symptoms of leukemia in children

Leukemia in children


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Childhood leukemia is the most common cancer in the under-15s age group. In Germany, about 1,800 children of this age develop cancer every year - about every third child of them has leukemia. Children usually get sick with the acute forms of leukemia. Chronic forms rarely occur at this age.



Leukemia in children: age at onset and forms

The most common is acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children. It accounts for around 80 percent of the diseases and is particularly common between the ages of three and seven years. About 20 percent of childhood leukemia is acute myeloid leukemia. It occurs in childhood, especially between the 2nd and 3rd and between the 13th and 14th year. Most of those affected are middle-aged. Chronic myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia in children are rare.
Overview
Lymphatic leukemia

Why leukemia in children occurs is not fully understood. Presumably, a combination of a genetic predisposition and environmental factors leads to the disease. This means that several factors must work together to produce leukemia in children. If the immune system does not function properly due to congenital or acquired diseases, this may increase the risk. These diseases include, for example, Down syndrome. Environmental factors that contribute to the development of childhood leukemia include radioactive radiation (such as X-rays) and parents' cigarette and alcohol use. However, the exact causes of childhood leukemia are not known in most cases.
Leukemia in children: symptoms

In a leukemia, the composition of the blood is changed. Therefore, leukemia in children causes symptoms related to the blood and its functions. Leukemia symptoms in children include:

    paleness
    Tiredness and exhaustion
    Decreased efficiency
    weakness
    General malaise

These symptoms occur with leukemia, because the blood contains too few red blood cells (erythrocytes) - one speaks of anemia (anemia). Behind such complaints but not necessarily have a leukemia in children. Symptoms that affect the general condition are very unspecific. This means that they can occur in many different - often harmless - diseases. If they persist for a long time without apparent cause, it makes sense, however, to consult a pediatrician. The earlier a leukemia is detected in children, the better the prognosis!