$Unique_ID{PAR00097}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Henoch-Schonlein Purpura}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Henoch-Schonlein Purpura Rash purplish spots purple bruise pain urine
Blood joints joint swelling blood disease bloody stool skin kidney kidneys
digestive tract blood vessels bleeding allergic reaction reactions viral
infection intestines telescoping telescoped intestine intestinal wall
perforation perforated kidney nephritis strep throat}
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Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Henoch-Schonlein Purpura


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOMS
     - Rash of tiny purplish spots or a purple bruise
     - Abdominal pain
     - Blood in the urine
     - Pain and swelling in the joints

     HOME CARE
     - A doctor should direct treatment of this disorder.

     PRECAUTIONS
     - Contact the doctor promptly if your child develops a rash of tiny
       purple dots or a large purple bruise.
     - A purpura rash can also indicate a serious blood disease.
     - If a child with Henoch-Schonlein purpura has severe abdominal pain or
       blood in the stool, consult the doctor at once.
     - A child who has had this disorder should have checkups and kidney and
       urine tests for up to six months after recovery.


     Henoch-Schonlein purpura is a disorder that affects the skin, the
kidneys, the digestive tract, and the joints.  It is characterized by a rash
that is caused by bleeding from tiny blood vessels just below the surface of
the skin.
     The cause of Henoch-Schonlein purpura is not known, but some experts
believe that it is an allergic reaction.  It often appears as a child is
recovering from a viral infection.  The disorder usually lasts about six
weeks.  In a few children, it reappears several times over the next few
months, or even over several years.  In rare cases, the condition leads to
complications, but usually the symptoms disappear and leave no lasting
effects.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     If you press a glass against the rash and the rash remains visible, it is
purpura.  Other types of rashes are on the skin surface and will not show
under a glass.  Purpura may look like tiny purplish spots or a purple bruise.
The other symptoms of this disorder are abdominal pain, blood in the urine,
and pain and swelling in the joints.  The disorder can be identified from this
unique combination of symptoms.  The doctor may have the child's urine and
bowel movements tested for blood to confirm the diagnosis and learn if the
digestive tract is involved.

     HOME CARE

     A child with this disorder should be under a doctor's care.  Ask the
doctor about ways to make the child more comfortable if there is pain in the
joints or abdomen.

PRECAUTIONS

  -  If you notice a rash on your child that looks like large bruises or tiny
     purple dots, contact the doctor at once.  Purpura does not always
     indicate Henoch-Schonlein purpura.  It can be a sign of a serious blood
     disease.
  -  Henoch-Schonlein purpura can lead to damage to the intestine.  Watch a
     child with this disorder for severe abdominal pain or passage of a large
     amount of blood in the stools.  These symptoms may indicate that the wall
     of the intestine is perforated or that it has telescoped into itself.
     Report such symptoms to the doctor at once.
  -  It is possible for a child who has recovered from Henoch-Schonlein
     purpura to later suffer kidney complications, such as nephritis.  To
     detect kidney involvement before it leads to kidney damage and possibly
     kidney failure, the child should have checkups and urine and kidney tests
     for up to six months after recovery.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

     There is no specific treatment for this disorder.  Routine blood tests
are usually done to make sure that the rash is not caused by a serious blood
disorder.  The doctor will want to test the child's urine and bowel movements
for blood several times to detect complications early.  The child will also be
tested for strep throat, because strep infection can be associated with
Henoch-Schonlein purpura.  If a strep infection is found, the doctor will
probably prescribe an antibiotic.
     To guard against complications in some cases, the child may be
hospitalized when the condition is at its worst.

RELATED TOPICS:  Arthritis; Nephritis; Rashes; Stomachache, acute; Strep
infections