Understanding Petechiae: Causes, Symptoms Investigations Patterns of Distribution The way petechiae are distributed can be informative Localized: Suggests a local cause, such as trauma or increased pressure in a specific area Generalized: Often points towards a systemic issue like an infection, hematologic disorder, or vasculitis
Petechiae - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf Demarcating areas of petechiae with a skin marker can help monitor the progression of the rash in clinical practice The age of the child can be useful in reaching the most likely diagnosis, for example, a neonate with petechiae could have a NAIT or a TORCH infection, and HSP is more common in the 2 to 5 year age range
The “Petechiae in children” (PiC) study: evaluating potential . . . It can be performed in the ED on a bench top analyser and provides results within 30 min (Fig 1) Initial testing has shown that LAMP-MD has superior sensitivity (0 89 [95%CI 0 72–0 96]) and specificity (1 0 [95%CI 0 97–1 0]) in diagnosing MD than traditional tests (C-reactive protein [CRP] and White Blood Cell counts [WBC]) recommended by
3. 17 PETECHIAL RASHES - Sheffield Childrens Hospital D DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS Many illnesses can cause petechiae such as: - Viral infection - Bacteria e g Meningococcus, Streptococcus - HSP – See ED section 3 18 - Haematological problems e g leukaemia, ITP - Mechanical causes e g coughing vomiting may cause petechiae in SVC distribution i e above nipple line E INVESTIGATIONS
Clinical Practice Guidelines : Petechiae and purpura Any newborn with petechiae should be promptly reviewed with a senior clinician Antimicrobial recommendations may vary according to local antimicrobial susceptibility patterns Refer to local guidelines * Senior clinician review may lead to decision making pathways outside of this flowchart, including the role of investigations
Petechiae and Purpura: The Ominous and the Not-So-Obvious? Diagnosis You are now concerned that the pro-gression of the rash may indicate either an indolent meningococcemia or RMSF infection from a tick bite instead You hospitalize her at your children’s hos-pital, where the infectious disease con-sultant elects to go “mostly” with your first diagnosis of a spider bite, second-
What does a petechiae look like? - Torrinomedica This article will explore the definition and characteristics of petechiae, how to visually identify them, their color variations, size and distribution patterns, common causes, and when to seek medical attention