Fifteen-minute consultation: A guide to managing a child with a new finding of neutropenia.

Objective: To describe a structured approach for managing a child with a new finding of neutropenia.

Method: Literature review and consensus practice of clinicians in our regional centre.

Conclusion: Neutropenia may arise in a variety of situations from a well child with a physiological neutropenia to a sick infant with life-threatening infection. In most cases a thoughtful history and directed examination will help to identify the severity in order to determine an appropriate care pathway.

Scenario: A 6-year-old boy presented earlier in the day to the acute assessment unit with lethargy and a sore throat. At handover time his blood results are phoned through and show that he is neutropenic.