A high white blood cell count usually refers to a blood test that reveals a high number of white blood cells above the normal standard, which may have a variety of triggers such as inflammation and leukemia. Normally, if inflammation occurs in the body, white blood cells, which are immune cells, are produced to a certain number to destroy the inflammation. Children with inflammation in a certain part of the body, such as pneumonia and laryngitis, will not only have a fever, but will also have elevated white blood cells, which usually return to normal after the inflammation has subsided. Other causes can also trigger a rise in white blood cells. If the child does not have any type of inflammation, he or she may have a traumatic injury and a bacterial infection. In this case, white blood cells may also increase in large numbers to swallow foreign bacteria. Bacterial infections can usually be treated with medication or injections. In addition, in rare cases, children who have consistently high white blood cell counts of 30,000 and above for a long period of time may also develop leukemia. If a child has a high white blood cell count for a long period of time without significant trauma or inflammation, a bone marrow aspiration should be performed to diagnose the condition. Parents who find high white blood cells in children should first check for inflammation or traumatic infections before considering blood disorders.