Why are my child's alkaline phosphate levels high?
Dr Anurag Krishna
Director of Paediatrics and Paediatric Surgery,
Max Institute of Paediatrics,
Max Healthcare Institute, New Delhi
Director of Paediatrics and Paediatric Surgery,
Max Institute of Paediatrics,
Max Healthcare Institute, New Delhi
Q: My son has stools that are watery and most of the food he eats comes out whole. Yesterday, we got to know that his alkaline phosphate levels are high and this is to do with his liver or maybe his bones. His head circumference is 38 and the day he was born, his bilirubin levels were sky high. What is the problem?
A:High alkaline phosphatase in children could be because of either Vitamin D deficiency resulting in rickets or because of liver disease, and in the latter condition child will have some features suggestive of liver disease.