Patient's question:
Child has a fever. I took the child to the hospital, and the doctor said we need to do a detailed blood test to check what might be causing pneumonia. Hello, can a blood test detect pneumonia in children?Doctor's answer:
A blood test is used to determine whether it is a bacterial infection or a viral infection. In the examination configuration for pediatric pneumonia, a complete blood count (CBC) is a mandatory test. Under normal circumstances, if it is bacterial pneumonia, the white blood cell count may decrease, neutrophils may increase, and the percentage of neutrophils may rise, which may also lead to left shift of the nucleus, cytoplasmic vacuoles, and the presence of toxic granules. After a definitive diagnosis is made, symptomatic treatment should be administered.