The abbreviation ESR is well known to every doctor, because for more than a hundred years this indicator has been helping to diagnose many diseases - from infections to tumors. We are talking about the erythrocyte sedimentation rate - one of the characteristics of a general blood test, which is prescribed for both adults and children. It is useful for every patient to navigate the results of such a test, but this skill is especially useful for young parents who often worry about the health of their baby. Therefore, in this article we will talk about how to correctly decipher the results of a blood test for ESR in children.

What does "ESR" mean on a child's blood test form?

Red blood cells are the most numerous blood cells, and they account for the main "weight" of the main fluid of our body. If you add a little substance that prevents clotting (anticoagulant) to a test tube with blood, then after a while its contents will be divided into two clearly distinguishable layers: a red erythrocyte sediment and a transparent plasma with the rest of the blood cells.

Back at the beginning of the last century, a Swedish scientist named Robert Sanno Foreos first drew attention to the fact that the rate of erythrocyte precipitation differs between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Later, doctors found out that there are a lot of conditions in which erythrocytes sink to the bottom of the test tube faster or slower than normal. Therefore, with the help of such an analysis, doctors draw conclusions about the processes occurring in the human body. This indicator is especially important in pediatrics, because a child, especially at an early age, cannot tell in detail about the symptoms of malaise.

The essence of the phenomenon on which the measurement of ESR is based is that under certain physiological and pathological conditions, the concentration of special proteins in the blood that can stick red blood cells together increases. As a result, red blood cells take on the appearance of coin columns (if you examine the analysis under a microscope). Clustered red blood cells become heavier and the rate of blood fractionation increases. If for some reason the cells become less than normal, then the ESR in the analysis will be reduced.

It's important to know!
No competent doctor will make a diagnosis only on the basis of a change in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. For this reason, in most cases, an ESR check is prescribed as part of a general or detailed blood test.

Why are children prescribed an ESR test?

Do not worry if the doctor writes your child a referral for a blood test that includes an ESR. This is a standard procedure that allows you to monitor the state of human health at any age - both in the presence of complaints and in their absence. Therefore, even if the children feel well, it is worth donating blood for ESR at least once a year.

The most common reason for visiting a pediatrician is childhood infections. And ESR always changes during the inflammatory process that accompanies the fight of the immune system with bacteria and viruses. For this reason, the doctor will definitely prescribe a general or detailed blood test, including ESR, if the child complains of a sore throat and runny nose, and also if he has a fever. This study is also carried out in cases where symptoms suggest a serious problem: appendicitis, internal bleeding, allergies, or a malignant tumor.

How to prepare for the procedure and what is it?

Preparation for manipulation plays a significant role in the reliability of the results of the ESR assessment. The fact is that proteins in the blood appear not only during inflammation, but also in some physiological situations - for example, immediately after eating, physical activity and as a result of stress.

Depending on the method by which the ESR will be determined, the nurse will take a blood sample from a finger or from a vein (and in infants, from the heel). If the analysis is carried out according to the Panchenkov method, then several milliliters of blood will be required. To get them, the specialist will prick the pad of the ring finger with a small needle or scarifier (it has fewer nerve endings than other fingers), and then quickly collect the blood that has come out into a special tube. After the end of the procedure, a cotton swab with a disinfectant solution should be applied to the wound for 5 minutes.

In the laboratory, the obtained blood sample will be combined with a solution of sodium citrate in a ratio of four to one, and then filled with a mixture of transparent vertical capillary. In an hour, using a special scale, it will be possible to determine how much erythrocytes have settled and calculate the ESR.

If the analysis of the ESR in a child is performed according to the Westergren method, then you will need to take blood from a vein. If this manipulation is performed by an experienced nurse, then the pain will be as insignificant as with a prick in the finger. She will put a tourniquet on the child's arm and then insert a needle into a vein on the inside of the arm at the elbow joint. Then the tourniquet will be removed, and the required amount of blood will be drawn into the substituted test tube in just a few seconds. If at this moment you are next to the child, try to divert his attention so that he does not see what is happening and is not afraid. At the end of the procedure, the nurse will press cotton wool to the wound and stick a strip of adhesive tape on top. This bandage can be removed after half an hour.

During the analysis according to the Westergren method, venous blood is also mixed with a derivative of acetic acid and sodium citrate, and a test tube with a special division scale is filled with the resulting solution. As with the Panchenkov method, the ESR is assessed one hour after the start of the analysis. The Westergren method is considered more sensitive to an increase in ESR, so doctors often insist that venous blood be taken from a child for analysis.

Deciphering the results of the study of ESR in children

Interpretation of the ESR analysis is an individual process. In different situations, the results obtained can speak of the norm and pathology, so the doctor will make a conclusion based on the overall clinical picture and the child's medical history.

ESR norm in a child

Normal ESR in newborns is 2.0-2.8 mm / h, in babies up to two years old - 2-7 mm / h, from 2 to 12 years old - 4-17 mm / h, and after 12 years - 3- 15 mm/h.

In infants up to 6 months of age, ESR can briefly increase to 12-17 mm / h, which is associated with a change in the composition of the blood, and in some cases - with the period of eruption of the first teeth. And in girls, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is always somewhat higher than in boys - this disproportion persists in adults.

Why is ESR increased

The reasons why ESR may be higher than normal are divided into physiological and pathological. The former include stress, daily changes in the composition of the blood (in the afternoon, the ESR is slightly higher), the state of recovery after an infectious disease (this indicator returns to normal with some delay), taking certain medications, diet or drinking regimen, the effects of physical activity, and others. .

However, more often the ESR analysis is increased due to the inflammatory process in the body. To change the indicator lead to:

• infectious disease (tonsillitis, pneumonia, meningitis, tuberculosis, rubella, chickenpox, SARS, herpes, etc.);
• pathology of immunity (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, glomerulonephritis, etc.);
• endocrine diseases (pathology of the thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus, adrenal diseases);
• blood loss and other anemia;
• pathology of the red bone marrow, bone fractures;
• allergy;
• oncological diseases.

As already mentioned, an increase in ESR, which is not accompanied by any other changes in the child's blood test or changes in his well-being, is not a cause for concern and, moreover, a reason for prescribing drugs. Most likely, upon receipt of such a result, the doctor will advise you to repeat the analysis in 2-3 weeks, observing all the rules for preparing for the procedure. If the ESR indicator again exceeds the norm, do a biochemical blood test, check the level of C-reactive protein and fecal analysis for helminths.

It is interesting! Some children have a syndrome of elevated ESR - a condition in which the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is kept at a level above 50 mm / h for a long time for no apparent reason. As a rule, in such cases, doctors try to conduct a thorough diagnosis in case there is a hidden serious illness. But if tests and examinations do not reveal deviations from the norm, then no treatment is prescribed for the syndrome of elevated ESR, recognizing it as an individual feature of the body.

Reasons for the decrease in ESR

Usually, a reduced ESR in children does not cause concern for doctors. However, such an analysis result may be a sign of an unbalanced diet of a baby with a lack of proteins or dehydration of the body (due to diarrhea or vomiting). Also, erythrocyte sedimentation slows down with some hereditary blood diseases and disorders in the circulatory system, but this is accompanied by a change in many indicators of a detailed blood test in a child at once.

ESR in a child is a useful parameter, which, however, has only an auxiliary value in diagnosis, indicating to the doctor the direction of the search or the correctness of actions in the treatment of a particular disease. Compliance with all the pediatrician's instructions and regular testing will help you protect your children's health from serious dangers, as well as get rid of unnecessary anxiety.

Wednesday, 03/28/2018

Editorial opinion

In some forms, ESR is also referred to as ROE (“erythrocyte sedimentation rate”) or, if the analysis was carried out using an imported apparatus, as ESR (from the English “erythrocyte sedimentation rate”). However, the interpretation of the results for all three options is carried out in the same way.

You can find out a detailed picture of the child's health status by a blood test. Its important element is the ESR indicator (erythrocyte sedimentation rate). This is a non-specific parameter that is highly sensitive to identify pathologies of an infectious and oncological nature. From the materials of this article, you will learn why some children have ESR above the norm, what this means, what measures parents should take.

general information

ESR is one of the main parameters of a blood test. Red blood cells are understood as red bodies, which, under the influence of anticoagulants, settle to the bottom of a medical test tube for a certain amount of time.

A similar process occurs in the human body. For a certain time, red blood cells undergo a process of agglomeration and are gradually deposited on the walls of blood vessels. The ESR indicator is not evaluated in isolation, that is, separately from others. It is highly sensitive. A change in this indicator signals the development of a certain pathology in the body before the appearance of a pronounced clinical picture.

Methods for determining the ESR value

Today in medical practice, two options for determining the amount of erythrocyte cell sedimentation are used: the Panchenkov and Westergren method.

The first involves the placement of biological fluid on glass, which is installed vertically. The second is considered more informative, as it optimally recreates the conditions of a similar process in the human body. Normally, the results of both tests should be identical.

The Westergren method is the most sensitive, because only venous blood is used for its implementation. When the results of the analysis are shown in a child, re-taking is not required.

Normative indicators in children

After the doctor has taken blood from the child, he must place it in a special test tube. In it, under the influence of gravitational forces, red blood cells begin to gradually settle. The task of the laboratory assistant includes with which this process takes place.

Normative indicators of ESR vary in children and adults, and also differ depending on the sex of the child. However, there are certain boundaries that allow you to designate the presence of a pathological process in the body.

• Babies: 2 to 4 mm/h.
• Toddlers under 6: 5 to 11 mm/h.
• Adolescents under 14: 5 to 13 mm/h.
• Young people over 14 years old: 1 to 10 mm/h.
• Girls after 14 years: 2 to 15 mm/h.

In a child, it does not always indicate the presence of inflammation in the body. To make an accurate diagnosis, a more detailed examination and determination of other parameters in the blood is necessary.

Elevated ESR in a child

Often, parents learn about the violation during a routine examination by a pediatrician. If the specialist does not see the reasons that could lead to the problem, a second test is prescribed by a different method.

A high ESR almost always suggests inflammation in the body. However, such an opinion must necessarily be supported by the results of an additional survey. Often a high level of lymphocytes indicates a viral infection, and an increase in neutrophils indicates a bacterial infection. Without taking into account the accompanying test data, it is not possible to identify the disease in a child.

The amount of red cell sedimentation can go beyond the normal range in young children if they lack vitamins or during the test there was an active process of teething. In older patients, the body reacts by increasing this blood parameter to stress or strong feelings.

What factors affect ESR in children?

The main factor that increases this indicator is the presence of an inflammatory reaction in the body. However, doctors also identify other reasons that contribute to a decrease / increase in the process of sedimentation of red cells.

1. Changes in blood pH and viscosity.
2. Reducing the number of red blood cells.
3. The presence of helminths.
4. Deficiency of vitamins in the body.
5. Stress.
6. Unbalanced nutrition.

It is important to note that the indicators of erythrocyte sedimentation are among those parameters that very slowly return to normal. After an acute respiratory viral infection, a child may experience a high ESR for some time. After about 1.5 months, these parameters are normalized.

The main reasons for the increase in ESR

As noted earlier in the article, most often the causes of changes in this blood indicator are hidden in the presence of inflammation in the body. In addition, allergic reactions, poisoning, untreated foci of infection can provoke such phenomena.

Among the main diseases, which are signaled by an increase in ESR in children, include the following:

1. (lupus erythematosus, scleroderma).
2. Blood diseases (anemia, leukemia).
3. Endocrine pathologies (diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism).
4. Oncology.

In infants, the ESR analysis is usually increased during teething or due to the high fat content of breast milk. Sometimes this condition is quite natural, that is, it is an individual norm of the body. In such cases, pediatricians recommend regular examinations.

It also happens that all indicators are normal except for the amount of erythrocyte sedimentation. A false positive acceleration may be due to the child being obese, taking certain multivitamin complexes, or being vaccinated against hepatitis.

Monocytes and in a child

Monocytes are immature blood cells. Their level can also be determined using a general analysis. When detailed information about the functioning of the child's body is required, the leukocyte formula is checked. Elevated and decreased levels of these blood cells indicate disorders. An increase in parameters is called monocytosis. Normally, the number of immature cells should not exceed 11% of the number of leukocytes.

A decrease in the level of monocytes indicates violations in the functioning of the immune system. This is usually found in anemia, leukemia and radiation sickness.

It is observed in tuberculosis, malaria and damage to the lymphatic system. Thus, an increase in the number of immature cells, as well as an increased ESR in a child, should alert parents and the pediatrician.

What treatment is required?

When the red cell sedimentation rate index slightly exceeds the norm, the child's condition is stable, there is no reason to worry. For your own comfort, after a short period of time, you can re-take tests and make sure that the baby is not in danger.

If the ESR parameters exceed 15 mm / h, this almost always means the presence of an infectious focus in the body. When this figure reaches about 30-40 mm / h, this is a clear sign of a serious illness, the fight against which can take several months.

Elevated ESR in a child always means a violation in the body. The pediatrician first of all needs to determine the root cause that provoked such changes. This may require a more serious examination. After the doctor must prescribe the treatment of a specific disease. It usually involves taking antibiotics and antivirals.

Decreased ESR in a child

A decrease in erythrocyte sedimentation usually indicates poor circulation, poor clotting, or blood thinning. The number of red cells increases, but they interact with each other inefficiently.

This phenomenon is observed in children who have recently suffered poisoning or dehydration, have problems with stool. In some cases, low rates signal viral hepatitis.

Only a pediatrician can determine the true cause of such a pathology and recommend appropriate therapy.

Conclusion

Very often, parents seek advice from a pediatrician when the child's ESR is higher than normal. What this means, what are the causes of such disturbances in the functioning of the body, can only be said by a specialist on the basis of a complete diagnostic examination of a small patient. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is a serious indicator, so it is not recommended to neglect its values. In case of deviation from the norm, long-term treatment may be required. The sooner the course of therapy begins, the higher the chances of a quick recovery.

Should I be worried if the baby's ESR is increased or decreased?

If a child runs, jumps, plays and eats well, and his ESR is higher or lower than normal, parents need to think about it. A clinical blood test, in which you can see red blood cells settle quickly or slowly during a special reaction, is given in order to identify diseases that are often hidden. The results of determining the erythrocyte sedimentation rate are the basis for further examinations of the child, even if one indicator is outside the normal range.

If a child runs, jumps, plays and eats well, and his ESR is higher or lower than normal, parents need to think about it.

An elevated ESR can also be in a healthy child, but most often the changes are the result of a hidden pathology or disease. There is always a reason for the changes that occur in the blood. If the causes are negative, the doctor prescribes treatment: after the child recovers, the ESR should return to normal.

What is ESR and how is its value determined

When you see numbers on a piece of paper in a child’s card that are marked by medical workers as indicators that do not correspond to standard values, you should not immediately panic. It is better to find the answer to the question of why the ESR is measured - the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and what the change in this indicator means.

Having donated blood from the baby's finger, parents can find out in an hour if the ESR is elevated. The Panchenkov method, which is used to determine the ESR value in clinics and hospitals, allows you to quickly get the result.

When donating capillary blood, it is important to ensure that blood is collected from the ring finger of a small patient without additional pressure from the medical staff. Blood that mixes with lymph when pressed and does not flow out on its own will give a distorted result at the output: its biochemical and cellular composition will be changed.

After mixing blood with an anticoagulant in a capillary - a special cone, an hour later they measure the plasma column that remains after immersion to the bottom of the erythrocytes. This distance is measured in a vertically located capillary and is the desired value: how many mm per hour the erythrocytes descended.

If the erythrocytes were promptly at the bottom, the ESR was increased; if they were sinking slowly, it was lowered.

For boys and girls, in the period from 6 years to adolescence, the standard values ​​​​of ESR will repeatedly change, so the decoding should be carried out taking into account age-related changes for each child individually.

Normal indicators and decoding for newborns and babies in the first five years of life do not depend on gender, and from the age of 6, each sex and age will correspond to a plug of values: the table of normative indicators will be an important help for parents when deciding whether to further examine the child.

ESR studies in the described manner, which are carried out in all clinics, can be confirmed by donating additional blood from a vein and determining the erythrocyte sedimentation rate using the Westergren method. Abroad, this test is considered more reliable in determining the ESR, since it has a high specificity, takes into account all the nuances of the changes that occur in the blood during the reaction. It is not necessary to specially prepare the child for the analysis, the only requirement will be the absence of breakfast before blood sampling.

The results of the clinical analysis determine which diagnostic methods the doctor will use in the future. The growth rate of the indicators helps to decide whether further research is needed and what it should be.

Physiological causes of increased ESR

Blood from a finger or from a vein is taken from the child in the morning. If, upon admission to the hospital or for other reasons, this is done during the day, completely different data can be obtained: at this time of day, an increase in ESR is often observed.

There are other physiological reasons that can give an increased ESR in the blood even in a healthy child.

It is necessary to take into account nutritional moments when breastfeeding: babies are dependent on the mother's nutrition. If her food is too fatty or insufficiently saturated with vitamins, the child will have a jump in ESR.

If the nutrition of mother and child can be adjusted, approaching this responsibly, no one will be able to avoid teething. During this period, not only the child's behavior and other external manifestations of his inner well-being change: ESR will also change upward. The reasons for the increase in ESR in the blood in children are both physiological and pathological.

The physiological characteristics of the child's body tend to influence the increase in ESR, but often the reason for the increase in ESR in the blood is the child's illness.

In what diseases is increased ESR

High ESR in a child is one of the diagnostically significant markers of health problems. Problems such as bleeding and autoimmune processes lead to it. Many cases of increased ESR are associated with inflammation and pathologies: with pathologies of the liver and kidneys in childhood, a change in the level of ESR in the blood is often observed. 23% of the changes are associated with the occurrence of neoplasms, and not always benign ones.

Increased ESR in infections

When a child is poisoned by something, ate a low-quality product, he starts vomiting and diarrhea: ESR automatically increases. Intoxication of the body also occurs with viral and bacterial infections and leads to changes in the blood. Some infections (herpes, pneumonia) do not always manifest themselves in bright symptoms: the infectious focus helps to identify an increased ESR.

If monocytes have grown, the ESR is increased by more than 30 mm / h, but the process is asymptomatic, other studies need to show that the child is sick and needs treatment, parents who do not always recognize this: diagnosis may require new laboratory tests.

If an increase in ESR is the only symptom and blood was donated only for prevention, you should still look for the reasons for the deviation of ESR from the norm so as not to miss a latent infection and start its treatment on time.

Increased ESR in inflammatory diseases

Inflammatory diseases also cause an increase in ESR in children. Inflammation begins to develop after the penetration of pathogenic microbes into the child's body, as well as bacteria and viruses. Regardless of whether the child has an infection or not, the ratio of proteins in his blood during inflammation changes. This is manifested in an increase in ESR. Severe inflammation can cause the ESR to jump several times, mild forms give red blood cells a slight acceleration.

ESR deviation from the norm

Normative indicators of ESR are shifting not only upwards. The result of clinical analysis is also a low erythrocyte sedimentation rate. A child who for some reason does not eat enough, eats only vegetarian food, will have a low ESR. The failure of water-salt metabolism also leads to such consequences.

In addition to physiological and pathological causes, the deviation of ESR from the norm can be associated with psychological reasons. A visit to the clinic does not cause joy in most children, but it provokes strong feelings. In a baby who sobbed when blood was taken from his finger or vein, the ESR will be increased.

When elevated ESR is the only symptom

Based on the fact that the ESR indicator in a child deviated from the normative one, no one recognizes him as a patient. A lot of time can pass between the wording “bad tests” and a specific diagnosis. During this time, parents will have to carry containers with feces and jars of urine to the clinic, take the child for an ultrasound or X-ray.

Regardless of the results of the analysis, treatment for the child is prescribed only when the disease is diagnosed, all the factors that influenced the change in ESR are identified.

When the ESR soared up for unknown reasons, additional opportunities for diagnosing the disease can be provided by a hormonal study, as well as an extended blood test - biochemical, for sugar and for C-reactive protein.

Only after carrying out the necessary studies, when the clinical picture becomes clear, the doctor will answer the question of whether the increased ESR is associated with the child’s illness: after all, the ESR also increases with a change in its physiological state.

How to bring ESR indicators back to normal

Increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate is not a disease for which treatment can be offered. The level of ESR in the blood, which has jumped due to infection or inflammation, will return to normal only after drug treatment that stops this process. The doctor prescribes antibiotics and antiviral drugs in order to stop the disease: when the treatment is effective, control blood monitoring and shows the normalization of the ESR.

When a child has minor deviations from the norm in the analysis, it is possible, with the consent of the doctor, to use traditional medicine methods to increase the ESR.

ESR can be reduced to standard values ​​by regularly giving beetroot dishes to the child. Folk recipes also include natural honey and citrus fruits: this combination will also improve ESR. You can add nuts to cereals, especially almonds and peanuts, raisins and bran, include in the menu and other foods that have a lot of fiber, as well as food of animal origin. Between meals it is useful to drink herbal infusions, you can give mashed garlic with lemon juice.

Vitamin complexes also contribute to the normalization of the work of the child's body: which vitamins and in what quantity to take, the doctor must determine.

A complete blood count is one of the simplest and most common methods for detecting a large number of different diseases. Along with other indicators, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, or ESR, is determined.

The normal ESR in the blood in children is lower than that in adults, and for each age of the child, its own clear boundaries have been established.

What are the rules

Healthy red blood cells repel each other due to the negative charge. However, with an increase in protein in the blood, some red blood cells collide with each other and "stick together." Such particles are heavier and settle faster, the more “glued” red blood cells, the more clearly it is possible to determine the presence of inflammatory processes in the body, as evidenced by an increase in protein.

ESR indicators in children of different ages

To check the ESR, it is necessary to separate the red blood cells from the plasma. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is calculated from the ratio of the lower red layer and the upper transparent layer in the liquid. Normal indicators of ESR in the blood of a child will be as follows (mm / h):

• newborns - from 2 to 2.8;
• under the age of 1 year - from 4 to 7;
• from 1 to 8 years 0 - from 4 to 8;
• from 8 to 12 years - from 4 to 12;
• over 12 years old - from 3 to 15.

Obviously, the older the child becomes, the higher the upper threshold of ESR. If this indicator goes beyond the allowed limits, this indicates the presence of pathology.

When is an analysis ordered?

Usually, an ESR analysis is a preventive measure - it is prescribed to children periodically during routine examinations. Diagnostics allows you to determine in time the presence of any inflammatory processes.

Also, the doctor may send the child to take an ESR if there is a suspicion of:

• appendicitis;
• heart diseases;
• diseases of the vascular system;

Other reasons to take an ESR test may include the following symptoms:

• violation of the digestive tract;
• loss of appetite;
• sudden weight loss;
• persistent headaches;
• pain in the pelvic area.

Important! An ESR analysis alone cannot give a complete picture; this study is always carried out in combination with other diagnostic methods.

ESR measurement

How to take blood from children

First of all, it is important to know that, regardless of the method of blood sampling, you need to take the test only in the early morning and on an empty stomach. The optimal time for a visit to the laboratory is 8 am.

There are two methods of blood sampling - Panchenkov and Westergren. The first method takes capillary blood from the ring finger, and the second from a vein. If it is necessary to take an analysis from an infant, blood is taken from the heel. Moreover, only a few drops of blood are enough for the study, the procedure is practically painless and completely safe.

Capillary blood is taken from the ring finger, for which you need to disinfect the pad with an alcohol solution. Then a small puncture is made with a disposable scarifier, while the first drop of blood is wiped off so that there are no impurities. Freely flowing blood is collected in a special vessel. At the same time, it is impossible to press on the fingertip, otherwise a certain amount of lymph will be mixed in and the analysis will have to be done again. In order for the blood to flow by itself, you can heat your finger near the battery or in warm water, or rub the skin a little in the place where the puncture will be.

Finger blood sampling for ESR

To take an analysis from a vein, you must first tighten the forearm with a tourniquet. The blood is taken with a syringe, and so that the doctor can quickly get into the vein, the child is asked to squeeze and unclench the fist for a while. Despite the fact that this method is also quite painless, the child may be afraid of the doctor, the syringe, or the very sight of blood.

In order for the child to be calm and not afraid, in many clinics, parents can be next to him during the procedure.

It is very important to calm the baby and tell him that he needs to take blood so that he is healthy and does not get sick. Some children are so impressionable that after the analysis they may feel dizzy. From dizziness helps bitter chocolate or tea, always sweet. You can also reward your baby for bravely passing the test in the treatment room by going to a cafe with him. Positive emotions from sweet and tasty food will help the child quickly distract from an unpleasant moment.

Causes of low ESR

Reduced ESR in children is much less common than increased ESR. This can happen in the following cases:

• severe dehydration;
• heart disease;
• anemia;
• weight loss;
• taking a number of drugs;
• poisoning;
• liver or gallbladder disease;
• polycythemia (an excess of blood cells);
• the presence of erythrocytes with a changed shape.

To bring ESR values ​​back to normal, either medication or lifestyle changes will be required.

Decreased rates - reasons

Causes of increased ESR

• the growth of the first teeth or from replacement with molars;
• lack of vitamins;
• excess vitamin A;
• constant stress or fear;
• diet
• prolonged fasting;
• overweight;
• taking certain drugs;
• leaning on fried and fatty;
• vaccination against hepatitis B.

Also, in childhood, the level of ESR can be increased without any reason. The child is perfectly healthy and has no complaints. This phenomenon is called the ESR Syndrome.

During serious illnesses, the ESR does not increase by 5-10 points, but much more - sometimes its value can increase several times. This is due to a sharp increase in the protein content in the blood, which indicates serious pathologies occurring in the body. Extremely elevated ESR often occurs during exacerbations of certain diseases.

The results of the analysis can be greatly increased in the following cases:

Reasons for the increase

Separately, it is worth dwelling in more detail on infections. Depending on the type of infectious disease (viral or bacterial), the criteria for calculating ESR will differ. Since this parameter is increased in both cases, in the first situation, lymphocytosis will become a marker, and in the second, too high neutrophil counts. Also, for a more accurate diagnosis of infection, the full clinical picture and previous diseases are taken into account. The period since the last infectious disease is very important, since the ESR is above the norm for some time and after recovery.

So, it is very important to monitor the level of ESR in a child. And, if small fluctuations do not cause concern, then a significant increase in this parameter indicates serious health problems. A more accurate diagnosis with the help of a whole range of studies will allow timely detection of the disease and start treatment.