Childhood leukemia symptoms

This is because leukemia cells can accumulate in the spleenliverand kidneyscausing them to enlarge. In some cases, a doctor may be able to feel the enlarged abdominal organs. The child may also have a poor appetite or be unable to eat a normal amount of food. Weight loss is common. Trouble breathing Leukemic cells can clump around the thymuswhich is a gland at the base of the neck.

This can cause dyspneaor difficulty breathing. Breathing trouble can also result from swollen lymph nodes in the chest that push up against the windpipe. A child with leukemia may cough or wheeze. Painful breathing is a medical emergency. Frequent infections WBCs are necessary to fight off infection, but the immature WBCs of childhood leukemia symptoms are unable to perform that function properly.

A child with leukemia may experience frequent or prolonged bouts of viral or bacterial infections. The symptoms include coughingfever, and runny nose. These infections often show no improvement, even with the use of antibiotics or other treatment. Leukemia starts in blood-forming tissues such as the bone marrow. Your bone marrow makes the cells which will develop into white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.

Each type of cell has a different job: White blood cells help your body fight infection Red blood cells deliver oxygen from your lungs to your tissues and organs Platelets help form clots to stop bleeding When you have leukemia, your bone marrow makes large numbers of abnormal cells. This problem most often happens with white blood cells.

These abnormal cells build up in your bone marrow and blood. They crowd out the healthy blood cells and make it hard for your cells and blood to do their work. What are the types of leukemia in children? Tests called immunophenotyping and cytogenetic analysis are performed on the cells to further determine the type and subtype of leukemia.

A complete blood countwhich is a measurement of size, number, and maturity of different blood cells in blood. Blood tests may include blood chemistry, evaluation of liver and kidney functions, and genetic studies. A spinal tap : a special needle is placed into the lower back into the spinal canalwhich is the area around the spinal cord.

Cerebral spinal fluid is fluid that bathes the child's brain and spinal cord. A small amount of cerebral spinal fluid is sent for testing to determine if leukemia cells are present. Treatment is typically managed by a team of health care professionals, consisting of pediatric oncologists, social workers, pediatric nurse specialists, and pediatricians among others.

Four of these are standard treatment and one is in clinical trials. The four specific types of treatments that are traditionally used are Chemotherapy, Stem cell transplant, Radiation therapy and Targeted therapy.

Childhood leukemia symptoms

Chemotherapy can be used alone or in combination with other therapies. Chemotherapy can be given either as a pill to swallow orally, an injection into the fat or muscle, through an IV directly into the bloodstream or directly into the spinal column. A stem-cell transplant can help the human body produce more healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets.

It also reduces the risk of life-threatening conditions such as anemiaor hemorrhage. Stem cell transplants can be done by obtaining cells from the bone-marrow, blood or umbilical-cord blood. Stem cell transplants can use the cells from one's self, called an autologous stem cell transplant or they can use cells from another person, known as an allogenic stem cell transplant.

The type used in childhood leukemia is typically allogenic. The donors used must be a match to the child getting the transplant by a marker called HLA [18] [21] Radiation therapy uses various types of radiation to kill cancer cells. Many of the symptoms are common and can indicate a range of illnesses. The doctor will perform various tests and assessments before making a diagnosis.

If a parent or caregiver notices any of the symptoms above, it is best to take the child to a doctor as soon as possible. A prompt diagnosis can ensure that the child receives the right treatment quickly. Early symptoms may include : Frequent infections Children with leukemia have high white blood cell counts, but most of these cells are not functioning correctly.

This is because abnormal cells replace healthy white blood cells. White blood cells help protect the body by fighting off infections.