Symptoms of leukemia in children

Leukemia is a cancerous blood disease in which young blood cells are affected, from which leukocytes should form in the future. The development of the disease is manifested by the progression of the cell lesions in the bone marrow. Over time, the affected cells enter the bloodstream, which is why leukemia is diagnosed by routine blood analysis. At the time of the development of the disease, the number of white blood cells increases in the blood. Sometimes leukemia does not affect all cells, then the disease is mild. As a rule, the chronic form of leukemia is found only in adults, in childhood the most common acute forms of the disease. Acute leukemia develops rapidly and is of two types: lymphoblastic and myeloid. Very rarely there are eosinophilic and monocytic forms.

Acute leukemia in children

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is characterized by the defeat of young lymphoblasts. The cause of this disease is still unknown, it is clear that with the progression of the disease normal cells cease to appear, and the affected leukocytes enter the bone marrow. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children is manifested by increased fatigue and the development of external infections. Initially, this disease in its manifestation resembles a virus of the flu, the child suffers from malaise, fever, general intoxication. If after two weeks these symptoms do not disappear, you need to contact a specialist for further examination. Symptoms of acute myeloid leukemia in children are similar to the lymphoblastic form of leukemia, with the only difference being that myeloid cells bear defeat in myeloid leukemia.

Symptoms of leukemia in children

Symptoms of this insidious disease in children often resemble an ordinary cold, so many parents often do not attach much importance to this. With leukemia, the amount of platelets in the blood in a child is inadequate, because of this, pains occur in the limbs, lymph nodes increase, a variety of infections and bleeding occur. In the blood of such children, there is a decrease in normal leukocytes and a large number of affected cells. If you take the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid, then you can also meet the affected cells. The disease begins acutely - with malaise, high fever and septic processes in the throat, then gradually grows pallor, weakness, poor health. As the disease progresses, the child develops bone pain, fever, and then infections and bleeding. Sometimes the liver, spleen and other internal organs may be enlarged.

Clinical picture of leukemia

If the disease is not treated, the symptoms of leukemia in children become more pronounced: a severe form of anemia develops, dyspnea, lethargy, tachycardia, tumoral changes manifest themselves locally in the form of sprouting. The submaxillary and parotid glands are enlarged, the skin infiltrates are found on the body, they greatly change the whole face of the child. X-ray can be observed changes in tubular bones in the form of loosening of bone tissue. In especially severe cases, sepsis, anemic hypoxia, bleeding, heart rhythm disturbances can develop - these symptoms of leukemia in children are very dangerous and can lead to death.

Modern medicine in the treatment of leukemia in children sets a goal - not to leave any sick cells in the body. Often this can be done with the help of chemotherapy, sometimes using immunotherapy, but its role in the treatment of blood cancer has not been sufficiently studied. Modern methods of treatment and early diagnosis give a guarantee of complete cure for leukemia, and therefore you need to be vigilant, noticing the first symptoms of leukemia in children.