The Complete Blood Count: A Practical Tool for the Pediatrician

Samuel Pabon-Rivera, Raina R. Flores, Melissa Frei-Jones

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Every child should have a baseline hematology evaluation with hemoglobin and hematocrit levels starting at age 12 months, or younger if clinically indicated. Although history and physical examination provide key information needed to diagnose blood disorders, the addition of a complete blood count (CBC) with differential count and reticulocyte count allows the clinician to narrow the differential diagnosis and tailor the subsequent evaluation. The interpretation of CBC results is a skill that requires practice. Every clinician can learn to identify possible diagnoses before consulting a specialist. This review provides a step-by-step approach for CBC interpretation with tools to help the clinician diagnose and interpret the most common blood disorders seen in the general pediatric clinic or inpatient setting.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)363-382
Number of pages20
JournalPediatrics in Review
Volume44
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1 2023

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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