9 Dangerous Symptoms Of Leukemia (Blood Cancer) In Children (International Childhood Cancer Day)

By Chandana Rao

Thursday, February 15, 2018, 11:23

Most of us feel a nostalgic sense of bliss when we think about our childhood, right?

That is because, as children, we may not have had the stress and worries that come along with adulthood and we would find happiness in every little thing life had to offer us!

However, for many unfortunate children, it is not the case, because their childhood could be filled with devastating pain, thanks to certain diseases!

As we may already know, cancer is one of the most dangerous diseases that can affect humans and its symptoms can be extremely distressing to the victims.

When cancerous cells begin to grow in the body and multiply at an abnormally high rate, they eventually destroy the tissues and organs, which is why certain types of cancers can be hard to treat.

Also, with many types of cancers, the relapse rates are very high and so the fatality rates become higher too!

Cancer is a disease which can affect any part of our body and can also affect people regardless of the age and gender.

So, it can also affect infants and kids! Here are a few dangerous symptoms of leukaemia in children, you must never ignore!

What Is Leukaemia?

Leukaemia is a type of blood cancer which affects the blood cells of the body, produced by the bone marrow, eventually destroying the healthy blood cells. Leukaemia is known to affect over a million children in a year, globally! Here are some of the symptoms of leukemia in children.

1. Bruising Easily

Normally, children are very active and spend a lot of time playing outside of the houses and learning new things such as cycling, sports, etc. So, it is not unusual for them to fall down, hurt themselves and get minor bruises once in a while. However, if you find that your child is getting bruised very easily, with soft falls or blunt hits, which is happening too often, then it could be a sign of leukaemia.

2. Nose Bleeds

If you notice that your child has been experiencing constant nose bleeds, at random times, with no other specific causes, such as heat stroke or injury to the nose, then it could be another sure-fire symptom of leukaemia. The blood vessels in the nose become weaker and tend to break easily when children are affected with this disease.

3. Poor Appetite

This symptom could seem very normal in most children, as they are usually fussy about food, so it may go unnoticed until it is quite late! When a child is affected by leukaemia, the cells could start to accumulate in the stomach and spleen, causing the intestines to produce less digestive juices, thus reducing hunger.

4. Frequent Infections

If you notice that your child is being affected by infections persistently, even after treatments, it could be yet another sign of leukaemia. This cancer affects the white blood cells and begins to destroy them slowly. The white blood cells are very important to find disease and infection-causing agents, so leukaemia can lower the immunity of the body.

5. Stomach Pain

Now and then, many children experience stomach pain due to indigestion and gas. However, if you find that your child has been experiencing constant and acute stomach aches, without the presence of indigestion, then it could be because the leukaemia cells which have accumulated in the stomach, have been affecting the tissues of the stomach.

6. Trouble Breathing

As we know, the blood circulates to every part and organ of the body, including the lungs. So, when there are cancerous cells in the blood, because of leukaemia, they begin to destroy the cells of the lungs, thus causing respiratory issues like trouble breathing and wheezing, in children.

7. Joint Pain

If you notice that your child has been complaining of joint pain, in the knees, elbows, back, etc., recently and there has been no injury which has caused these aches, it could also be a sign of leukaemia. The build-up of cancerous cells in the blood around the joints could cause inflammation and pain.

8. Anaemia

Anaemia is a condition in which the red blood cells in the body decrease in count and lead to weakness and other symptoms. If you find that your child has been having symptoms of anaemia, such as dizziness, fatigue, loss of appetite, etc., do get their blood test done and if it indicates anaemia, get them checked for leukaemia as well!

9. Swelling

If you notice that there is swelling in parts such as the armpits, joints, neck, collarbone, etc., of your child, it could be another symptom of leukaemia. The cancerous cells can affect the lymph glands located in these areas of the body and cause swelling.