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Children's health

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Could this be leukaemia?

5 replies

Killerqueenie · 29/04/2024 12:07

My DS is 4 and is always picking up a new virus every 2-3 weeks. He has been in childcare since he was 2, so I know it's common to pick up loads of bugs, but there's still no end in sight. My DD, who is 2, gets hardly any illnesses at all.

Nearly 3 weeks ago he was complaining of a sore throat, and I noticed his tonsils were so large that they were touching. He gets frequent tonsilitis and is on the waiting list for a tonsillectomy. But this time just seemed different. He says his throat feels better but he is so washed out and pale, has been off his food and has been very lethargic. He stopped napping years ago, but this last couple of weeks he has been falling asleep in the afternoon, despite sleeping all night. I took him to see the nurse practitioner on Friday as he said his ears were sore. She said that they were inflamed and his eardrum was bulging. She also said the glands in his neck were swollen.

I have started to become really concerned after reading the symptoms of leukaemia as his symptoms match quite a lot of them. This morning I noticed he had 3 ulcers on his tongue as well, which can be a sign of an immunity problem.

I know no one on here can diagnose. But I just wanted to see if anyone had been through similar and it turned out to be OK? I'll be calling the GP in the morning and raising my concerns with them and pushing them for a blood test, as I'm sick of them brushing everything off as a virus.

OP posts:
Killerqueenie · 29/04/2024 14:32

Bump

OP posts:
UpUpUpU · 29/04/2024 14:34

Getting bloods done is the only way you can find out. If you are worried and the GP find you off, I would pay privately for the bloods, if that is within your means.

I am sure it is more likely he’s just had back to back illnesses and he’s run down, and nothing too serious. Best of luck

Unseenentity · 29/04/2024 17:26

If you keep re-presenting to GP, they will pick up the concern and likely send you up to a paediatric assessment unit - either because they have become worried themselves due to the story, or because they understand you are not feeling reassured by their explanation. This is quite a common situation. A paediatric doctor can see your child and make an assessment about whether further investigations are needed - I wouldn't assume that they definitely are, but equally doing them is not the end of the world. On the whole children with leukaemia (which is rare overall) tend to look worse literally day by day, rather than the kind of up-and-down pattern that's coming through here, but ultimately only a medic taking a proper history can determine the likelihood.

Lala2022 · 24/01/2025 07:33

Hi @Killerqueenie , how is your son going now? My nearly 3 year old is experiencing similar symptoms to yours. Very tired and complaining of sore legs also. He had a past history of bone infection in leg so that’s a concern also but he was unable to walk when he had that.

SleepDeprivedElf · 24/01/2025 07:41

What about considering coeliacs disease also? Really hope both your kids will get well soon 💐

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