Leukemia is a hematological malignancy or blood cancer. It develops in the bone marrow, the inner soft part of the bone where new blood cells are made.
The cure rate of leukemia in children is much higher than in adults, although some treatment side effects last until adulthood. Leukemia is bone marrow cancer, where the latter is located in the center of our bones that makes the three types of blood cells – red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, writes FirstCryParenting.
One of the different types of white blood cells is called lymphocytes. The most common form of cancer in children is acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
What are the causes of leukemia in children:
We don’t really know the exact cause of leukemia in children. However, some suspected causes are as follows:
Prenatal and postnatal exposure to ionizing radiation (especially X-rays); Exposure to pesticides by parents; Exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF); Some immune-defying drugs given to a child after he has undergone an organ transplant; Children who have a twin identical to the disease or a sibling with the disease; Children already suffering from a genetic disorder like Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Klinefelter Syndrome etc. Acute leukemia in a child is a disease that is more common in the age group of 2 – 5 years.
The signs and symptoms
1) Low Blood Cell Levels (Anemia): Red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of the body. Therefore, the absence of these can result in fatigue, weakness, feeling cold, dizziness, headache, and pale skin. 2) Low levels of white blood cells: Infections can occur at any time but in leukemia, they are often recurrent. Repeated fever can be a sign of leukemia as the infection is one of the leading causes of fever. 3) Low platelet levels: Platelets help stop bleeding. Therefore platelet deficiency can cause swelling and bleeding of either the nose or gums.
Other symptoms: Bony or joint pain; Loss of appetite and weight loss; Effective lymph nodes; Cough or difficulty breathing; Headaches, seizures, and vomiting; Extreme weakness and fatigue. /mommytobe
