$Unique_ID{PAR00118}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Leukemia}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Leukemia pale Paleness weak weakness fatigue tired Spontaneous
bruising bruise bruises Red swollen bleeding gums fever Swollen lymph nodes
Bone pain nosebleed nosebleeds urine Blood Bloody stool Enlarged spleen liver
Enlargement white blood cells cancer cancers malignant cancerous bone marrow
mononucleosis herpes simplex mouth infections infection vitamin C deficiency
deficiencies rheumatic fevers rheumatoid arthritis sickle cell anemia
anticancer drug drugs medication medications Pediatric oncologist oncologists}
$Log{}

Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Leukemia


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOMS
     - Paleness, weakness, or fatigue
     - Spontaneous bruising
     - Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
     - Persistent low-grade fever
     - Swollen lymph nodes
     - Bone pain
     - Frequent heavy nosebleeds
     - Blood in the urine or stool
     - Enlarged spleen or liver

     HOME CARE
     - Treatment for leukemia must always be regulated by a doctor.

     PRECAUTION
     - Many common diseases can imitate leukemia.  Do not assume that a child
       has leukemia because he or she has one or more of the symptoms.  Have
       your doctor examine the child to make a diagnosis.


     Leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells.  Although it is rare,
leukemia is one of the four types of cancer most frequently seen in children.
It can afflict children at any age, but most frequently occurs between the
ages of three and four years.
     The disease can progress slowly or rapidly.  About 25 percent of leukemia
cases are diagnosed during a routine physical examination before the
appearance of any symptoms of the disease.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     Typical symptoms of leukemia include anemia, indicated by paleness,
weakness, or fatigue; bruises that appear on the body for no apparent reason;
swollen, red, and bleeding gums; a low-grade fever (101 degrees_F); swelling
of the lymph nodes (although the nodes are neither red nor painful); bone
pain; frequent, heavy nosebleeds; and the appearance of blood in the child's
urine or stool.
     It is important to remember that symptoms similar to those of leukemia
can also occur in a child suffering from some quite different (or even minor)
disorder.  Doctors may suspect leukemia when the typical signs and symptoms
are accompanied by an enlarged spleen or liver.  Suspicion is heightened when
blood studies reveal malignant (cancerous) white blood cells.  The diagnosis
is confirmed by an examination of the bone marrow.

HOME CARE

     No home care is advised until a doctor has diagnosed the condition.
Leukemia is a serious disease that always requires close medical attention.

PRECAUTION
  -  Leukemia is uncommon.  Many illnesses imitate leukemia, however, and
     these illnesses are not uncommon; among them are infectious
     mononucleosis, herpes simplex infections of the mouth, vitamin C
     deficiency, rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, sickle cell anemia,
     and other diseases that cause spontaneous bruising.  Do not jump to the
     conclusion that your child has leukemia because of the presence of any of
     the signs or symptoms.  To ease your mind, have your child examined by a
     doctor.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

     The survival rate for childhood leukemia has been rising over the past
few years because of the use of new anticancer drugs.  These drugs may result
in long periods of remission (during which the illness gets no worse) and even
cure.  Pediatric oncologists (cancer specialists) select and supervise the
treatment of leukemia.

RELATED TOPICS:  Anemia; Arthritis; Bruises; Herpes simplex; Infectious
mononucleosis; Sickle cell anemia