Deciding when — or whether — to treat a child with ITP can feel overwhelming for families. In this episode of Beyond the Count, Associate Professor Dr Tina Carter, Paediatric Haematologist at Perth Children’s Hospital, brings more than 30 years of experience to help parents understand how clinicians make these decisions.

Tina explains why ITP is always a diagnosis of exclusion, what doctors look for during assessment, and how factors like bleeding, age, symptoms, and family anxiety influence treatment choices. She walks us through first‑line options such as steroids and IVIG, the realities of side effects, and when second‑line therapies may be considered for children with persistent or chronic ITP.

This episode offers clear, compassionate guidance for parents navigating a new diagnosis — with practical insights, reassurance, and a reminder that most children recover well, often without treatment.

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