When a person has a low platelet count, this means that the blood does not have enough platelets, or thrombocytes, to help them clot the blood in order to heal wounds. Another term for the condition is known as thrombocytopenia, and depending on the amount of platelets and the reason the condition exists, it can either be mild or extremely dangerous. The cause and the severity of the illness will also ultimately determine what course of treatment will be taken. Low platelet count can occur due to a number of natural reasons, such as pregnancy and other similar conditions. Normally, a reduction in the amount of platelets that a person has is not a cause for concern, so doctors do not treat it when the reduction is mild, instead using the wait and watch approach to see what happens. Thrombocytopenia caused by pregnancy will usually result in a normal recovery without worry. Children will also have an easier time recovering from the condition due to their young marrow being able to quickly produce platelets. In other situations, however, medications are needed to treat a low platelet count, especially with the instance of ITP, where the body mistakenly considers platelets to be a foreign substance in the body, causing it to attack the platelets and destroy them. Medications can cause this stance as well. In these cases, doctors will provide medications to disable the auto-immune response to destroying the platelets. Treating ITP can also include removing the spleen, which can be greatly encouraging the response to destroying the thrombocytes. One of the primary approaches to treating this condition includes blood or platelet transfusions, with both potentially being necessary. When a person experiences very low platelet counts, there can be internal bleeding, meaning blood must be replaced. Transmitting more platelets would also be a good preventative to keep internal bleeding from occurring. Due to the risk of low platelet count with cancer, patients who are also undergoing the treatment of cancer will also often have to include platelet transfusions in their course of treatment to prevent internal bleeding and other complications from chronic low platelet count and similar problems.