Childhood leukemia is a type of cancer that affects white blood cells and can cause symptoms such as anemia, fatigue, frequent infections, swollen lymph nodes, bone and joint pain, and petechiae. There are two main types, acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with ALL being more common. Early diagnosis and treatment can lead to successful outcomes.
Leukemia is a type of cancer that occurs inside white blood cells. Children who develop leukemia show abnormal amounts of white blood cells in the bone marrow. While white blood cells have the role of protecting our body from disease, abnormal white blood cells are defective and overcrowd the bone marrow, interfering with the proper functioning of all blood cells within the body.
There are two main types of childhood leukemia. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) can appear and worsen rather quickly. Symptoms associated with acute lymphocytic leukemia can also appear quickly. Acute lymphocytic leukemia accounts for about 80% of all cases of childhood leukemia and is sometimes known as lymphoid leukemia or lymphoblastic leukemia.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a more slowly forming type of leukemia, and sometimes a doctor can diagnose this leukemia before symptoms even appear. AML accounts for about 20% of all cases of childhood leukemia and is sometimes referred to as myeloid, myelocytic, myeloblastic, or granulocytic leukemia. A type of leukemia called chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), grows more slowly than AML and has been found in children, although it is extremely rare. This type of leukemia develops through chromosome rearrangements within the body.
Symptoms of childhood leukemia for AML can include anemia as there are not enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. This fast-growing disease can make a child look extremely pale, feel very tired and weak, and may bleed or bruise more easily than other children their age. Other common childhood leukemia symptoms that accompany all cases of childhood leukemia include fever and fatigue.
The child may be prone to frequent infections throughout the body. Lumps may be found in the groin, stomach, neck, or under the arms. Lumps in these areas could be a sign of swollen lymph nodes.
Most childhood leukemia symptoms accompany some sort of pain in the bones and joints. The pain is due to the bone marrow being overcrowded with faulty white blood cells. A child may have a loss of appetite or stomach pain. They may have a persistent cough and wheezing. Petechiae, which are tiny red spots found under the skin, are another symptom a baby may have.
Any or all of these childhood leukemia symptoms can be a sign that a child’s body is being attacked by numerous faulty white blood cells and should be seen by a doctor immediately. If childhood leukemia is diagnosed early enough, most cases can be treated and have a successful outcome. The children usually go into remission and live normal, healthy lives.
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