Preliminary data from a prospective randomized study of the use of a short course of adrenocorticosteroids in 73 children with ITP demonstrates a significant advantage of moderate dose (60 mg/m2/day p.o. X 21 days) prednisolone therapy in decreasing the duration of severe thrombocytopenia in most patients. The period of risk for serious bleeding, as reflected in the Rumpel-Leede test, was also significantly reduced. The number of children who developed chronic thrombocytopenia, although small in both groups, appeared to be uninfluenced by steroid therapy. No side effects or serious complications were noted in this trial.