The symptoms may follow a viral illness, such as chickenpox. The disorder usually does not recur. Acute ITP is the most common form of the disorder. The onset of the disorder can happen at any age, and the symptoms can last a minimum of six months or several years. Adults have this form more often than children, but it does affect adolescents.
Females have it two to three times more often than males.
In most cases, the cause of ITP is unknown. It is also important to know that nothing the parents, nor the child, did caused the disorder. The body recognizes any cells with antibodies as foreign cells and destroys them. That is why ITP is also referred to as immune thrombocytopenic purpura. The bone marrow is the soft, spongy center of the long bones and is responsible for making blood cells, including platelets.