Symptoms of leukemia in children

Leukemia is a condition that develops within the bone marrow wherein WBC or White Blood Cells, RBC or Red Blood Cells as well as platelets are produced. When the bone marrow starts producing excessive white blood cells for any particular reason, the condition is known as leukemia and the anomalous blood cells are referred to as leukemia cells. These cells are not matured; hence they are unable to perform regular functioning of WBC. These cells then consistently reproduce themselves and finally crowd out the normal blood cells. This then gradually may lead to severe consequences such as anemia, infection etc.

Symptoms of Leukemia in children

There are various symptoms of leukemia as experienced by children. Not all, but some of these symptoms are explained below:

Fatigues as well as pale skin:

A child when under affliction of leukemia may feel tired and weak. He/ she may also experience symptoms such as dizziness and shortness of breathe. You may also notice that the skin as well as the gums of the affected child has turned pale. These problems occur due to lack of RBC or red blood cells; such issues is also scientifically referred to as anemia.

Fever or infection:

A child suffering from leukemia may also suffer from high fever as well as infection. This condition may be antibiotic resistant which means that it does not improve even after taking antibiotics. This may occur due to lack of normal WBC to counteract the infection. Though, children with the condition show high count of WBC, these cells are not normal to fight infections.

Pain in the bone:

Some children with the condition, but not all, may also experience pain in the bone, whereas even lesser children will have pain in their joints. Studies indicate that this happens due to accumulation of abnormal leukemia cells near the bone surface as well as inside the joint.

Swollen abdomen:

Swollen abdomen is another symptom that may be experienced by the affected child under prevalence of leukemia. The doctor may easily feel the anomalous swelling in the stomach while examining.

Coughing or respiratory issues:

The T- cells type of ALL or Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia usually is associated to thymus gland which is located near the heart in the chest. The condition may also cause engorgement of thymus or lymph nodes located within the chest; this may press the adjacent windpipe, which may in turn lead to coughing or other respiratory issues.

Seizures, Head pain or Vomiting:

The leukemia cell may also spread outside from the bone marrow. They may also influence the central nervous system which may lead to symptoms such as headache, difficulty in concentration, weariness, seizure, balancing issue, ocular impairment and vomiting.

Rashes or gum issues:

These cells are also potential of spreading to gum resulting in pain, bleeding and protrusion of gums. They may also affect the skin leading to spots that may appear to be rashes.

Other symptoms of leukemia in children

There are also some other symptoms of leukemia in children such as,

• Bruises or easy bleeding

• Dramatic reduction in appetite

• Dramatic reduction in weight

• Protruded lymph nodes

Though these symptoms may also be common in other physical issues it may be a formidable sign of underlying leukemia. Hence, if your child shows any of these aforementioned symptoms it is better to consult your doctor.