of cases.
Allen
Geoffrey A
GA
Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. allen@med.unc.edu
Glader
Bertil
B
D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004438:Ecchymosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010808:Physical Examination