More Labs

[Before I go into the details of Pierce's labs, I want to welcome my new readers from Kelly's Korner --- and a special thank you to the moms who've reached out because they've been in my shoes before.]

I received a large portion of Pierce's most recent labs - we're still waiting on his CoEnzyme Q10 and Carnitine levels and Organic Acids (those are sent out of state).

Pierce had an upper respiratory infection that started 2.5 weeks ago but he has vastly improved since then. When the URI started he was hoarse, wheezing, sounded very junky, had tennis-ball green nasal discharge, a not-so-lovely cough and mid-grade fever that would come and go. On Memorial Day, I took him into the ER because he started sounding like a bullfrog while breathing - the ER doc heard lots of upper airway congestion but couldn't hear anything in his lower lungs. He said something could have been going on but because we were already doing 3-4 albuterol breathing treatments daily, he couldn't be certain.

He still has an occasional cough - nothing like what it once was or near as frequent - and we can still hear a bit of congestion when he's breathing. I was surprised when I saw his WBC (white blood cell) count...

(1st column = normal results --- 2nd column = abnormal/out of range results --- 3rd column = range)

His platelet count has been high on his last two sets of labs - in addition, his lymphocytes (lymphs) have been high and his neutrophils (segs) have been low  ---

6/7/2011

(1st column = normal results --- 2nd column = abnormal/out of range results --- 3rd column = range)

3/7/2011

(1st column = normal results --- 2nd column = abnormal/out of range results --- 3rd column = range)

Yesterday, I spoke with Dr. P (allergy/immunology). She informed me that platelets are an acute phase reactant - so a high level can indicate a reaction to infection or inflammation. Neutrophils guard against bacterial infections, and are found in the blood stream, which allows them to respond quickly to trauma and move to the site of infection or inflammation. A low neutrophil count can mean depleted or compromised immunity. Lymphocytes are T cells and B cells - they form part of the adaptive immune system, B cells create antibodies in blood which are used to kill foreign bodies, while T cells help in the activation of cells that will neutralize threats. Low neutrophils and high lymphocytes generally signal a viral infection - the elevated count is a result of the body's attempt to fight the infection. So something is definitely going on inside of him at the moment. The good thing is that his body is semi-responding the way it should - he just doesn't have the antibodies he should to fight off infections.

His neutrophils were low and lymphocytes were high in both March and June. His WBC count was normal in March and high in June. Dr. P plans on doing another CBC when she checks his titers after the Pneumovax23 vaccine. If his lymphocytes are still high, they will look deeper into it - whether it's his T-cells or B-cells, etc.

I also expressed my concern over the Pneumovax vaccine and his age (according to Merck, it's safety and effectiveness has not been established in the under 2 population). Dr. P reassured me. Early childhood vaccines are protein conjugated because that's what the immune system recognizes when it's still developing. Pneumovax is a polysaccharide vaccine - typically young children respond poorly to this. The hope is that since Pierce's immune system responded poorly to protein-conjugated vaccines that his body will mount a different (positive) response. I feel better knowing that he isn't going to have some sort of negative reaction to Pneumovax - the only negative reaction would be his immune system not responding to it and us having to move on to a different path.

For now, we are keeping things a bit more low-key until he receives the Pneumovax vaccine (even though it's not a guarantee then) - we are staying away from large crowds - especially lots of kids, any one sick or recently sick, etc. I am just so thankful that he hasn't been more sick than he has.

That's all for now - a mountain of laundry and two little crazies are calling for me :)

Have a wonderful weekend!