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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking low platelets and severe nosebleeds are occurring in children who have had covid

59 replies

54321nought · 06/08/2021 08:05

This is something we were noticing a lot in school last year, and now I am seeing it in children in my family and friends families during the summer too.

I have not heard anything about it on the news at all, in fact the recent news story about children not suffering long term affects from covid actually seems to be saying the opposite.

However, mentally adding it up in my head, I have now come across around 14 young teens and preteens who have started having very severe nose bleeds, or bleeding excessively from minor cuts - 3 I know have had blood tests and been told they have a low platelet count.

At first I thought the nose bleeds may be related to repeated LFTs, but that does not in any way account for the low platelets, the bleeding from cuts elsewhere on the body, and the occurrence in children who had not taken any LFTs

Has anyone else noticed this?

More importantly, does anyone know of a child who had this after covid but eventually got better and it stopped? (In at least one of my students who has this problem, the actual covid was 11 months ago)

YABU - you are paranoid / worrying about nothing/ putting 2 and 2 together and making 77

YANBU - this might be happening around me too.

OP posts:
Ponoka7 · 06/08/2021 08:13

Are the teens recovering ok? It's a normal response to viral infections, but they usually recover after six months. It would make sense that this is happening during a viral pandemic. I've known a few teens who've had this issue after a bad bout of flu etc, pre Covid. Also nose bleeds are common in teens because of hormones.
If this is an issue then there will be bodies of research happening. I think we are suddenly taking more notice of health and having discussions around it.

HelloDulling · 06/08/2021 08:16

Not aware it at our school or among DD’s friends. Have all 14 of these children had a positive case of Covid?

Imgoingbackto505 · 06/08/2021 08:20

I've actually heard about this locally from friends who have teens.

Takingabreakagain · 06/08/2021 08:25

I have two teenagers and I've not heard of any teens who have had this happen to them. I'd expect to know of or have heard via DDs of at least one if it was common after effect of the virus.

KurtWilde · 06/08/2021 08:28

Nothing like that happened with my DC after covid, nor any other DC that I know of (friends DC/wider family circle etc).

Willyoujustbequiet · 06/08/2021 08:31

I'm by no means a teenager but yes it happened to me after the AZ jab.

It's not just a normal viral response. Its potentially autoimmune ITP which can be fatal and there should be much more awareness

WaltzingToWalsingham · 06/08/2021 08:32

We haven't had this reaction post-covid in our family. How soon after infection did these reactions start to appear?

Original poster
54321nought · 06/08/2021 08:33

@Ponoka7

Are the teens recovering ok? It's a normal response to viral infections, but they usually recover after six months. It would make sense that this is happening during a viral pandemic. I've known a few teens who've had this issue after a bad bout of flu etc, pre Covid. Also nose bleeds are common in teens because of hormones. If this is an issue then there will be bodies of research happening. I think we are suddenly taking more notice of health and having discussions around it.
yes, nosebleeds are common in teens, but the number and severity I have seen has been 10x greater this year than in any of my previous 30 years teaching

I don't know if they are getting better. I hope so. As I said, one I know is still suffering 11 months after covid - others either had covid less time ago or don't know if/when they had it

OP posts:
miltonj · 06/08/2021 08:45

Yes this has happened To my 15 year old cousin.

LearningToDo · 06/08/2021 08:50

I have ITP so always have a low platelet count but when it was first discovered as a child I was told it can be a common viral response especially in children and usually goes back to normal after X amount of months, I was monitored once annually at the hospital until they decided it was chronic and therefore diagnosed as ITP but I understand it's far more common to go back to normal relatively quickly in most people.

suspiria777 · 06/08/2021 08:53

how do you know the kids all have low platelets?

Keeva2017 · 06/08/2021 08:54

I had 4 nosebleeds in 2 days whilst positive for Covid. I wondered if it was due to the tests but then it was the opposite nostril to the one tested.

But also had many pcr and lateral flows and never had a nosebleed before.

Fiftysixthnamechange · 06/08/2021 08:55

Interesting, my teen son has been fine but my 9 year old has been suffering nosebleeds for about 2 months now, we're talking every couple of days, lots of blood, all times of day and night. I've put it down to warm weather and nose picking thus far!

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 06/08/2021 08:55

I hadn’t considered this but my 12 year old had Covid at the start and he has started having spontaneous nose bleeds at night, having never had the before. He now regularly gets up and his bed is covered in blood

Looubylou · 06/08/2021 09:09

I know a couple of primary school children, who are anaemic, after being tested due to extreme lethargy after covid. Perfectly fit and well and meat eaters pre covid. In one case the dad is too, despite quite recent normal bloods pre covid.

Original poster
54321nought · 06/08/2021 09:14

@suspiria777

how do you know the kids all have low platelets?
I don't - 3 of my students who were under investigation to find the cause of the severe nose bleeds were told that they have low platelets. Others have not been investigated yet, but are suffering from excessive bleeding, and platelets role is to clot blood, so low platelets causes excessive bleeding.
OP posts:
Original poster
54321nought · 06/08/2021 12:25

It's interesting that other people are coming across this too

OP posts:
PicsInRed · 06/08/2021 12:30

Some studies indicate high stress and anxiety can cause low platelet levels.

The past 18 mos has been pretty stressful for kids.

Antsinyourpanta · 06/08/2021 12:33

I think I only know of about 6 children/teens that have had covid (2 asymptomatically) and I'm not privy to any of the after effects (if any) they have suffered. My friends tween has regular nose bleeds but AFAIK hasnt had covid.

Sloth169 · 06/08/2021 13:21

My friends daughter has developed severe ITP which unfortunately has become chronic

This was following a viral infection in April 2020 - all the symptoms of covid but at a time when no covid tests were available unless you were hospitalised

Interestingly she has never had an antibody test for covid despite mum pushing as the hospital have felt it is not necessary so no way of knowing if it was related to covid or not!

Pantene23 · 06/08/2021 13:25

Low platelet levels are extremely common after ANY severe virus, not just COVID.

Original poster
54321nought · 06/08/2021 13:33

@PicsInRed

Some studies indicate high stress and anxiety can cause low platelet levels.

The past 18 mos has been pretty stressful for kids.

That's not actually true, there as as many children who report LESS stress during the pandemic as there are reporting MORE stress.

Life can be stressful for teens, school itself can be very stressful. Lots of teens preferred lock down to being in school. Lots didn't, but its untrue to say overall teens were more stressed during covid than normally.

Some were, particularly if they have been ill or bereaved, but many loved schools being closed!

Certainly every time I have aske3d a class, or a year group, or hear of anyone else asking, the number of children who report a rise in stress during the pandemic is pretty much equal to the number who report a fall.

OP posts:
Original poster
54321nought · 06/08/2021 13:36

@Pantene23

Low platelet levels are extremely common after ANY severe virus, not just COVID.
How long would you expect this to last?
OP posts:
Geamhradh · 06/08/2021 13:44

I teach 300 a week and haven't heard any if this.
Except for the stress. I'd say 80% of mine were more stressed, from listening to them, talking to their parents, and the fact we've had to employ a full time psychologist for them to go and talk to.

fdgdfgdfgdfg · 06/08/2021 14:49

@54321nought With regards to the stress thing, if you asked my 13 yo DD at the moment whether the pandemic had left her more or less stressed, she'd say less.

She's been going through a fairly anxious stage over the past couple of years, and she's been fairly happy with the lockdowns etc. as a result.

However, whats actually happened is that she's become more and more uncomfortable in social situations precisely because she' doesn't get to experience them so much.

Yes, she's been able to speak to her friends on Zoom etc, but it's not the same when you know your parents are in the next room and can hear whatever you want to say.

Kids may think they're less stressed due to the pandemic, but I don't think its actually true. I don't think theres a single person in the UK who it is true for