Question
A 4-month-old baby, during a blood test at the hospital, was found to have an elevated white blood cell count, reaching over 26,000. Following the doctor’s advice, the baby received three days of intravenous treatment, but the white blood cell count is still as high as over 24,000. The parents want to know if an elevated white blood cell count is serious and what the possible causes might be.
Answer
Firstly, it is necessary to understand the classification of the baby’s white blood cells. Considering that the baby may have increased white blood cell counts due to infection, it is recommended to continue with intravenous treatment and consider hospitalization. An elevated white blood cell count is usually associated with bacterial infection, as white blood cells are the body’s immune cells, and their numbers exceeding the normal range indicate that the number of bacteria in the body has significantly exceeded the standard. Specific diagnosis and treatment plans require further confirmation at the hospital.