DD has a low white blood cell count and I'm panicking! Please help!

[staywithmee]

It started back in October. DD aged 7 had a few nights over the course of a 6 week period where she was extremely sweaty in her sleep, to the point I would need to change her pyjamas.

I called the GP in early November and they referred her to have bloods done at the hospital. Coincidentally, the night sweats had stopped by the time she was seen by the GP and haven't happened since.

The blood tests came back last week and the GP said that her white blood cell count was slightly low so they would need to repeat them to make sure it has gone back up.

I haven't been too worried about this but last night and tonight her gum has bled when i have brushed her teeth. There's a visible area where her tooth meets one of her molars that it looks inflamed/irritated. I am trying to reassure myself that its most likely she's not been brushing that area enough and there's some plaque trapped that's caused the bleeding and irritation but I am also really worried that maybe theres something more serious going on!

Is anyone able to offer any advice or reassurance. My DH works overseas so I have no one to share my worries with. Thanks.

Was it her neutrophils? Do you know what the count was?

I've just re-read my post and wanted to clarify a couple of things. She had between 5 - 10 nights in the 6 weeks where I needed to change her pyjamas. She had other nights where she was sweaty but not so excessively. It is unlike her to be sweaty at all in the night.

The other thing I wanted to add is that she is otherwise a happy, healthy and fit 7 year old who eats a good and varied diet, runs around happily and isn't excessively tired or anything like that.

Thanks for replying. No the doctor didnt tell me the count. She did say that it was only slightly low and that everything else had come back fine.

I’m not medical but I had low neutrophils. The doctor wanted to repeat the test a month later. I was horrified at the wait and spent the whole time googling. Second blood test - all normal. Apparently these things can fluctuate. When is her next blood test?

Thanks for sharing your experience @Down. I really hope its the same for her. Her next bloods are booked in for the 22nd. What a horrible wait that's going to be.

Phone up on Monday (in the afternoon to keep the receptionist happy) and ask for a copy of her blood test results. They can possibly email them to you. If it is neutrophils (my only experience!) then there are foods that can improve the count such as dark chocolate.

Hopefully someone with wider knowledge will be along soon...

And step away from Google if possible.

A few months ago I had a low white blood cell count (I only found out because I'm taking part in a vaccine trial). They repeated the blood test at the next appointment and all was in the normal range again. I also have reasonably regular drenching night sweats.

Just thought I'd add my experience so you can see that low white blood cell count plus sweaty nights isn't necessarily sinister.
My daughter used to have the odd very sweaty night at that age. I think it was when she was very deeply asleep and wasn't throwing the bedclothes off to regulate her temperature.

My DSS had leukemia (diagnosed at 4, celebrated his 16th today!) My experience is if they were worried about this or similar they would be moving much faster than waiting for future tests on the 22nd. That said if you're worried it's perfectly reasonable to contact your GP on Monday to get the full blood work up & even ask to speak to your GP to get the rationale for why she needs these further tests. I know I'd be panicking too but am sure all will be well.

Thanks @SignOnTheWindow, that is reassuring to hear.

@DownWhichOfLate, I'm a bit scared to see the results because I know no matter how hard I try not to, I'll start googling them to try to make sense of it.

Its just the combination of the sweating, the bleeding gums and the low cell count which has got me really worried. I'm hoping that the fact the night sweats have stopped and that the gum seems sore in on particular place are good signs. Hopefully someone one here might know?

@Notmydaughteryoubitch wishing your son a very Happy 16th Birthday. That must have been so scary for you to go through and I am so pleased he made a full recovery. The impression she gave me on the phone was that she would need to wait long enough between bloods to give the white cells a chance to (hopefully) increase.

As @Notmydaughteryoubitch says: do call the GP on Monday to get clarity. And please try to distract yourself in the meantime. With just one of the counts being just a bit low it sounds like it’s precautionary rather than concern from the doctor.

Well, with no particular knowledge I can only offer the most blundering reassurance but:

I have a low white blood cell count, always have as an adult (don't think it came up as a child). Every time I have a blood test for anything, I have to repeat it a month later to check what's going on with the white cell count. It just seems to be my normal.

Does your dd take regular vitamin D and iron? If not, do it, there are lots of children's brands and it can't do any harm. At this time of year vit D is recommended for everyone anyway.

Dd had a period of being low in those nutrients at around that age (growth spurts and winter combined) and I think bleeding gums is the sort of thing that can happen as a result. Certainly sore mouth and tongue is a symptom of low iron.

Yes - white blood cells fight infection. Sometimes we don’t even know we have an infection. It could just be that. Especially with the nights of sweating.

I havent been giving her vitamins if im honest. She is such a good eater that I kind of thought shed get enough of a lot of those through her food but maybe that was a mistake on my part. I can get some tomorrow and start her on that.

Yes, best case scenario is that the white blood cells were low because she was fighting some type of infection when she had the night sweats and the gum issue is completely unrelated. Fingers crossed that's the case.

This was my husband earlier this year, ended up with ct scans and ultrasound scans of neck. Eventually all came back fine! Night sweats
have now been put down to some sort of virus. Try not to worry. Easier said than done though.

For all parents, the NHS recommended that all children, babies to 5 years are given vitamin A, C and D every day.
www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/vitamins-for-children/
Breastfed babies need vitamin D from birth, regardless of whether the mother is taking a supplement.

Good diet isn't enough, especially for Vit D in winter. I was amazed at how quickly it drops in children.

It's recommended that everyone, adults too, take Vit D in winter.

I have given my kids multivitamins when they were younger periodically but there have been spells when I havent. I havent been giving them to DD for a while now, with her being 7. I will buy some tomorrow and ensure all of us are taking vitamin D regardless of age. Thanks for the advice.

I second the comment that if the doctor suspect something serious, they would let you know much sooner, rather than wait for a few weeks for another test. I had leukaemia and can say I was seen, blood-tested and admitted as inpatient all within a few hours. Even at a GP practice I would expect them to contact you within a couple of days, if not hours, if it is serious.

Sorry for the lack of apostrophes. I have a dodgy keyboard.

If it were leukaemia it wouldn't just be her white blood cell count that was abnormal, and as others have said she would also be seen a lot more quickly. Commonest cause of an isolated low white blood count is a viral infection. Usually resolves by itself.

Vitamin D deficiency caused night sweats for me. Really hard to get enough vit D in this country

I had similar with one of my twins when he was about 3. I was convinced he had cancer - especially when the GP receptionist called me up for an emergency meeting within 20 minutes.

White cell count slightly low. Doc explained this means probably a lingering virus and they'd repeat in a month. I was so upset they'd made me so worried!

I think the fact the doc described it as 'sightly low' and isn't taking immediate action is good and means it's nothing to worry about. I would call and ask for the doc to call you back to reassure you as you don't feel you got enough info last time.

Blood tests are usually a pattern - not just one specific low measurement, the GP would have looked for patterns.

Low white cells can be many things, including fighting infection - try not to panic, but do call the GP tomorrow for a reassurance.