Prevalence and distribution of petechiae in well babies

Aims: To determine the prevalence of petechial spots in well babies. Methods: A total of 116 babies under the age of 12 months were fully examined at child health surveillance clinics. The number and site of petechiae were recorded together with details of possible causes. Results: A total of 27.6%...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of disease in childhood 2002-04, Vol.86 (4), p.291-292
Main Authors: Downes, A J, Crossland, D S, Mellon, A F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Algorithms
Analysis. Health state
Antibiotics
Babies
Bacterial infections
Biological and medical sciences
Children & youth
Dermatology
England - epidemiology
Epidemiology
Examiners
Female
General aspects
Hospitals
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infants
Male
Measurement Techniques
Medical sciences
Meningitis
meningococcal
Mortality
non-blanching spot
Observation
Original
Parents
Parents & parenting
petechiae
Physiological aspects
Population
Prevalence
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Purpura - epidemiology
Purpura - etiology
Purpura - pathology
rash
Skin diseases
Skin involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous. General aspects
Viral infections
Young Children
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Summary:Aims: To determine the prevalence of petechial spots in well babies. Methods: A total of 116 babies under the age of 12 months were fully examined at child health surveillance clinics. The number and site of petechiae were recorded together with details of possible causes. Results: A total of 27.6% of babies had one or more petechiae, 8.6% had two or more petechiae, and 2.6% had more than two. None of these babies subsequently developed sepsis. Conclusions: Many well infants examined in the community are likely to have petechial spots. In this setting one or two petechiae are common and their presence should not be taken as pathological without other clinical signs. Recognition of this fact may also be helpful when examining otherwise well infants with petechiae in a secondary care setting.
ISSN:0003-9888
1468-2044
DOI:10.1136/adc.86.4.291