Genetic link?

[Bellazac1971]

Hi all.... yesterday I had the opportunity to see and talk to my cousin (paternal) who I rarely see. We both had our 13 year old daughters with us who were meeting for the first time. At one point we started to talk about my daughters health. I didn't even need to say the condition before my cousin said "ITP?". I was so shocked as most people have never even heard of it. She then explained that her daughter had been diagnosed with it at 8 but now seemed to have come out the other end. It was such a relief to talk to someone who understand the worries we have. Is there a genetic link?

Would really like to hear your thoughts on this. Many thanks .

[Val-ann]

I have wondered about a genetic link. I was diagnosed with Itp 10 years ago. Since then one of my brothers was diagnosed with lupus and the other brother has lichen planus (not sire of the spelling). My son has psoriasis these are all auto immune diseases. I wondered if any research has been done into this? I have been wondering about this for a while and so was very interested to see your post.

[S38abcd]

Hi Bell...I think there are genetic links , my 35 year old female cousin is suffering terrible complications cos of low platelet and my 10 year old son has low count too.When we traced itp in him he was just one year old and doctors say It is congenital n coming from family...no relief either.. I'm worried all the time...but one has to live with it. How is ur daughter coping with it, are you giving her any medicine, is she having periods or not yet..that is what is most difficult with itp patients.. God help us moms..

[Bellazac1971 in reply to S38abcd]

Hi... she's doing ok. Periods started nearly 2 years ago and were problematic from the start. Things were pretty dreadful this summer and luckily one of the GPs asked for more tests which led to the diagnosis and a count of 10. She takes back to back packets of Loestrin now so periods are one less thing to worry about. It's a worry as we have so little we can do to help.

No steroids or anything yet although we see the Haematoligist next week.

Hope all is well with your little one too. - Tanya

[Padram]

Hi, check out aarda.org

It gives info on genetic links and that family members may get different auto immune disorders.

[Bellazac1971]

Hi all... thank you so much for your comments and advice. Bella had to go back into the Paed unit last night as she was displaying a lot of the signs from when her count initially drop. Sure enough it had dropped to 19.

[Morgan]

Hi, I was diagnosed 12 years ago with ITP (also had psoriasis) and it seems too much of a co-incidence that my father died in 1975 of internal bleeding which was before ITP was recognised.